Guidance Counselor

 

Job Title:              School Counselor - Ringgold Elementary School South

Reports to:           Principal

 

Primary Purpose:

           

To meet and respond to the developmental and special needs of all students as well as to those of individual students.

 

Qualifications:

• PA Certification in Elementary and Secondary School Counseling K-12
• Bachelor’s Degree

                       

Essential Functions:

• Develops and coordinates a school counseling program in conjunction with the Advisory Team that includes individualized education, career planning, and other activities necessary for a successful program. Focuses attention on every student’s academic, career, and personal-social development needs and collaborates with others within and outside the school to meet them. Implements a guidance curriculum and responds to teacher invitations to provide classroom guidance lessons on topics such as character education, career and work issues, development of life skills, etc.  Seeks input from and revises program to better meet the needs of the school as necessary.
• Abides by federal, state and local school laws and regulations, mandated programs, District policies and administrative regulations.
• Provides individual or small group counseling toward social and emotional growth, new student orientation, at risk assessment and crisis intervention to include students who are failing classes, exhibit absentee patterns, and in consultation with student’s therapist. Provides goal-oriented counseling in systematic response to identified needs.
• Maintains and updates the website and forms as required.
• Plans, schedules, and delivers crisis education and response management; provides evening parent programs and post-secondary programming to high school students.
• Coordinates services and makes referrals to community agencies.
• Assists students in evaluating their aptitudes and abilities through the interpretation of individual standardized test scores and other pertinent data in order to discover and develop their special abilities. Provides information and access to additional resources on potential jobs/careers that align with student’s abilities and interests.
• Provides in-service training in guidance for teachers.
• Enters and tracks all data and scheduling related to cyber students.
• Oversees course scheduling for all traditional, nontraditional, and learning support students and confers with parents and teachers to provide support whenever necessary.
• Communicates with teachers and staff members to familiarize them with the general range of services offered by the department in order to improve the educational prospects of individual students being counseled.
• Coordinates opportunity for students to take assessments related to post-secondary education such as the PSAT, SAT, ACT or AP examinations. Assists with District preparation for state-mandated testing. Participates in IEP,
• GIEP meetings or Section 504 service agreement meetings, as requested. Participates in, coordinates, and maintains records on the Child Study process. Participates in Student Assistance Program.
• In conjunction with the principal, periodically monitors data on student progress relating to implementation of individualized instructional or behavioral interventions and assists with modifications when indicated. Works in collaboration with others to resolve students’ educational needs, including those related to IEPs and GIEPs.
• Monitors student progress toward meeting all graduation requirements and works with those who face problems with sufficient credits toward graduation. Supports student’s post-graduation process by building transcripts and maintaining graduation credit counts per student, counseling and advising students on the college application process, and writing letters of recommendation.
• Interprets and communicates information regarding school counseling to the community as well as potential stakeholders outside of the classroom.
• Participates in student referrals to homebound instruction, alternative education, and similar out of school placements.
• Maintains the confidentiality of student records and information as part of exercising professional duties and discretion in sharing such information.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Performs in accordance with school policy, administrative regulations, state and federal laws.

Temperament:

• Composure under stress
• Ability to work as a team member and independently
• Flexibility
• Multitasking
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills.

Specific Skills:

• Advanced Computer Skills

• Operate office equipment
• Planning/organization skills

 

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Follow written and verbal directions
• Work with minimal supervision
• Exercise good judgment in prioritizing tasks
• Communicate effectively at all organizational level
• Perform duties according to District policies and state and federal regulations

 

Evaluation:

Performance of this job will be evaluated annually in accordance with the provisions of the applicable policies of the Ringgold School District.

 

This job description does not state or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  The employee in this position will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties requested by his or her supervisor.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the required duties.

 

By providing references, you are allowing Ringgold School District to contact the listed individuals at any point to conduct a reference check.