Summary

The purpose of the school Counselor is to provide a comprehensive counseling program for all children in school; consult with teachers, parents, and staff to enhance their effectiveness in helping students; and to provide support to other educational programs.

The position reports to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Other duties may be assigned.

• Implement the school guidance curriculum.
• Guide individuals and groups of students through the development of educational, personal, social and career plans, which includes Career Cruising for students.
• Advise academic/technical students and prospective students on course selection and schedule with respect to their chosen career.
• Assist students with career testing, planning, and counseling.
• Provide counseling services for Perkins IV Program and Technical Program Students.
• Meet with CTE (Career Technical Education) students and coordinate educational offerings.
• Responsible for career sponsored events.
• Responsible for District and State testing.
• Counsel individuals and small groups of children toward social and emotional growth.
• Consult with and train teachers, parents, and staff regarding children’s needs.
• Refer children with problems and their parents to special programs, specialists, and outside agencies.
• Participate in, coordinate, and conduct activities that contribute to the effective operation of the counseling program and school.
• Participate in and facilitate the intervention team process.
• Plan and evaluate the counseling program.
• Pursue continuous professional growth.

Illustrative Key duties:

• Implement the school guidance curriculum: conduct classroom guidance activities in each teacher’s class and/or systematically conduct developmental counseling groups for each grade level throughout the year’ consult with and/or provide resources to teachers to facilitate their instruction of counseling content and to infuse counseling content in the regular educational curriculum.

• Guide individuals and groups of students through the development of life skills: work with students in acquiring knowledge about and effective use of skills when interacting in the home, academic and peer environments.

• Counsel individuals and small groups of children toward social and emotional growth: conduct structured, goal-oriented counseling sessions in systematic response to identified needs of individual or groups of children. Topics may include academic failure, family issues, child abuse, attendance and/or behavior problems, peer problems, and substance abuse. Serve as student advocate and avoid role of disciplinarian.

• Consult with and train teachers, parents, and staff regarding children’s needs: participate in staffing; conduct in-service programs for faculty; function as a resource person for faculty, staff, and parents; conduct conferences with teachers and/or parents; conduct or provide opportunities for parent education program; author articles for parent newsletters, assist families with school-related problems.

• Refer children with problems and their parents to special programs, specialists, and outside agencies: consult and coordinate with in-district and community-based specialists, such as school administrators, nurses, school psychologists, community-based psychologists, service agencies, and physicians.

• Participate in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school: contribute to the school district and individual building goals for enhancing education; conduct in-service training, act as an advocate for groups or individual students as system decisions are made.

• Participate in and facilitate the intervention team process: assume an active role in designing, implementing, monitoring, and adjusting educational plans for individual students.

• Plan and evaluate the counseling program: review the counseling program annually with staff and administration; establish the counseling department master calendar; evaluate learning activities as they are implemented; complete an annual counseling program evaluation.

• Pursue continuous professional growth: attend state and local sponsored staff development offerings; join associations; read professional journals and contribute to professional literature; attend relevant workshops and conferences sponsored by professional organizations; take post-graduate courses; conduct training for staff and other counselors.

Organizational Relationships:

The school counselor is supervised by the district designee, collaborates with other district counselor(s), and works cooperatively with other school and district staff.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

Master's Degree. Secondary teaching experience preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

Valid State of Michigan Teaching Degree and Endorsement in Counseling.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to author reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups, staff, parents, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:

Ability to apply knowledge of current research and theory in specific field. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff, and the community. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both in oral and written form. Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.

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, sit, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to fifty pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception.

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 individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Compensation. The compensation is outlined by the collective bargaining agreement with the Richmond Education Association (REA).

Applicant Submission

Anyone interested in applying for this position should submit an application via TalentEd online application system at this link: https://richmondcsd.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

Questions may be directed to:

Jamie Thiel, Director of Human Resources

jthiel@richmond.k12.mi.us

Non-Discrimination Statement

In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title II of the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, and Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1977, it is the policy of the Richmond Community School District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion ,military status, national origin or ancestry, sex, disability, age (except as authorized by law,) height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to, discrimination during any program, activity, service or in employment. Should you need to contact someone about discrimination of any kind in the school district, contact the Superintendent at 35276 Division, Richmond, MI 48062.