Application Deadline9/30/2024Position Start Date9/12/2024
The School Counselor plays a crucial role in supporting the success of all students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. The School Counselor will be responsible for promoting student success with applying academic achievement strategies, managing emotions and applying interpersonal skills, and exploring and planning for post-secondary options. The School Counselor will be the primary liaison for designing and delivering the school counseling program. The School Counselor will lead, advocate, and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting the school counseling program to the district’s academic vision and mission in alignment with the district strategic plan. The School Counselor will use available data sources to coordinate and provide student services.
Key Responsibilities:
Development and Management
Plan and promote programs which enhance the academic, social, or emotional growth of students, including opportunities for student enrichment and slash or remediation, scholarship opportunities, and parent informational meetings.
Use data to develop and inform the school counseling program and evaluate the program’s impact on the school’s instructional goals.
Collaborate on the development and management of the comprehensive school counseling program with the school administrator and other school counselors. Annually evaluate the progress of the comprehensive school counseling program.
Communicate and share the goals of the comprehensive school counseling program to stakeholders including students, families, teachers, administrators, and community partners.
Develop and maintain a written plan for effective delivery of the school counseling programs based on the Red Creek Central School District strategic plan and building level goals. Ensure the alignment of this plan American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Standards for School Counseling Programs.
Use the majority of the time (approximately 80%) to provide direct services to students through preventive and responsive services, including individual student planning, and use the remaining time in development and management, system support, and accountability.
Preventative and Responsive Services
Provide SEL supports in collaboration with classroom teachers at the Tier 1 level.
Provide Tier 2, Tier 3, and IEP Counseling to students.
Serve as an active member of school building MTSS teams.
Design, implement, and assess tier one SEL curriculum.
Utilize responsive counseling, initiating individual and group sessions for students’ academic, social, and personal concerns.
Consult with families and staff to appraise student needs and interests and to discuss appropriate recommendations for educational options.
Plan, coordinate and provide classroom lessons to meet the identified competencies in the areas of academic achievement, career and educational development, and personal and social development to assist students in developing decision-making skills and identifying life goals.
Assess student needs and make referrals to appropriate school resource personnel, social agencies, community agencies, and alternative programs.
Intervene during crisis situations and participate on school crisis team.
Facilitate parent and teacher meetings when requested after school.
Collaborate with members of school-based teams, especially classroom teachers, to share relevant student data as it pertains to each child's emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning with the purpose of creating an integrated treatment approach. Collaboration includes communication with families and referral sources about each child's strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
Establish and maintain positive and trusting relationships with colleagues, students, families, administrators, and the broader school community.
Consult and collaborate with teachers, staff, and students to implement behavior plans.
Provide counseling and support services to students as needed and assigned.
Refer students and families to appropriate community resources.
Individual Student Planning
Prepare students for the transition to the next level: high school and post high school activities/options.
Meet with all students at least once annually to monitor progress toward graduation and career planning.
Guide each student to choose courses consistent with his slash her interest, abilities, and career plans.
Help students and families develop post-secondary educational plans in accordance with student interests, abilities, and career plans.
Plan and coordinate programs such as career and high school fairs, test skills preparation, improved/perfect attendance celebrations and other extensions of the counseling program to support students’ knowledge of post-secondary options.
Assist students in navigating their academic, workplace and community experiences, through the use of individual student planning tools which include Xello and other planning tools.
Collaborate with parents/guardians and educators to assist students with educational and career planning. Participate in school-based teams in order to advocate for students’ needs and provide guidance for school staff.
Support college applications by coordinating standardized assessments (PSAT, SAT, ACT), assisting students with the completion of admission essays, writing of letters of recommendation, answering questions about college admissions and financial aid, and coordinating college visits.
Actively participate in MTSS and CSE meetings to support attainment of graduation requirements for all students.
Maintain accurate data and academic records for every student on the counselor’s caseload
Consult with principal at least every five weeks regarding the graduation and academic status of all seniors
Conduct home visits as requested by the Building Principal
System Support
Guide, coordinate, and support other school staff in implementing school wide programs.
