TITLE: High School Counselor
PURPOSE: To assist students in making educational, career, and/or life plans that holds promise for their personal fulfillment as productive citizens.
QUALIFICATIONS: - Holds a valid Illinois Professional Educator License
- Holds a certificate as a guidance counselor – or- Holds a type 73 certificate
- Master’s Degree or higher education
- The ability to function effectively as a member of the school staff.
- Good organizational skills, detailed oriented, and ability to prioritize tasks effectively and efficiently.
- Ability to understand and follow basic oral and written instructions.
- Good written and communication skills.
- Ability to communicate to students, parents, staff, and administration in a courteous manner.
REPORTS TO: The Principal or Designee
MAINTAINS LIAISON WITH: Parents, Staff, Administration, and post-secondary institutions. Communicates on a regular basis or as requested by parents, staff, and/or administration.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (The following are the essential fundamentals to include but not limited to the following job duties.)
I. MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION OF STUDENTS SERVICES:
- Assists teachers, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders in interpreting and understanding student data.
- Counsels and assists students in course and subject selection.
- Assists students individually, or in groups, with developing academic, career, and personal/social skills, goals, and plans throughout their educational career.
- Assist new students with scheduling, orientation, and transitioning to new environment.
- Help students with coping and/or problem-solving skills.
- Remains readily available to students so as to provide counseling that will lead each student to increased personal growth, self-understanding and maturity.
- Assist with the preparation and mailing of college, scholarship, financial aid and employment applications.
- Initiates, assembles, maintains, interprets, and protects the confidentiality of student information and data.
- Assists with and updates Individual Career Exploration Plan and transcripts for assigned students.
- Promotes drop-out prevention.
- Provides resources for students who express interest in school and/or community activities/programs.
- Consults and collaborates with the teachers, school psychologist, social workers, administrators, families, and community resources to develop student success.
- Assist students with gathering information regarding admissions for trade schools, special skills schools, programs, colleges, universities, and/or military.
- Arranges and organizes conferences between students and college/career/vocational representatives.
- Reviews students' academic performance and confers with students and parents as needed.
- Counsels students who are enrolled in
- DPS alternative schools/programs (This applies to counselors assigned to alt ed.)
- Will evaluate high school students’ transcripts prior to alternative education placement.
- Schedule meetings with students and parents for education-related purposes.
- Assists students with post-secondary options.
- Collaborate with Innovation Programs to assist with referring students for part-time job placement and/or college visits/fairs.
- Conducts follow-up of students new to the school to determine their academic and social adjustment to school.
- Utilize data to identify student struggles, needs, and/or barriers to academic success.
- Explores alternative educational opportunities with students.
- Monitors student Service-Learning Hours and monitors all high school graduation requirements.
- Works with administration to obtain school records from the student’s previous school (where applicable) and forwarding student records when appropriate.
- Keeps current with changes in counseling strategies and implementation techniques.
- As part of the school leadership team, assist in improving equity and access for all students.
- Provide counseling for students struggling with attendance, discipline, and/or academics.
II. ASSISTANCE TO INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF:
- Works cooperatively with other school personnel in the identification, diagnosis, and remediation of individual students with specialized needs.
- Meets with appropriate department chairperson regarding that department's course offerings and curriculum changes.
- Assists in the planning for and supervision of all standardized testing programs.
- Arranges for conferences with parents and teachers as needed.
- Participates in multi-disciplinary conferences as needed.
- Works with teachers, special service personnel, administration, and staff to develop new programs and explore innovative developments in the total school program.
- Uses grammatically correct English in verbal and written communications.