School Counselor

SCHOOL COUNSELOR

2024-2025 School Year

Sussex County Public Schools is seeking a qualified school counselor who is committed to maximizing student success and promoting access and equity for all students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. 

We are committed to hiring a counselor who will help students apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills, and plan for postsecondary options such as higher education, military, and work force. Sussex County Public Schools is committed to hiring an individual who will design and deliver a counseling program that improves student outcomes, provides short-term counseling to students, and collaborates with stakeholders to provide opportunities and experiences for students.

School Counselor Job Responsibilities:

• Advises and counsels students regarding academic, educational, and short-term social and emotional problems.
• Remains universally accessible and makes an effort to know every student for whom they are responsible.
• Provides individual student planning and responsive services to support students and their families regarding academic matters.
• Teaches guidance classes and provides guidance counseling to students through planned activities in small group or classroom settings to convey educational, social, and important school information, and offers workshops/seminars for parents.
• Consults, facilitates, and maintains communication with parents, teachers, administrators, and pertinent agents on specific student and parent academic and educational matters including academic modifications and/or accommodations.
• Provides feedback and recommends appropriate action and solutions to individual student’s academic and educational needs and abilities.
• Participates on a Student Success Team, identifies students who may need targeted or intensive services, and coordinates with behavioral health specialists.
• Assists students/parents in understanding school policies and procedures.
• Provides brief counseling to address social and emotional concerns and appropriately refers students to behavioral health specialists.
• Communicates, coordinates, and collaborates with behavioral health specialists on developing and implementing student supports.
• Supports and attends appropriate student activities and events.
  
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor as to include but not limited to documentation of communication, student progress, classroom observations, and student data tracking.

School Counselor Qualifications/Skills:

• Desire and ability to work with students at the specified age level with diverse backgrounds and levels of ability toward accomplishing their educational goals.
• Ability to organize tasks and manage time to meet many and varied deadlines and communicate effectively with students, parents, school administrators and other staff, including the ability to discuss topics which may be sensitive.
• Working familiarity with student assessment tools, especially in evaluating and interpreting standardized test results.
• Knowledge of educational software.

Educational Requirements:              

An earned master's degree from an approved counselor education program; or  (Option 2) An earned master’s degree from an accredited college or university and certification from an approved counselor education program that the candidate has completed sufficient course work and clinical experience to acquire the competencies described herein.

Experience Requirements: 

(Option 1) - At least 100 clock hours of clinical experiences in the preK-6 setting and 100 clock hours of clinical experiences in the grades 7-12 setting; (Option 2) -  Two years of successful, full-time teaching experience or two years of successful, full-time experience in guidance and counseling. Two years of successful, full-time experience in guidance and counseling under a provisional license may be accepted to meet this requirement.

Physical

Requirements:             Demonstrate overall good health.

                                      Demonstrate ability to communicate in clear, concise manner with

                                      others.

Terms of

Employment:               8 hours per day, 11-12 months (250 days)

Evaluation:                   The performance of this position will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of

                                      the Sussex County School Board’s policy manual.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

The Sussex County School Board is an equal opportunity employer; as such, it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, political affiliation, handicapping condition, or sex in its educational programs or employment.  No person shall be denied employment solely because of any impairment which is unrelated to the ability to engage in activities involved in the position or program to which application has been made.