School Counselor High School

SIDNEY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
JOB DESCRIPTION

HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

Reports to: Principal

Job Objectives:

Provides guidance and encouragement to help students develop responsible behaviors and resolve problems that impede learning. Works with colleagues to ensure the provision of all services mandated by state and Federal law. Helps students evaluate and make appropriate choices in the pursuit of academic and vocational goals. Actively encourages parental involvement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Holds a valid State of Ohio school guidance counselor certificate/license.
• Meets all mandated health requirements (e.g. a negative tuberculosis test etc.).
• Provides documented evidence of a clear criminal record.

Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

The following skills and duties are representative of performance expectations.A reasonable accommodation may be made to enable a qualified individualwith a disability to perform essential functions.

• Consults with administrators and staff to identify evaluate and implement guidance strategies that meet the age appropriate needs of students.
• Helps parents and students understand academic and behavioral objectives.
• Helps students think of school as a positive experience.
• Works with teachers to plan and carry out developmental activities that advance students emotional development and interpersonal relationships. Helps students better understand themselves and others. Encourages responsible citizenship.
• Strives to develop rapport with students staff parents and the public. Responds to requests and complaints promptly and tactfully. Is receptive to constructive suggestions. Respects the personal confidences and privacy needs of individuals.
• Communicates high expectations for students. Helps students understand the relationships between subjects and why learning is important. Helps students understand their personal responsibility for setting goals and achieving academic and vocational success. Shows an active interest in their progress.
• Helps maintain a positive learning environment that stimulates student interest enthusiasm and inquisitiveness about subjects and events.
• Assists students with the development of appropriate study skills. Consults with parents to identify strategies to help students experiencing learning difficulties.
• Helps communicate school rules to students. Maintains high standards for student conduct. Upholds the student conduct code according to district policy. Protects the due process rights of students.
• Requisitions essential supplies and equipment necessary to carry out the guidance activities.
• Seeks and uses community resources that enhance guidance activities (e.g. parent volunteers service groups organizations businesses etc.).
• Incorporates the effective use of available technology and media resources in guidance activities. Closely monitors student use of E-mail and the Internet.
• Helps students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Serves as a resource for students seeking additional information or trying to improve skills.
• Organizes and maintains complete and accurate records reports and inventories as required by law district policy or administrative directive. Submits all reports on time. Protects the confidentiality of privileged information.
• Helps maintain continuity and facilitates the transition process for students entering or leaving the school program. Helps with the registration scheduling orientation and follow-up of new students.
• Assists with the development and use of a comprehensive pupil appraisal and record keeping system. Interprets standardized test results. Helps teachers and parents identify individual differences and clarify the expectations they hold for each student.
• Coordinates the proficiency testing programs.
• Provides information services to students parents and staff (e.g. program options testing procedures course offerings graduation requirements etc.).
• Assists the principal with the development of the master schedule as directed.
• Oversees the course selection and record keeping process. Helps students make appropriate choices to meet graduation requirements.
• Assists with the coordination of summer school programs when offered.
• Distributes information and act as a liaison to the vocational school. Schedules student/parent visits.
• Assists teachers working with students on career planning activities. Helps students revise individual career plans (ICP). Oversees the development of each students career passport. Helps students evaluate educational and vocational opportunities.
• Maintains a reference library of career information materials post-high school training opportunities and college catalogs.
• Schedules visits from college/university technical and proprietary schools. Maintains up-to-date information about scholarships financial aid etc.
• Prepares student recommendation letters.
• Makes reasonable provisions to be available to parents for consultations when requested (e.g. telephone calls conferences etc.).
• Identifies student behavior that may be symptomatic of educational or emotional problems. Counsels students who seek or are referred for assistance. Provides periodic progress reports to parents and/or staff when appropriate.
• Conducts group sessions as needed to address student concerns (e.g. grief socialization personal behaviors conflict mediation etc.).
• Serves as a resource for drug prevention awareness and intervention activities.
• Maintains working relationships with community partnerships associated with students educational programs (e.g. vocational rehabilitation services job training sites employers court systems law enforcement child welfare services health facilities etc.).
• Visits students homes and work sites when necessary to support program goals.
• Consults with district staff as needed to address student concerns (e.g. excessive absences at-risk behavior mental/physical health family/peer relations etc.).
• Reports evidence of suspected child abuse as required by law.
• Supports the efforts of speech/language pathologists school psychologists and other program support specialist.
• Serves as a consultant to team meetings (e.g. intervention-based assessments reevaluations annual reviews crisis intervention etc.). Helps ensure that services are provided in the least restrictive educational environment.
• Helps teachers identify environmental and instructional modifications that support the attainment of educational goals for students.
• Supports an inclusive educational environment. Helps staff resolve problems
• related to the participation of students with disabilities in appropriate peer group
• activities.
• Provides close supervision and takes reasonable precautions to ensure student safety. Does not leave students unsupervised.
• Supervises non-classroom activities (e.g. detentions hall duty etc.) when assigned.
• Shares in the responsibility for authorized committee work and school activities.
• Encourages parent organizations and supports student activities as time permits.
• Promotes the proper use and care of school property. Keeps track of guidance resources assigned to students.
• Stores guidance supplies and equipment at the end of the school year.
• Participates in staff meetings and in-service training.
• Pursues personal goals to improve future performance. Reviews literature and participates in a variety of activities to keep current with promising research and effective guidance strategies. Maintains licensure requirements.
• Serves as a role model for students. Demonstrates personal integrity responsibility impartiality respect and courtesy.
• Performs other specific job-related duties as directed.

Abilities Required:

• Demonstrates professionalism and exemplary personal conduct.
• Demonstrates leadership skills and the ability to advance the change process.
• Demonstrates a commitment to the professional code of ethics.
• Demonstrates subject matter competence and teaching proficiency.
• Displays enthusiasm for education and the teaching profession.
• Skillfully manages individual group and organizational interactions.
• Uses interpersonal skills to promote a favorable image of the school district.
• Collects analyzes and interprets information. Formulates accurate conclusions. Carries out appropriate actions independently.
• Expresses ideas effectively using verbal nonverbal and writing skills.
• Organizes and manages time effectively. Reacts productively to interruptions and changing conditions.
• Intervenes to avert problem situations and resolve conflicts.
• Lifts carries and/or moves guidance supplies and equipment.
• Helps students take full advantage of the guidance program (e.g. access and proximity to activities use of adaptive equipment etc.).
• Maintains an acceptable attendance record and is punctual.
• Travels to meetings and work assignments.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Under the direction of the principal: schedules meaningful work assignments provides instructions and communicates expectations to assigned aides student teachers and volunteers.

Working Conditions:

Exposure to the following conditions may range from remote to frequent based on circumstances and factors that may not be predictable.

• Potential for exposure to blood borne pathogens and communicable diseases.
• Interaction with disruptive and/or unruly individuals.
• Exposure to student commotion.
• Duties may require operating and/or riding in a vehicle.
• Duties may require extended time using a computer terminal and keyboard.
• Duties may require considerable telephone contact and paperwork.
• Duties may require working under time constraints to meet deadlines.
• Duties may require working during the evening and/or weekend.

Performance Evaluation:

Job performance is evaluated according to the policy provisions adopted by the Sidney City School District Board of Education.

The Sidney City School District Board of Education is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin age or disability. The board requires that employees comply with the statutory responsibilities cited in the Ohio Revised Code the rules and regulations of the Ohio Department of Education and all local and Federal mandates. This job description does not imply that these are the only duties and responsibilities to be performed. This job description is subject to change in response to funding variables emerging technologies improved operating procedures productivity factors and unforeseen events.