Guidance Counselor

FTE: 1.0 FTE; 8hours/day, 40hours/week, 185 days/year
Salary: Per HEA Salary Schedule

SUMMARY:
Provides services in student, staff, parent and group counseling, new grade orientation, new student registration, pre-referral activities for special needs students, standardized testing, crisis management, career development, contact with courts and outside agencies, liaison with academic teams, job placement, and school record maintenance.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
This class specification lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Incumbent(s) may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills.

• Designs and teaches developmental guidance lessons to students. 
• Facilitates small group counseling experiences for identified students on a variety of topics.
• Provides brief individual counseling to students referred by parents, teachers, or self-referred and makes recommendations for community counseling when needed. 
• Serves as a building expert on mental health; conducts attention or behavioral screenings when concerns are raised by parents or staff.
• Collaborates with and serves as a resource for teachers and parents.
• Advocates for students and works with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal, and social/emotional development of children and youth.
• Works in a preventative role to eliminate obstacles to student learning; provides students with the life skills needed to deal with problems and work to enhance students’ personal, social/emotional and academic growth.
• Consults and collaborates with parents, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers to develop and implement strategies to help students succeed.
• Works to change the school climate to positively impact the learning of all students.
• Serves on the school’s strategic planning, data analysis, and equity teams as an advocate for all students.  
• Works with staff to identify and eliminate achievement gaps based on race, culture, and socioeconomic status.
• Serves as a member of the Child Study Team to help identify barriers/obstacles to student learning.
• Serves as the building 504 Facilitator & Test Coordinator for district and state tests.
• Collaborates with curriculum and special service leaders.
• Promotes and supports the overall mission of the District by demonstrating courteous and cooperative behavior when interacting with public and staff; acts in a manner that promotes a harmonious and effective workplace environment. 

QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in education, or a closely related field.

Required Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:
Continued employment is contingent upon all required licenses and certificates being maintained in active status without suspension or revocation.

• Driver’s license.
• Secondary Counseling/Guidance Licensure.

Required Knowledge and Skills
Required Knowledge:

• District policies and procedures.
• Young child/adolescent development and behavior, behavior management techniques, chemical dependency, abuse, and family change.
• State and Federal laws and regulatory issues governing public education, including rules and regulations of the Minnesota Department of Education.
• Legal, ethical & professional rules of conduct for guidance counselors.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Correct business English, including spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Required Skills:

• Working with students from diverse cultural, economic, and ability backgrounds.
• Assessing and prioritizing multiple tasks, projects and demands.
• Operating a personal computer using standard and specialized software.
• Communicating effectively verbally and in writing.
• Contributing effectively to the accomplishment of team or work unit goals, objectives and activities.
• Commitment to the District mission, which is to ensure high quality, innovative, challenging education where all learners are valued and respected.
• Performing assigned responsibilities in a manner consistent with the District’s established Core Values.
• Advancing the District’s mission and values through careful attention to the key issues of Learning, Environment, and Resources.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Mobility to work in an office setting, use standard office equipment and stamina to sit for extended periods of time; strength to lift and carry up to 20 pounds; vision to read printed materials and computer screens; and hearing and speech to communicate in person or over the telephone.  

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in an office setting within a school.
Occasional travel required to locations throughout the District.