Middle School Counselor

Gadsden Independent School District•Anthony, NM

1d•Onsite

About The Position

This role involves working with school faculty, staff, students, parents, and the community to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program aligned with American School Counseling Association (ASCA) national standards. The counselor will guide students in developing their academic, career, personal, and social abilities, with a focus on addressing the needs of special population students. The position requires adherence to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession and all relevant regulations. Key responsibilities include developing and delivering a guidance curriculum, collaborating with administration on student course planning, managing student educational development, conducting assessments, and providing support for transitions between school levels. The role also involves consulting with stakeholders, implementing prevention strategies, mediating conflicts, maintaining communication systems, conducting orientation programs, and referring students to appropriate services. Additionally, the counselor will interpret assessment data, participate in testing programs, and maintain confidentiality. Leadership is expected in implementing the counseling program, addressing student needs, enhancing learning environments, and educating the school community. Advocacy for a diverse student body, equitable policies, and an environment free from barriers to achievement is also a core function. Professional behavior, adherence to ethical standards, and continuous professional development are essential.

Requirements

Passage of the following PRAXIS exams: School Counselor 5422 required.
Master's Degree in School Counseling
Valid New Mexico Counseling License
Ability to use multiple virtual instructional platforms.
Proficient in Google Suites
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suites
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents.
Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
Ability to write speeches and articles for publication that conform to prescribed style and format.
Ability to effectively present information to top management, public groups, and/or boards of directors.
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry.
Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
The employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear.
The employee must occasionally require to stand; walk; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds such as testing material.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Maintains emotional control under stress.
Daily attendance and punctuality at work are essential functions of the job.

Nice To Haves

Three professional reference letters, all dated within the last 12 months.
If a current district employee, one reference letter must be from your current supervisor.

Responsibilities

Work with school faculty, staff, students, parents, and community to plan, implement and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program based on the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) national standards.
Counsel students to fully develop each student’s academic, career, personal and social abilities, and address the needs of special population students.
Complies with the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession; upholds and enforces rules, administrative directives, regulations, GISD school board policies, as well as local, state and federal regulations.
Provide guidance to assist all students in developing and applying skills for maximum academic, career, personal, and social development during school years and beyond.
Use counseling theories in addressing personal, social, career, and academic development.
Attend to diverse needs of students, participating in classroom guidance.
Determine guidance priorities based on local needs assessment.
Plan and conduct structured group lessons to deliver the guidance curriculum effectively and in accordance with students’ developmental needs.
Involve students, parents, teachers, and others to promote effective implementation of the school guidance curriculum.
Work in conjunction with administration to develop and monitor student courses.
Plan, monitor, and manage students own educational development, including information about post-secondary opportunities, career development/themes, and personal/social development (i.e., plan career day activities, university/college field trips, industry field trips, guest speakers).
Conduct appraisal and advisement by assessing student abilities, interest and achievement to help them make decisions about their future.
Provide exploration opportunities and activities to support the transition process from elementary to middle school and middle to high school.
Consult with parents, teachers, administrators, and community members to promote and increase the effectiveness of student achievement and success.
Provide prevention strategies which address current issues and at-risk indicators.
Provide mediation for change in behavior and conflict resolution.
Maintain a positive communication system that effectively collects and disseminates information appropriately.
Conduct orientation and training programs for students, parents, and staff.
Develop and maintain positive working relationships with other school professionals and representatives of community resources to promote student success.
Use established district processes of referring students, parents/guardians, and others to appropriate programs and services.
Interpret standardized test results and other available student data to promote sound decision-making for students and others involved in the student’s development.
Promote understanding of ethical and legal uses and limitations of assessment.
Participate in planning and evaluation of campus standardized testing programs.
Interpret tests and formal and informal assessment data to guide students in individual goal setting and planning in collaboration with school personnel, parents and/or guardians.
Possess and promote an understanding of potential cultural and linguistic bias in assessment tools.
Maintain confidentiality of student assessment and testing process.
Utilize relevant data to participate and support the district MLSS framework.
Provide leadership for the implementation of the schools’ comprehensive developmental school counseling program.
Provide leadership in the schools’ responsiveness to the personal and social needs of diverse students.
Provide leadership for the enhancement of learning environments that address the diverse needs of students.
Educate school staff, students, parents, and community about school counseling program/services.
Advocate for a school environment that acknowledges and respects diversity.
Advocate for individual for specific groups of students.
Advocate for school policies, programs, and services that are equitable and responsive to diverse groups of students and enhance a positive school climate.
Advocate for the elimination of factors that may impede student achievement and school success.
Adhere to professional standards in all components of a comprehensive developmental school counseling program.
Adhere to federal, state, district and campus legal standards, policies, regulations and procedures.
Commit to current professional standards of competence and practice.
Promote and follow school counseling ethical standards.
Demonstrate professional and responsible work habits.
Establish and maintain professional relationships with administrators, teachers, other school staff, parents, and community members.
Demonstrate professional and responsible work habits by participating in continuous district and campus staff development programs that improve job-related skills.
Attend and participate in district and campus meetings and serve on committees as needed.
Support other duties as assigned.
Performs other duties as assigned.