Job Description:

Department: School Level
Reports To: Building Principal

School Counselor Job Responsibilities:
- Implement a developmentally appropriate school counseling framework for all students
- Provide individual assistance to students regarding their academic, career, and social-emotional needs
- Collaborate with teachers, families, and other staff on early identification and intervention of students’ academic & social-emotional needs.
- Consult with families, teachers, administrators, support staff, and supporting agencies in regard to the student’s academic and social-emotional needs.
- Make referrals to appropriate school and community resources
- Provide short-term small group and individual counseling to help students learn coping skills for
personal, social, academic, and family concerns.
- Consult and be a resource for teachers. Take a leadership role in seeing the infusion of counseling content into the curriculum.
- Advocate for all students for fair, just, and compassionate treatment
- Help families with school-related problems and issues.
- Act as a resource for students in crisis and collaborate with relevant support staff.
- Review the comprehensive school counseling framework annually, revising it as needed, and planning yearly/monthly calendars of counseling program activities as well as conducting annual needs assessments.

Middle School Counselor Job Responsibilities:
- Provide appraisal and advisement to all students through large groups, classroom,and  small group
and individual settings.
- Participate directly and as a consult in the implementation of a developmentally appropriate school
counseling curriculum to all students.
- Collaborate with teachers, families, and other staff on early identification and intervention of
children’s academic & social-emotional needs.
- Implement an effective career exploration program for all students that may include career
fairs and field trips. Choose appropriate career/interest inventories for students to take.
- Collaborate with high school staff to assist students in making a smooth transition to high
school; work with 8th grade students to prepare for high school and explore high school
options.
- Collaborate with elementary school staff to assist students in making a smooth transition to
middle school; work with 4th grade students to prepare for middle school and explore school
options.
- Provide multi-tiered systems of support to students, including daily check-ins, (due to behavior
and/or mental health/safety plan) and managing and implementing behavior plans/tracking
forms and analyzing data. This may include working collaboratively with school psychologists,
social workers, school nurses, and other agencies.
- Participate in team meetings, student strategy teams, and parent meetings as needed.
- When directly involved with student or plan, attend 504/PPT meetings as appropriate.
High School Counselor Job Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with staff to assist students in making a smooth transition to high school; and
provide orientation activities for incoming students and families
- Provide information and programming to help families with school-related topics to include
post-secondary planning and transition
- Work collaboratively with the school psychologists, social workers, school nurses, and other
agencies to provide multi-tiered systems of support to students
- Provide consultation or participate in team meetings, student support teams, and 504/PPT
meetings as appropriate
- Guide high school students to help them develop their postsecondary educational/career plans,
coordinate career assessments.
- Review credits, grades, and transcripts with students, helping them meet graduation
requirements and develop academic plans for success and future career planning
- Provide college and career counseling to all students
- Use school data to identify gaps in achievement, opportunity, and attainment

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
None

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be 18 years of age or older. Connecticut School Counseling Certification (068). Clinical
experience preferred.
• Ability to speak, read, and write English clearly and concisely. Fluency in a second or multiple
languages would be a plus.
• Employment is contingent on completion of a background check
• The district will provide cell phones, laptops, and hotspots for use at home.
PREFERED SKILLS:
• Ability to exhibit a professional, positive attitude and independent work ethic.
• Excellent interpersonal skills required and the ability to interact professionally with culturally
diverse individuals during a time of crisis and distress.
• Ability to show empathy to distressed individuals and assist with identifying solutions to
problems identified.
• Adheres to established levels of service.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills and sound judgment required
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and
professionalism.
• Proficiency with computers and data entry into electronic systems.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Ability to read and interpret professional journals, technical manuals, professional reports, and state/federal guidelines. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and measurable goals and objectives. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from parents and school district staff members.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:
Ability to analyze statistical information. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to be self-reflective.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, peers, parents, and community. Ability to create a positive working environment. Ability to speak clearly and concisely in written or oral communication. Ability to operate photocopying, fax machines, and computers. Ability to assume responsibility for supervising students, and understand and carry out oral and written instructions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be able to access all areas of the building. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close and far vision. Further, the employee will be able to hear the conversation in a quiet and/or noisy setting and be able to discriminate sounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.