Intermediate School Guidance Counselor
South Fayette Twp. School District Intermediate School Guidance Counselor (Grades 3-5)
Job Goals:
1. To promote optimal academic, career, and personal/social development in each intermediate school student
2. To promote the school’s mission including student achievement, student – teacher relationships, and community participation
3. To promote a positive and inclusive school climate and environment
4. To promote an understanding of the intermediate school child among staff and parents
5. To help students overcome problems that impedes learning, and assists all students in achieving academic success.
6. To establish rapport with students, parents, and other staff members in the intermediate school
7. To work collaboratively with other members of the educational team
8. To function as the central figure in carrying out the school counseling program as an integral component of the total educational program
Qualifications:
1. Valid Pennsylvania certificate as a K-12 School Counselor
2. Masters Degree in Counselor Education from an approved program of studies
3. 3.0 or higher QPA
4. Working knowledge of best practices in school counseling according to the guidelines of the American School Counselor’s Association
5. Working knowledge of the characteristics that when present in an intermediate school will over time lead to higher levels of student achievement and overall development.
6. Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
7. Demonstrates personal growth and professional development
8. Demonstrates computer literacy especially in using the administrative software program effectively, retrieval of student information, maintaining student attendance, utilizing SAP software, etc.
Performance Responsibilities:
1. Works with students on an individual basis in the solution of personal problems related to such issues as school, home and family relations, health, and emotional adjustment.
2. Remains readily available to students so as to provide counseling that will lead each student to increased personal growth, self-understanding, and maturity.
3. Addresses students’ study habits, skills and attitudes, test anxiety, and barriers to motivation and academic success.
4. Provides developmental counseling activities/lessons about diversity, bullying, conflict resolution, interpersonal skills, and other relevant topics, in the classrooms.
5. Facilitates small group experiences for students around such topics as divorce, friendship, anger management, grief/loss, etc.
6. Monitors students for excessive absences and follow-ups with parents/guardians in accordance to the School Board Policy.
7. Leads and completes the school attendance improvement process for students with chronic absenteeism.
8. Assists in the maintenance of student files, including academic records, confidential records, test results, and transcripts.
9. Meets with students experiencing academic failures and creates a plan for improvement through the child study process.
10. Confers with parents on issues related to counseling whenever necessary.
11. Assists administrators as needed in matters of behavioral and disciplinary issues that interfere with learning.
12. Accepts and makes referrals to teams; processes, screens, and provides interventions for students at-risk.
13. Serves as a member of the Child Study Team and Comprehensive Crisis Management Team.
14. Possesses knowledge of mental health diagnoses, supports, and interventions.
15. Mediates conflict resolution meetings when necessary.
16. Serves as building contact for students experiencing emotional distress.
17. Attends the intermediate school grade level team meetings to address the needs of individual students.
18. Works with teachers and other staff members to familiarize them with the general range of services offered by the counseling department and to improve the educational prospects of individual students.
19. Registers new students to the school and orients them to school procedures and the school’s varied opportunities for learning.
20. Reviews the records of new students and ensures all documentation needed is provided.
21. Works with the appropriate individuals regarding new students’ transferred documents for planning purposes and appropriate academic placement.
22. Administers and coordinates a wide variety of assessment instruments (including PSSAs and benchmarks) throughout the year.
23. Assists parents in interpreting test data.
24. Fulfills the state requirements for the District 339 plan as it applies to the Intermediate School.
25. Coordinates services for students and families for school-based educational groups, outside counseling, psychological evaluations, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, etc.
26. Attends workshops and conferences for local, state, and national school counselor organizations, updates for testing, maintenance of licensure, etc. as requested.
27. Takes an active role in interpreting the school’s objectives to students, parents, and the community at large.
28. Assists the administration with the scheduling process as requested.
We are an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) with respect to employment opportunities.