Middle School Counselor

Middle School Counselor

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must comply with all employment criteria legally established by the Lee County Board of Education.
• Possession of a valid Alabama professional educator certificate (Class A) in school counseling.
• A minimum of 3 years successful teaching experience.
• Demonstrated aptitude for successful completion of the assigned task.
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

Background Check Required: (HB 402 ACT 99\-361 Alabama Legislature) Upon offer of employment, employees will be required to submit legible fingerprints for a background review by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

FLSA Status: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Principal

JOB GOAL: To provide a comprehensive counseling and guidance program for high school students; consult and collaborate with teachers, parents, and staff to enhance effectiveness in helping students; and provides support to other high school educational programs. To help students overcome problems that impede learning and to assist them in making educational, occupational, and life plans that hold promise for their personal fulfillment as mature and responsible men and women.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Applicable to All Employees:

• Attend on a regular and predictable basis.
• Complete assigned tasks in a safe manner and in a constant state of alertness.
• Uphold Board policies, including the anti\-harassment program.
• Work in a cooperative manner with students, teachers, staff, supervisors, and the public.
• Work effectively and efficiently under time and productivity standards.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Implements the high school counseling and guidance program curriculum.
• Guides and counsels groups and individual students through the development of educational and career plans.
• Consults with small groups and individual students.
• Consults and collaborates with teachers, staff, and parents in understanding and meeting the needs of students.
• Refers students with problems and their parents to appropriate specialists, special programs, or outside agencies.
• Participates in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school.
• Plans, evaluates, and revises the counseling and guidance program.
• Pursues professional growth.
• Aid students in course and subject selection.
• Obtain and disseminate occupational information to students and to classes studying occupations.
• Assist students in evaluating their aptitudes and abilities through the interpretation of individual standardized test scores and other pertinent data, and work with students in evolving education and occupation plans in terms of such evaluation.
• Work to discover and develop special abilities of students.
• Work to resolve students’ educational handicaps.
• Register new students and orient them to school procedures and the school’s varied opportunities for learning.
• Work to prevent students from dropping out of school.
• Help students evaluate career interest and choices.
• Remain readily available to students so as to provide counseling that will lead each student to increased personal growth, self\-understanding, and maturity.
• Work with students on an individual basis in the solution of personal problems related to such problems as home and family relations, health, and emotional adjustment.
• Plan guidance field trips to schools, colleges, and industry for interested students.
• Guide students in their participation in school and community activities.
• Maintain students’ records and protect their confidentiality.
• Supervise the preparation and processing of college, scholarship, and employment applications.
• Make recommendations to colleges for admissions and scholarships.
• Provide student information to colleges and potential employers according to provisions of the Board’s policy on student records.
• Confer with parents whenever necessary.
• Assist in the orientation of new faculty members.
• Provide in\-service training in guidance for teachers and student teachers.
• Work with teachers and other staff members to familiarize them with the general range of services offered by the student personnel services department, and to improve the educational prospects of individual students being counseled.
• Advise administrators and faculty on the matters of student discipline.
• Take an active role in interpreting the school’s objectives to students, parents, and the community at large.
• Interpret the guidance program to the community.
• Organize and conduct annual career day.
• Arrange for tutors and summer school work.
• Other duties assigned by principal.

Essential 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.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move a minimum of 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move a minimum of 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Distance vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

MENTAL FUNCTIONS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to compare, analyze, communicate, coordinate, instruct, compute, synthesize, evaluate, use interpersonal skills and compile. Occasionally required to copy and negotiate.

EMPLOYMENT: This is a eleven\-month contract (220 days). Salary range is based on board approved salary schedule.

EVALUATION: Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board’s policy on Evaluation of Professional Personnel.