What are the responsibilities and job description for the Long-term Substitute Guidance Counselor position at Billerica Memorial High School?
This is long-term substitute position and is available until approximately December 17, 2026 and pays $120 per day. This position does not include employee benefits.
The school counselor serves as a student advocate, supporting students' academic, personal/social, and career success. The counselor works under the supervision of the Director of Guidance and the building Principal.
Primary Functions
Deliver the school counseling curriculum in a classroom setting
Assist students with academic planning, career planning, and personal/social development
Provide individual and small-group counseling in a variety of settings
Consult and collaborate with teachers, staff, and parents to understand and meet student needs
Make appropriate referrals of students and parents to outside agencies and specialists
Participate in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school
Pursue continuous professional growth to stay current in the field
Promote understanding and appreciation of diverse populations and cultures
Monitor and advise students and parents on progress toward promotion/graduation
Prepare students for transition to the next level, high school, and post-high-school activities
Job Responsibilities
A. Counseling
Provide individual planning sessions in academic planning/success, career awareness, and social-emotional development, aligned with graduation objectives
Lead goal-oriented group counseling sessions addressing identified student needs (e.g., academic skill building, social skill development, career awareness, conflict resolution, family issues, healthy decision-making)
Support students' transition from middle school to high school and to post-secondary options
Interpret test results, student data, and other assessments appropriately within the counseling context
Provide individual counseling in response to student requests
B. Consulting
Provide information to students, parents, staff, administration, and the community to support students' academic, career, and social development
Take a leadership role in integrating counseling content into curriculum, staff development, and parent education programs
Assist parents in addressing school-related problems and issues
Refer students and parents, as needed, to appropriate specialists, programs, or outside agencies
Inform students and parents of relevant test results and their implications for educational and career planning
C. Coordinating
Facilitate liaison and coordination among school activities/resources and communication between home, school, community agencies, and business/industry
Advocate for equal access to programs and services for all students
Plan and coordinate programs such as career fairs, college fairs, scholarships, and other extensions of the counseling curriculum
Coordinate parent education programs supporting smooth transitions (elementary to middle school, middle to high school, and post-high-school planning)
D. Curriculum Management
Design, deliver, evaluate, and revise a planned, sequential, developmentally appropriate school counseling curriculum covering academic success, career awareness/planning, and personal/social growth
Deliver curriculum systematically using diverse strategies and settings
Facilitate instruction in collaboration with school and community resources
E. Individual Planning
Develop and evaluate high school and post-high-school plans annually through individual planning, resulting in a career/education plan for each student
Address curriculum objectives appropriate to each grade level
F. Managing
Establish a planning calendar for program activities
Plan, implement, maintain, and evaluate systems that support, maintain, and improve the school counseling program
Communicate the school counseling program to students, parents, staff, and the community
Develop and maintain technology skills and participate in professional development
G. Accountability & Data-Driven Decision-Making
Use data to document the results of strategies and interventions aimed at improving student academic performance
H. School System
Participate in school decision-making and activities that support effective school operation
Collaborate with other professionals to enhance student education
Communicate with administrators, teachers, staff, parents, and students regarding the counseling program's role in the school
I. Professionalism
Adhere to ethical standards of state and national school counselor associations
Follow preferred practices prescribed by state and national school counselor associations
Demonstrate knowledge of state and federal laws pertaining to school counseling
Pursue ongoing personal growth and professional development
Qualifications
Certified by the Massachusetts Department of Education as a Guidance Counselor
Graduate degree in School Counseling, Counseling Psychology, or a related field
Salary : $120