GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:  FLSA: Exempt

Supports District schools and principals in their effort to foster an optimal educational environment for students. Leadership, advocacy and collaboration are the skills a school counselor will draw on to implement a preventative, proactive school counseling program using the ASCA (American School Counseling) model.  Counselors will promote student success through the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program that address the academic, career and personal/social needs of students.

• Registers students new to the school, orients them to school procedures and the school’s varied opportunities for learning.
• Participates in meetings addressing a student’s specific needs affecting their learning (i.e. IEP, 504, SST, TMT).
• Communicates with students, staff and parents in a timely manner.
• Implements the components of the comprehensive program which includes curriculum, responsive services, student planning and systems support.
• Supports AZ academic standards through the application and integration of AZ standards and ASCA school counseling standards.
• Develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school goals.
• Uses effective classroom management techniques.
• In collaboration with parents/guardians, engage students to establish academic, personal/social, and career goals as a means to connect education to their future.
• Demonstrates accurate and appropriate interpretation of assessment data and the presentation of relevant, unbiased information.
• Develops strategies to implement individual student planning, such as strategies for appraisal, goal setting, decision-making, social skills, transition or post-secondary planning.
• Counsels individual students and small groups of students with identified needs and concerns.
• Consults effectively with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators and other relevant individuals.
• Implements an effective referral process with administrators, teachers and other school personnel.
• Networks with community agencies to maintain a referral resource for student’s personal problems (i.e. long-term counseling services, support groups, child protective services, police, etc.).
• Understands what defines a crisis, the appropriate response to a variety of intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group, or school community, before, during and after a crisis.
• Works as a team to the school and community in a crisis situation.
• Involved with consultation, training and leadership to the school community in creating, maintaining and evaluating a safe school environment.
• Participates in educational professional development.
• Carries out “fair share responsibilities” as appropriate.
• Understands and knows how to provide supervision for school counseling interns consistent with the principles of the ASCA model.
• Creates a yearly principal-counselor agreement based on annual school needs and goals.
• Develops action plans detailing the curriculum delivery using a yearly counseling calendar.
• Spends 80% of time in direct services to students and follows the ASCA recommended time for their level in guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services and systems support.
• Meets with the Counseling Advisory Council.
• Reviews the school counseling program audit with the Counseling Advisory Council.
• Uses school data to make decisions regarding student choice of classes and counseling programs.

• Collects process, perception and results data from the counseling program to make decisions regarding program revisions.
• Analyzes and interprets data to ensure every student has equity and access to a rigorous academic curriculum.
• Analyzes and interprets data to improve student behavior.
• Understands and uses data to establish goals and activities in “closing the gap” efforts.
• Accountable for monitoring every student’s progress.
• Develops appropriate interventions for students as needed and monitors their progress.
• Measures results attained from school guidance curriculum and closing the gap activities by conducting a yearly program audit.
• Uses student achievement and achievement-related data for program modification.
• Assesses, analyzes, interprets, disaggregates, and presents process, perception and results data.
• Maintains professionalism in all areas, including work habits, relationships, utilizing technology, attending meetings, completing all required paperwork and following ASCA Ethical Guidelines.
• Takes a leadership role within the counseling department, the school setting and the community.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Valid Arizona Teacher’s Certificate with Counseling endorsement, MA degree.
• Experience as a school counselor implementing the ASCA National Model.
• Adheres to the American School Counselling Association Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
• Counseling experience.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk and hear.  The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms.  The employee is occasionally required to sit and use hands to finger, handle or feel objects.  The employee is frequently required to stoop, bend, or crouch.

The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 40 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individual with disability to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions.  The employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions and extreme heat.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and frequently low.

SUPERVISION:             Received from:     Principal

                                     Given to:             Student Body

EVALUATION:             At least annually by the Principal in accordance with the policy of the Governing Board.