School Counseling Secretary

Howard County Public School System

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Principal, the Middle School Counseling Secretary facilitates the daily operations of the counseling office through comprehensive administrative support. This role serves as the primary coordinator for student transitions—including registration, enrollment, and withdrawals—while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity and customer service.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED
Two years of general administrative or clerical experience.
An Associate Degree or the successful completion of 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university may be substituted for up to two (2) years of the required experience.
Thorough understanding of FERPA, state, and federal laws regarding the privacy and integrity of student records.
Mastery of local and state procedures for student enrollment, residency verification, transfers, and withdrawals.
Proficiency in Student Information Systems (SIS) and specialized platforms like TIENET for managing student data and Section 504 workflows.
Knowledge of records retention and disposal schedules as outlined by the HCPSS Student Records Manual or equivalent guidelines.
Meticulous data entry skills for managing course histories, grades, and case manager assignments with zero errors.
Expert use of the Google Workspace (specifically Google Surveys for teacher input) and centralized scheduling calendars.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for composing professional correspondence and directing a high volume of inquiries.
Ability to organize complex meetings, manage meeting notices, and facilitate the clerical steps of the Section 504 process.
Ability to interact professionally and empathetically with diverse stakeholders, including parents, staff, and Pupil Personnel Workers (PPW).
Ability to work effectively with school counselors, data clerks, and administrators to ensure seamless student transitions.
Ability to maintain a safe and orderly environment while supervising students in the waiting area.
Ability to handle sensitive and protected information with the highest level of integrity.
Ability to manage recurring clerical tasks (like Flash 504 verification) while responding to immediate walk-in or phone needs.

Responsibilities

Executes and coordinates all procedures for the registration, enrollment, transfer, and withdrawal of middle school students according to established local and state procedures.
Verifies student residency and eligibility for enrollment in collaboration with the PPW in strict accordance with county policies and guidelines.
Collaborates with relevant school staff such as school counselor and data clerk on enrollments and withdrawals.
Upholds the confidentiality and integrity of all student information in compliance with FERPA, county, state, and federal laws, as well as HCPSS policies.
Follows all guidelines for the retention and disposal of student cumulative records as directed by the HCPSS Student Records Manual.
Accurately enters, manages, and verifies student data within the Student Information System to include student course history and grades as needed.
Activates/Deactivates/Reactivates students in Case Management System.
Creates Section 504 Meeting Notices in Case Management System and sends to families.
Updates Section 504 Case Managers assignments in Case Management System.
Creates and distributes teacher input forms.
Assists Administrators with Flash 504 verification.
Assists with setting up a centralized scheduling calendar.
Assists with setting up Section 504 meetings using the centralized calendar.
Answers and directs phone calls or walk-ins.
Delivers high-quality customer service to all internal and external stakeholders, including composing and distributing professional correspondence (letters and emails).
Supervising students in the student services waiting area.