What are the responsibilities and job description for the Long Term Middle School School Counselor position at Otter Valley Union High School?
The community of Otter Valley Union Middle and High School in Brandon, Vermont and the Rutland Northeast Supervisory Union seek a creative and dynamic individual to fill a long term school counselor position beginning August through the fall of 2026.
The primary goal of the School Counselor is to design and deliver a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate school counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model and Vermont Agency of Education expectations to promote and enhance student learning through academic, career, and social-emotional development. The School Counselor utilizes a variety of strategies, activities, delivery methods, and resources within a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to ensure equitable access to support and services for all students.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Implement classroom guidance and universal SEL instruction aligned with ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors, focusing on:
Understanding of self and others
Self-regulation, coping strategies, and resilience
Peer relationships, communication, and effective social skills
HHB and Title IV Understanding and Prevention
Problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution, and study skills
Career awareness and the world of work
Substance misuse prevention, safety, and multicultural awareness
Daily interactions with classmates and staff
Provide short-term individual and small-group counseling addressing:
Self-image and self-esteem
Tools for self-regulation
Personal adjustment and family concerns
Interpersonal skills
Academic development and learning behaviors
Behavior supports, peer facilitation, mediation, and restorative conversations
Provide assessment- and data-informed supports by helping students identify their skills, abilities, challenges, and strengths, and by developing strategies to build regulation and coping skills through counseling activities.
Collaborate with MTSS/EST teams to support Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III interventions and monitor student progress.
Work with specialized populations, including culturally diverse learners and students with varying abilities, ensuring equitable access to counseling services.
Develop students’ career awareness as a lifelong process of forming values, attitudes, and interests regarding future education and work.
Coordinate school, family, community, and business resources to support students’ academic and social-emotional growth.
Provide consultation and collaboration with teachers, administrators, school psychologists, school social workers, and outside agencies regarding student welfare.
Communicate and exchange information with parents/guardians by way of conferences, parent education workshops, and newsletters.
Other duties as assigned by building principal
QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty
satisfactorily, in addition to the following:
Master’s Degree in School Counseling or its equivalent
Knowledge of the Basic Program Components of Vermont Guidance Services K-12, issued by the State Department of Education.
Meets the American School Counselor Association’s National Standards for School Counselors
Valid Vermont Professional Educators License – Guidance Counselor endorsement
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply via schoolspring.com to:
Michael Rupple
Principal
Salary : $52,626 - $105,252