Use responsive counseling strategies to establish relationships and collaborate with educators, students, families, and community partners which reflect recognition of and respect for each individual student.
Promotes an understanding and appreciation of diverse populations and cultures to ensure a culturally responsive educational environment.
Assist families in obtaining services for their children through an appropriate referral and follow-up process.
Serve as liaison between the social services and personnel from the school building.
Assist teachers in understanding their students, including providing and interpreting student data.
Provide in-service training on topics related to the school counseling program and supporting student achievement
Organize and promote standardized assessment opportunities and interpret test results for students and/or parents on request.
Assist the principal in preparation of student commencement programming and advise the principal annually regarding the promotion and or retention of students.
Serve as an active member of the master scheduling committee along with building administration and complete master scheduling tasks as assigned by the building administrator.
Serve as the primary liaison between the Red Creek Central School District and partnering college-based programs including those offering courses for concurrent enrollment
Design and evaluate programs to intervene both directly and indirectly with children's academic, behavioral, and emotional problems.
Provide appropriate training to classroom teachers and support staff on strategies for promoting students’ social and emotional well-being.
Assist in programs of professional development training for school personnel to promote mental health in the classroom and to increase the competency of school personnel in dealing with problems of learning and adjustment.
Accountability
Conduct, at minimum, a yearly program audit to review the extent and quality of program implementation.
Prepare and submit a variety of requested reports and data, to ensure fulfillment of established program requirements.
Use all available data, including academic grades, discipline referrals and attendance data, to identify students in need and to deliver services.
Interpret tests, student data and other assessment results appropriately within the counseling environment for the purpose of developing and implementing academic plans for individual students.
Other duties as assigned by the Building Principal.
Desired Qualities
Strong Sense of Confidentiality:
Commitment to Equity: Passionate about closing the achievement gap and ensuring that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, receives an excellent education.
Leadership: Coaches, mentors, and challenges others to excel despite obstacles and challenging situations.
Focus on Data-Driven Results: Relentlessly pursues the improvement of central office performance and school leadership, instruction, and operations, and is driven by a desire to produce quantifiable student achievement gains.
Innovative Problem-Solving: Approaches work with a sense of possibility and sees challenges as opportunities for creative problem solving; takes initiative to explore issues and find potential innovative solutions.
Adaptability: Excels in constantly changing environments and adapts flexibly in shifting projects or priorities to meet the needs of a dynamic transformation effort; comfortable with ambiguity and non-routine situations.
Teamwork: Increases the effectiveness of surrounding teams through collaboration, constant learning and supporting others; sensitive to diversity in all its forms; respects and is committed to learning from others
Dependability: Does whatever it takes to consistently deliver with high quality under tight deadlines; successfully manages own projects through strong organization, detailed workplans, and balancing of multiple priorities.
Communication and Customer Service Skills: Communicates clearly and compellingly with diverse stakeholders in both oral and written forms; anticipates and responds to customer needs in a high-quality and courteous manner.
Demonstrate the ability to be empathetic by caring, understanding, and cultivating an empowering environment for all students.
Demonstrate patience with serious issues, students, and families.
Demonstrate dependability in ways that develop trust with students and adults.
Show strong organizational and time management skills to support case management and student needs simultaneously.
Demonstrate strong communication skills including the ability to observe with skill and the ability to listen closely.
Demonstrate strong decision-making skills.
Demonstrate persistence, resilience, and flexibility.
Assist with the work focused on inclusive practices, which embraces all learners as valued members of the school community.
Demonstrate the ability to communicate with all stakeholders effectively and consistently, including parents, students, staff, and outside agencies.
Qualifications
Current New York State Certification as a School Counselor.
Familiarity with Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, ASCA National Standards, ASCA School Counselor Competencies and ASCA School Counselor Performance Standards.
Ability to analyze data to inform work and decision making, analyze and evaluate available data, assess student needs and develop and implement procedures and policies to support student achievement.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of students and their families.
Interested applicants please apply to:
Matthew S. VanOrman, Superintendent of Schools
6624 South Street, PO Box 190
Red Creek, NY 13143
315-754-2010