SCHOOL COUNSELOR 24-25 SY

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

The School Counselor must achieve the following outcomes with or without reasonable accommodation :

• Plans, organizes, implements and evaluates a comprehensive school counseling program which aligns with the ASCA National Model, New Mexico School Counselor Competencies and APS School Counseling Resource Guide.
• Serves as a leader in the school and community to promote and support student success.
• Maintains professional relationships and works cooperatively with administration, employees, the community and other professionals.
• Advocates and collaborates with parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and other stakeholders to promote and support student success.
• Plans and implements the program with a solid foundation.
• Develops and updates the philosophy and mission statements of the school counseling program to align with current school improvement and student success initiates at the school, district and state level.
• Utilizes student standards (ASCA Student Competencies, and state content standards) to drive the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program.
• Develops and implements developmentally appropriate school counseling curriculum that addresses all students’ needs, including closing-the-gap activities.
• Facilitates and develops strategies to implement individual student planning, such as appraisal, advisement, goal setting, decision making, social skills, transition and post-secondary planning and / or training.
• Has current knowledge of career opportunities, labor market trends and global economics, and uses various career assessment techniques to assist students in understanding their abilities and career interests.
• Has current knowledge and can articulate that knowledge to students, family and staff, on the relationship of academic performance to the world of work, family life and community service.
• Utilizes methods for helping students monitor and direct their own academic, personal / social and career development.
• Helps students understand the importance of post-secondary education and / or training.
• 8-12th grade school counselors are a part of the Next Step Plan process.
• Ensure that the students’ Next Step Plan is based on a career development process that includes career awareness, exploration and interest inventories.
• Utilize the Next Step Plan for advising students on taking courses and career planning.
• Collaborates with parents / guardians and school personnel to complete and finalize the Next Step Plan.
• Helps students navigate the post-secondary education admission and financial aid process.
• Maintains professional competence in advising students on post secondary options and financial aid.
• Provides responsive services.
• Uses appropriate interventions for responsive services such as consultation, individual and group counseling, crisis counseling, referrals and peer facilitation.
• Compiles resources to utilize with students, staff and families to effectively address issues through responsive services.
• Has comprehensive knowledge of the similarities and differences between school counseling and other types of counseling, such as mental health, marriage and family, and substance abuse counseling within a continuum of care and only practices within their role as a school counselor.
• Practices only developmental and short-term individual and small group counseling.
• Applies only theories and techniques that are appropriate to use within the school setting (i.e., Solution Focused Brief Counseling, etc.).
• Refers students who need more extensive services such as long-term counseling / therapy or diagnoses of disorders.
• Has training, knowledge and demonstrates appropriate school counseling group skills.
• Recognizes and utilizes district resources, community agencies and service providers for student referrals.
• Demonstrates knowledge of what constitutes a crisis, the appropriate response and a variety of intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group or school community before, during and after a crisis.
• Demonstrates a leadership role as needed, and as outlined in the school crisis plan.
• Involves family and appropriate school and community professionals in crisis situations.
• Serves as a member on the Health & Mental Health Team, Student Assistance Team, or any other team where the school counselor’s expertise is relevant to the process.
• Implements system support activities for the comprehensive school counseling program.
• Creates and implements a plan that addresses the school counselor’s responsibilities for professional development, consultation, collaboration, and program management.
• Conducts in-service training for stakeholders to share school counseling expertise.
• As appropriate, provides supervision for school counseling interns consistent with the principles of the ASCA National Model.
• Attends meetings for supervision of interns.
• Negotiates with the administrator to define the management system for the comprehensive school counseling program.
• Collaborates with administration to create and implement an Administrative / School Counseling Agreement.
• Utilizes the school instructional council or other appropriate group as an advisory council for the comprehensive school counseling program.
• Collects, analyzes and interprets relevant data including process, perception and results data, to monitor and improve student behavior, attendance and achievement.
• Develops calendars to ensure the effective implementation of the school counseling program.
• Creates and shares annual, monthly and weekly calendars with appropriate stakeholders.
• Calendars reflect school counseling program goals identified by the advisory council and the administrator / counselor agreement.
• Utilizes calendars to organize and manage time to implement an effective program.
• Demonstrates appropriate time management skills.
• Designs and implements Guidance Curriculum Action Plans to serve all students in the school.
• Crosswalks ASCA Student Standards with appropriate school counseling curriculum.
• Demonstrates classroom management and instructional skills.
• Develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school goals.
• Encourages staff involvement to ensure the effective implementation of the school counseling curriculum.
• Knows, understands and uses a variety of technology in the delivery of school counseling curriculum activities.
• Utilizes strategies and accesses resources available to meet the needs of students with special needs.
• Designs and implements Closing-the-Gap (Intentional) Action Plans aligning with school and school counseling program goals.
• Uses formal and informal methods of program evaluation to design and modify the comprehensive school counseling program.
• Uses data to demonstrate how the school counseling program contributes to student achievement.
• Prepares a Results Report (utilizing technology) for the school counseling program activities to share with stakeholders.
• Uses results obtained for the improvement of the school counseling program.
• Uses results obtained for systemic change as indicated.
• Conducts a program audit annually to assess the current school counseling program implementation of the ASCA National Model, growth of the program, gaps in the program, and to set current program goals.
• Shares the results of the program audit with administrators, the advisory council and other appropriate stakeholders.
• Incorporates the counseling themes of advocacy, leadership, and system change, which are critical to a successful school counseling program.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE :

Preferences :

• Three years of experience in a public school setting.
• Knowledge and experience in implementing a comprehensive school counseling program based on the ASCA National Model.
• Essential skills include effective communication skills (both verbal and written), flexibility, organization, decision-making and problem solving skills.
• Essential interpersonal skills include working with diverse populations.
• Ability to meet deadlines, work on multiple projects, and coordinate the work of others.
• Knowledge of District policies on child abuse / neglect, intervening with a potential suicide, bullying, sexual harassment, and any others that directly affect the role of the school counselor.
• Knowledge of all laws, regulations and guidelines affecting school counselors and students.
• Knowledge of effective classroom management techniques.
• Ability to maintain positive relationships with students, parents, community members and staff.

REQUIREMENTS :

Minimum Requirements :

• A Master’s Degree in School Counseling or a Master’s Degree in Counseling, plus required school counseling program coursework.
• Course work must include (1) child and adolescent development and / or human growth & development, (2) a school counseling course and (3) a minimum of a 300 hour school counseling practicum in a school setting.
• Applicant must have a valid New Mexico License in School Counseling.
30+ days ago