POSITION: School Counselor Apprentice, Elementary
EXEMPT STATUS: Exempt
NUMBER OF DAYS: 197
PAY GRADE: PG-2
DIVISION: Guidance and Counseling
DEPARTMENT : As assigned
REPORTS TO: Principal and Director of Guidance & Counseling
SUPERVISES: N/A
EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree (required)
• Valid State Teaching Certificate (Texas or Out of State required)
• Accepted and enrolled into a school counseling program (required)
• In process of obtaining a master's degree (required)
• In process of obtaining a Texas school counseling certification (required)

EXPERIENCE:
Two years of successful classroom teaching experience
Major Responsibilities
Communication
Guidance Curriculum/Individual Planning/Responsive Services/System Support
Consistently exhibits effective communication skills when working with superiors, peers, parents, and students so that individuals have confidence in the counselor's knowledge, concern, and competence.

1. Interprets and shares information about student achievement and progress with parents, teachers, and other professional personnel.
2. Works closely with teachers to identify at-risk behaviors in students so that intervention can take place.
3. Promptly responds to parent and/or student inquiries through telephone or personal contact.
4. Conducts required classroom guidance activities on a regularly scheduled basis.
5. Informs teachers, administrators and the public about the guidance program; i.e., community meetings, media presentations, and newsletters.
6. Other duties and assigned

Student Placement
Individual Planning/Responsive Services
Exhibits accurate knowledge of the school program and of ways in which specific students' needs can and should be addressed through the program, helping to insure that student placement is most efficacious and appropriate.

1. Assists in classroom and/or behavioral management planning with parents and professional personnel
2. Participates and/or contributes information upon request for campus ARD meetings.
3. Coordinates a program of new student orientation both at the beginning of school and for transfer students during the school year and assists with their placement in instructional programs as needed.
4. Other duties and assigned

Information Services
System Support/Guidance Curriculum
Ongoing data collection about students is efficiently conducted, dissemination of information is planned and initiated, and requests for information are honored quickly and efficiently.

1. Establishes and/or maintains the necessary lines of communication between home and school to enhance the development of the student.
2. Explains and interprets the role of the counselor to school staff.
3. Within the bounds of confidentiality, keeps teachers informed of progress made by students who are receiving counseling services, and provides information that will enable the teachers to reinforce the counseling objectives.
4. Provides information to the public regarding guidance programs and activities.
5. Collects and disseminates guidance materials that are relevant to the educational, vocational, and personal needs of students.
6. Other duties and assigned

Counseling Services
Responsive Services/Individual Planning/Guidance Curriculum
Students and parents are made to feel welcome by the counselor and are given the kind of academic and/or vocational counseling which is appropriate or are referred carefully and caringly to other resources so that a variety of student needs and parent concerns can be met.

1. Provides appropriate career and educational counseling for individuals and student groups.
2. Confers with parents, students, and teachers regarding student aptitude, achievement,and ability.
3. Conducts failure conferences with students each six weeks.
4. Is knowledgeable about community agencies and coordinates the referral of students to those agencies as appropriate.
5. Follows up on teacher and parent referrals for special diagnosis and counseling of students, working closely with other professionals.
6. Provides for small group activities to emphasize personal and social development.
7. Conducts support groups and/or other activities for at-risk students.
8. Conducts special programs for parents of at-risk students.
9. Other duties and assigned

Administrative
System Support/Individual Planning
Administrative duties are executed with initiative, organization, and efficiency and are completed in a timely manner.

1. Conducts staff development program as requested.
2. Works with receiving counselors during spring transitional activities; i.e., sixth grade pre-registration, fourth/fifth grade orientation to the new campus.
3. Assists the administration with the appropriate placement of students (to include, at the sixth grade level, coordinating the pre-registering of sixth grade students who move into the district after spring Junior High pre-registration has been completed).
4. Provides consultant services to faculty and staff.
5. Other duties and assigned

Professional Growth
System Support
Seeks methods by which a constant renewal, refinement, and acquisition of skills of counseling and guidance can be achieved; improvement and growth are a priority.

1. Prepares and submits to the building principal an annual performance plan, outlining the guidance and counseling goals for the year, a timeline of activities, and a method of measurement of outcome.
2. Plans for and engages in professional growth through attendance/follow-up activities at meetings, conferences and inservice.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive description of all work requirements and responsibilities. Additionally, the minimum level of education noted as a requirement could be supplemented by commensurate experience and/or certification(s) as determined by the hiring manager.