School Counselor at St. Stephens High School (26-27 SY)

Catawba County Schools•Hickory, NC

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school counselors promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, career, and personal/social development for all students. The major functions of the school counselor job description incorporate the North Carolina State Board of Education’s guiding mission that every public school student will graduate from high school globally competitive for work and postsecondary education and prepared for life in the twenty-first century.

Requirements

A master’s degree in School Counseling OR Enrollment in an accredited school counselor preparation program and completion of a minimum of 24 graduate semester hours of that program; OR , Completion of a master’s degree in addiction, career, clinical mental health, clinical rehabilitation, college counseling and student affairs; marriage, couple, and family counseling; or rehabilitation counseling from a regionally accredited college or university, and enrollment in an accredited school counselor preparation program to complete additional master’s level courses needed to add school counseling specialization.
Completion of the remaining school counselor preparation program requirements and testing within three years.
Considerable knowledge of federal, state, and local policies and procedures regarding psychological services.
Considerable knowledge of counseling services appropriate for school-age children.
Considerable knowledge of appropriate actions to be taken in emergency situations.
Considerable knowledge of the current literature, trends, methods, and developments in the area of school counseling services.
General knowledge of the ethical guidelines applicable to the position as outlined by professional organizations and/or federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations.
General knowledge of the principles of supervision, organization, and administration.
Ability to interpret student behavior, system policies, and state procedures.
Ability to coordinate large programs.
Ability to develop, counsel, and support staff.
Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and make recommendations for improvements.
Ability to use common office machines and popular computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet software and file maintenance programs.
Ability to maintain complete and accurate records and to develop meaningful reports from them.
Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.

Responsibilities

Discusses the comprehensive school counseling program with the school administrator.
Develops and maintains a written plan for effective delivery of the school counseling program based on the NC Comprehensive School Counseling Standard Course of Study and current individual school data.
Communicates the goals of the comprehensive school counseling program to education stakeholders (i.e., administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community/business leaders).
Maintains current and appropriate resources for education stakeholders.
Uses the majority of time providing direct services through the Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning and Preventive and Responsive Services, and most remaining time in program management, system support, and accountability (National standards recommend 80% of time in Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning and Preventive and Responsive Services and 20% of time in program management, system support, and accountability (American School Counselor Association, 2005).
Uses data to develop comprehensive programs that meet student needs.
Provides leadership and collaborates with other educators in the school-wide integration of the State Guidance Curriculum Standard Course of Study.
Implements developmentally appropriate and prevention-oriented group activities to meet student needs and school goals.
Incorporates into their programs the life skills that students need to be successful in the twenty-first century.
Assists all students, individually or in groups, with developing academic, career, and personal/social skills, goals, and plans.
Accurately and appropriately interprets and utilizes student data.
Collaborates with parents/guardians and educators to assist students with educational, career, and life planning.
Provides individual and group counseling to students with identified concerns and needs.
Consults and collaborates effectively with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and other educational/community resources regarding students with identified concerns and needs.
Implements an effective referral and follow-up process as needed.
Accurately and appropriately uses assessment procedures for determining and structuring individual and group counseling services.
Provides appropriate information to school personnel related to the comprehensive school counseling program.
Assists teachers, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders in interpreting and understanding student data.
Participates in professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.
Uses available technology resources to enhance the school counseling program.
Adheres to laws, policies, procedures, and ethical standards of the school counseling profession.
Conducts a yearly program audit to review the extent of program implementation and effectiveness.
Collects and analyzes data to guide program direction and emphasis.
Measures results of the comprehensive school counseling program activities and shares results as appropriate with relevant stakeholders.
Monitors student academic performance, behavior, and attendance, and facilitates appropriate interventions.
Performs other related work as required.