26-27SY Teacher, Full-time-Behavioral Health Counselor

School District of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The School District of Philadelphia is seeking dedicated professionals to join their team and transform educational opportunities for students. This role involves advising students at an assigned secondary or middle school, providing comprehensive counseling services to foster academic, personal, social, and career development. The counselor will implement programs focused on decision-making, conflict resolution, self-esteem, and coping strategies. They will serve as a primary agent for addressing issues impacting students at risk of academic failure, and as a school-based resource for dropout prevention, substance abuse, pregnancy, homelessness, and crisis intervention. For specialized roles, communication in a specified world language or American Sign Language may be required. The position also involves acting as a liaison between the school and community/governmental agencies that offer services to students and their families.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in school counseling at an accredited college or university.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles, practices and theories of individual/group counseling.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles, practices and theories of developmental/educational guidance.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the current techniques and trends in counseling and guidance at the secondary/middle school level.
• Demonstrated knowledge of theories and principles of adolescent development, individual/group behavior, group dynamics and interpersonal interactions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of communication skills and techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the current health, economic and social problems experienced by urban families.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the functions and resources of community/governmental agencies that provide support services for students and their families.
• Demonstrated ability to provide counseling and guidance on an individual/group basis and to conduct group support/guidance sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to employ tact, diplomacy and sound judgment in dealing with sensitive or personal problems and hostile attitudes.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with students and their families and to aid them in the constructive use of their capacities to address their specific problems.
• Demonstrated ability to identify the signs of substance abuse and students at risk for suicide.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and interpret standardized test scores, marking guidelines and promotional policies.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in crisis intervention.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare and maintain student-counseling records, reports, correspondence and statistical summaries.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Demonstrated knowledge of both English and the specified world language, including history and culture (Bilingual Specialty).
• Demonstrated ability to fluently speak, read and write both English and the specified world language (Bilingual Specialty).
• Demonstrated knowledge of the social and emotion issues related to deafness/hearing impairment (Sign Language Specialty).
• Demonstrated knowledge of the diagnostic and assessment instruments commonly used for assessing deaf/hearing-impaired students (Sign Language Specialty).
• Demonstrated knowledge of the history and culture of the deaf/hearing impaired community (Sign Language Specialty).
• Demonstrated ability to demonstrate proficiency in the use and understanding of Signed English and American Sign Language (Sign Language Specialty).
• Possession of a valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instructional specialist certificate endorsed for Secondary Counselor (or Guidance Counselor Certificate issued prior to July 1, 1969) OR Possession of a valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Elementary and Secondary School Counselor (PreK - 12) certificate (Regular, Sign Language and GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Presentation of an original, signed letter from the Certification Officer of an accredited college or university verifying current enrollment in an approved School Counselor certification program (Bilingual Specialty).

Responsibilities

• Provides general school counseling and guidance programs and services including individual and group counseling and guidance.
• Implements broad based programs dealing with decision-making, conflict resolution, self-esteem, coping strategies and other issues.
• Plans and provides classroom guidance focusing on post high school planning, career exploration, family and/or peer relationships and decisionmaking.
• Provides formal and informal counseling services to students and their parents concerning issues that are affecting or may affect the students’ academic achievement and/or social, emotional or personal development.
• Serves as the primary agent for addressing issues that affect students at risk of failing to attain their full academic potential.
• Serves as the school based resource for dealing with dropout prevention, substance abuse, pregnancy, homelessness and crisis prevention/intervention.
• Participates in team interventions with other staff to support students.
• Collaborates with parents, teachers and other staff in the planning and implementation of a comprehensive educational program for students.
• Makes referrals to outside agencies as needed and provides ongoing followup services to students and their parents.
• Gathers and disseminates information on critical issues such as student substance abuse, suicide prevention, teen pregnancy and homeless.
• Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in school counseling and guidance for secondary and/or middle school students.
• Prepares and maintains student-counseling records; prepares reports on students, correspondence and statistical summaries.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships.
• Provides students and families with general school and guidance programs and services in a specified world language as well as English (Bilingual Specialty).
• Creates an environment in which students have access to bilingual counseling/guidance materials that address their needs and interests (Bilingual Specialty).
• Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in bilingual school counseling and guidance (Bilingual Specialty).
• Serves as a liaison between the college and school to develop and plan college visits and facilitate postsecondary achievement (Middle College Specialty).
• Monitors students to insure they are on track to attend college during their junior and senior year (Middle College Specialty).
• Works with teachers to ensure that students receive the necessary interventions and supports for academic achievement (Middle College Specialty).
• Provides students and families with general school and guidance programs and services in American Sign Language and Signed English as well as English (Sign Language Specialty).
• Creates an environment in which deaf/hearing impaired students have access to specialized counseling/guidance materials that address their needs and interests (Sign Language Specialty).
• Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in school counseling and guidance for the deaf and hearing impaired (Sign Language Specialty).
• Provides academic, college, and career counseling services to GEAR UP students (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Provides career and college entrance information and assistance to students, teachers, parents and counselor’s in small groups and one-to-one (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Collaborates with school counselors to schedule college visits, college representative visits, career related speakers, workshops, etc. (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Plans, organizes, develops and implements career events and publications: prepares letters, flyers, mailers and other materials to publicize GEAR UP counseling services, resources, and speakers (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Counsels cohort students regarding state and district tests and in preparing for college entrance exams (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Provides financial aid counseling and FAFSA completion support (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Provides support for students involved in mentoring, job shadowing and internship programs (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Participates in the development of the annual action plan (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Submits all matching funds documents regarding career and counseling activities to the program manager (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Enters college and career program and student data weekly (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Maintains appropriate, accurate and complete records (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Provides monthly program updates to the program manager (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Shares GEAR UP information with other GEAR UP school counselors (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Participates in on-site visits (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Participates in all GEAR UP training and professional development (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Attends regional monthly GEAR UP staff meetings (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Travels to school district monthly meetings (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).
• Attends the GEAR UP Capacity Building and Annual Conferences (GEAR UP 3 Specialty).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level