School Counselor - Texas Connections Academy

School Summary:

Texas Connections Academy (TCA) is a Texas Online School that offers 100% virtual instruction to public school students across Texas in grades 3-12 who are not physically present on campus during instruction. The TxVSN OLS program is authorized by Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 30A and administered through TEA. Connections Education, LLC is in partnership with Houston ISD and Mineral Wells School District to provide this high quality and rigorous virtual instruction through TCA.

Position Summary and Responsibilities

The School Counselor will virtually assist students and parents/learning coaches with course selection, scheduling, and will be the initial point of contact for student concerns that span multiple subject areas as well as non-academic issues. The School Counselor will be an expert on courses and Texas credit requirements. TCA counselors work in collaboration with other school administrators to ensure that students are well-served in both middle and high school to meet college and career ready standards.

The School Counselor will be responsible for the successful completion of the following tasks:

• Advise students and families related to academics, career planning and graduation;
• Keep abreast of all high school graduation requirements, including special requirements such as College, Career and Military Ready and graduating with Endorsements;
• Assist students and parents with the secondary school course selection process according to Houston ISD and the State of Texas credit and graduation requirements and student needs and interests. An integral part of this process is assisting students and parents to develop a Four Year Plan (Personal Graduation Plan) for meeting graduation requirements;
• Advise students with issues related to dropping courses and changing schedules, seeking support as needed, while ensuring that the school’s course selection and drop policies are adhered to;
• Review student transcripts and the entry of credits into the online transcript system;
• Follow procedures to ensure that student transcripts are accurate and up-to-date;
• Work with the administrative assistants to obtain school records from the student’s previous school (where applicable) and forwarding student records when appropriate;
• Implement programs for students and families related to interpersonal adjustment issues;
• Work with school teams to identify and help families access school and community resources;
• Participate in the development of crisis prevention and management plans for the school and serve as a key member of the Student Support Team (SST);
• Coordinate a team of teachers to help identify students who are “at risk” or “in crisis”; Act as the main point of contact for these students and families, communicating regularly with them;
• Oversee and maintain the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for each student;
• Implement efforts to secure complete and accurate records for students;
• Support families through the school withdrawal process, assisting with data collection regarding withdrawal;
• Report and refer critical incidents that jeopardize student well-being as obligated by law, administrative regulations, or ethical standards. Stay abreast of all state regulations relating to incident reporting and documentation;
• Assist teachers when students enroll mid-semester, making sure that teachers receive guidance on integrating the students into their coursework, and ensuring that previous grades, credits, and evaluations are handled appropriately;
• Implement special programs such as Advanced Placement support, SAT and ACT Preparation, and college entrance preparation;
• Understand the requirements for and assist the principal to facilitate the administration of all high school testing, including exit exams, PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams;
• Help students to research and understand their post-secondary career and educational options;
• Assist with student preparation of applications for college and jobs;
• Educate students and parents about college admissions requirements and financial aid;
• Support professional development activities for teachers and school staff members;
• Collaborate in a Professional Learning Community (PLC);
• Assume teaching and grading duties as necessary;
• Coordinate high school graduation ceremonies; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Texas School Counseling Certification Required
• Ability to travel 15-20% for school-related business (state testing, marketing, professional development, and school meetings); May require overnight travel
• Strong technology skills (especially with Microsoft Office products and Google Suite)
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Customer focused approach
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• High degree of flexibility
• Team player with demonstrated leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to work well in fast-paced environment
• Ability to work some occasional evening hours, as needed to support some families
• Ability to work remotely
• Must be able to use a personal electronic device and an email address for two-step authentication.