MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR

MIDDLE/JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Must comply with all employment criteria legally established by the Lee County Board of Education.
2. Possession of a valid Alabama professional educator certificate (Class A) in school counseling.
3. A minimum of 3 years successful teaching experience.
4. Demonstrated aptitude for successful completion of the assigned task.
5. 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.

REPORTS TO: Principal

JOB GOAL:  To provide a comprehensive counseling and guidance program for middle/junior high school students; consults and collaborates with teachers, parents, and staff to enhance effectiveness in helping students; and provides support to other middle school educational programs.

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:

1. Implements the middle/junior high school comprehensive counseling and guidance program curriculum.
2. Guides and counsels groups and individual students through the development of personal, social, educational, and career plans.
3. Counsels small groups and individual students.
4. Consults and collaborates with teachers, staff, and parents in understanding and meeting the needs of students.
5. Refers students with problems and their parents to appropriate specialists, special programs, or outside agencies.
6. Participates in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school.
7. Plans, evaluates, and revises the counseling and guidance program.
8. Pursues professional growth.
9. participate in extracurricular activities as mutually agreed upon by faculty and administration.
10. Attend and participate regularly in faculty meetings.
11. Maintain a professional, cooperative working relationship with parents and the community.
12. Promote good public relations for schools and the school system with the public.
13. Maintain and improve professional competence.
14. Perform other related duties during school necessary to the safe and effective operation of the school when requested by the principal.

Illustrative Key Duties:

1. Implements the middle/junior high school comprehensive counseling and guidance program curriculum: Conducts guidance learning activities in the classroom in collaboration with the teaching staff; consults with and is a resource to teachers. Takes a leadership role to facilitate the infusion of counseling and guidance content into the regular education curriculum.
2. Guides and counsels groups and individual students through the development of personal, social, educational, and career plans: Collaborates with elementary and high school personnel to assist students in making a smooth transition from elementary school to high school; provides orientation activities for incoming students and their parents; guides eighth graders in the development of their high school four-year educational plans; informs students and parents of tests results and their implications for educational and career planning; coordinates career interest assessment and interpretation of results; coordinates registration and enrollment of middle school students; coordinates the implementation of personal, social, educational, and career learning activities; provides individual assistance to students regarding personal, social, educational, and career issues.
3. Counsels small groups and individual students: Conducts structured, goal-oriented counseling sessions to meet the identified needs of individuals and groups of students.
4. Consults and collaborates with teachers, staff, and parents in understanding and meeting the needs of students: Participates in staff and team meetings; plans and conducts staff development programs and activities; facilitates conferences with teachers and/or parents and/or students; plans and conducts parent education programs; assists families with school-related problems and issues; writes articles for newsletters and other publications.
5. Refers students with problems and their parents to appropriate specialists, special programs, or outside agencies: Consults and collaborates with school system specialists such as school psychologists, social workers, and nurses; consults with and refers to community-based resources including psychologists, psychiatrists, physicians, service agencies, and others.
6. Participates in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school: Cooperates and collaborates with other professionals in enhancing the education of students; establishes and maintains effective relationships with grade levels or departments and administrators; cooperates with other school personnel in placing students with special needs in appropriate programs; interprets group test results to faculty and administration for use in enhancing instruction; communicates with administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents, and the community regarding the counseling and guidance program and its role in the educational program; participates in the implementation of the school system assessment program.
7. Plans, evaluates, and revises the counseling and guidance program: Reviews the counseling and guidance program annually with the counseling and guidance department staff and counseling and guidance program advisory committee; communicates regularly with other counseling staff to establish and maintain a sequential comprehensive counseling and guidance program; identifies student needs periodically and uses the results for program planning; establishes a planning calendar for counseling and guidance program activities; evaluates the counseling and guidance program.
8. Pursues professional growth: Attends local, state, and national staff development programs; joins professional counseling and guidance associations; attends local, state, and national workshops and conferences sponsored by professional organizations; reads professional journals; completes post-graduate courses.

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 communicate effectively in English, using proper grammar and vocabulary 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.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS:

The environmental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential responsibilities and functions of the job and are not meant to be all inclusive.

1. Exposure to a variety of childhood and adult diseases and illnesses.
2. Occasional exposure to a variety of weather conditions.
3. Exposure to heated/air conditioned and ventilated facilities.
4. Exposure to a building in which a variety of chemical substances are used for cleaning, instruction, and/or operation of equipment.
5. Function in a workplace that is usually moderately quiet but that can be noisy at times.

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 ten-month contract (200 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.

Salary : $52,010 - $103,550