Job Title: School Counselor

Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Reports to: Campus Principal

Fund Source: Local

Dept./School: Hearne Elementary School

Date Revised: 06/05/2023

Primary Purpose:

Work with school faculty and staff, students, parents, and community to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program at the school assigned. Counsel students to fully develop each student’s academic, career, personal, and social abilities and address the needs of special populations students.

Qualifications:

Education/Certification:

Master’s degree in guidance counseling

Valid Texas counseling certificate

Special Knowledge/Skills:

Knowledge of counseling procedures, student appraisal, and career development

Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills

Ability to instruct students and manage their behavior 

Ability to present information in one-on-one, small group, and large group situations to students, parents, and district staff

Experience:

Three years of teaching experience

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

Guidance:

1. Teach campus developmental guidance curriculum consistent with the district’s guidance program plan and tailored to campus needs to all district regular and alternative campuses.
2. Assist teachers in the teaching of the guidance-related curriculum.
3. Guide individual students, groups of students, and parents to plan, monitor, and manage the student’s own educational and career development including creating and reviewing personal graduation plans and providing information about post-secondary opportunities.
4. Use accepted theories and effective techniques of developmental guidance to counsel individual students, small groups of students, and parents to plan, monitor, and manage a student’s own personal and social development. Provide preventive, remedial, and crisis counseling as needed

Consultation:

5. Consult parents, teachers, administrators, and other relevant people to enhance their work with students.
6. Work with school and community personnel to bring together resources for students.
7. Maintain a communication system that effectively collects and disseminates information to other professionals as appropriate.
8. Develop and maintain positive working relationships with other school professionals and representatives of community resources.
9. Use an effective referral process to assist students and others to use special programs and services.

Assessment:

10. Participate in planning and evaluation of campus standardized testing program.
11. Interpret tests and other appraisal results appropriately and communicate to school personnel, students, and their parents.
12. Maintain the confidentiality of student assessment.

Program Management:

13. Plan school guidance and counseling programs to ensure that they meet identified needs, priorities, and program objectives.
14. Implement a comprehensive and balanced program.
15. Develop and coordinate a continuing evaluation of the guidance program and individual activities and make changes based on findings.
16. Compile, maintain, and file all required physical and computerized reports, records, and other documents.
17. At high school and junior high school: Educate the school staff, parents, and community about the guidance program through a public information program.
18. At high school and junior high school: Assist principal with course scheduling.
19. At high school and junior high school: Assist principal with master schedule developments for regular school year and summer school.

Administration:

20. Comply with policies established by federal and state law, State Board of Education rules, and board policy in the guidance and counseling area.
21. Comply with all district and campus routines and regulations.
22. Maintain a positive and effective relationship with supervisors.
23. Communicate effectively with colleagues, students, and parents.

Professional:

24. Adhere to ethical and legal standards and model behavior that is professional, and responsible.
25. Participate in professional development to improve skills related to job assignments.
26. Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Supervise assigned counseling aide(s) and clerical employee(s).

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

Tools/Equipment Used: Personal computer and peripherals; standard instructional equipment

Posture: Prolonged sitting; frequent standing, kneeling/squatting, bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting

Motion: Frequent walking

Lifting: Regular light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds); occasional physical restraint of students to control behavior

Environment: Work inside, may work outside

*Includes information from the Professional School Counselor Performance Evaluation Form and Job Description distributed by the Texas Education Agency.