School Counselor needed at Harborside Middle School. This position is available April 28, 2025.
Current CT School Counselor certification (068) required.
Salary and benefits per MEA contract.
Interested applicants must apply online through this job posting in order to be considered for the position.
No phone calls please.
POSITION TITLE: SCHOOL COUNSELOR (6-8)
PAY GRADE: Per Union Contract
UNION: Milford Education Association
SUMMARY/GOAL OF POSITION:
Milford Public Schools is seeking a 6-8 school counselor who will work at a middle school to provide academic; career; college access, affordability and admission; and social-emotional competencies to every student annually by helping design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive evidence-based school counseling program. The school counselor provides an annual plan and advising for every student, classroom school counseling lessons in collaboration with other educators for all students, group and individual counseling for some students. The school counselor also provides additional school-wide activities that promote student success helping accelerate learning; and close achievement, opportunity, and attainment gaps; increases student career/college success; and improves mental health/well-being. The school counselor will align their practices with Milford Public School’s Vision of the Learner, Developmental Relationships Framework and model for High Quality Instruction. The School Counselor will serve as an advocate, leader, and change-agent partnering with colleagues inside the schools, in the community, and with family members for optimal student success. The school counselor is primarily supervised by the Supervisor of Student Development Wellness and administratively supervised by the building principal.
SERVICES TO STUDENTS:
Designs, delivers, evaluates and revises a planned, sequential, and developmentally appropriate school counseling curriculum aligned to the Milford Public School’s Vision of the Learner to include lessons in:
academic success skills including: organization, time management, study skills to all students annually.
career development skills including assessments, career clusters, use of Occupational Outlook Handbook (embedded in Naviance), creating resumes/cover letters, job shadowing/searching techniques.
college access/affordability/admission skills to all students with extra attention to first-generation students, students with disabilities, and students needing affordability resources.
social-emotional skills to all students including anti-violence/ anti-bullying, stress management, cultural diversity skills, and ways to boost energy/mood to all students.
Ensures every student has an annually updated Student Success Plan.
Plans, delivers, and evaluates school counseling interventions to help accelerate learning, and close achievement, opportunity, and attainment gaps.
Ensures ethical practice by using an ethical decision-making model and sharing most recent updates of the ACA, ASCA & NACAC codes of ethics with all stakeholders.
Coordinates orientation for new and transfer students and families.
Applies developmental, learning, counseling, and education theories.
Uses Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success standards (ASCA) in the school counseling program.
Demonstrates an understanding of the impact of cultural, social and environmental influences on student success and opportunities.
Designs and implements counseling and instruction aligned to best practices in Classroom, Group, and Individual Settings.
Provides appraisal and advisement to students in Classroom, Group, and Individual Settings.
Provides short-term, solution focused counseling in Group and Individual Settings.
Provides crisis intervention as appropriate;
Assists students with their transition to middle school, high school and post high school options
Promotes gender, racial and socioeconomic equity and advocates for equal access to programs and services for all students
Takes a leadership role in the infusion of counseling and SEL content into the curriculum, staff development, and parent educational programs;
Coordinates parent education programs on issues relating to personal and academic development, making a smooth transition from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, and planning post high school options;
Counsels assigned students as mandated through the PPT process
COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOL AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF:
Collaborates with teachers, school social workers, and school psychologists for optimal student success.
Collaborates with colleagues for systemic change within multiple school systems, including, but limited to
serving as equity consultants on the master schedule and other school related activities
supporting all students’ engagement in extracurricular activities
providing access to challenging course of studies for all students
providing academic support services.
Consults with teachers on creative, culturally responsive interventions to support struggling students including noncognitive factors affecting student success.
Supports referrals from school personnel, community agencies, families, and students and refers them to the PPT process.
Is a member of the Planning and Placement Team and serves as case manager when appropriate.
Understands and facilitates compliance with all laws, procedures, and requirements related to the PPT process.
Monitors implementation of programs recommended by the PPT when assigned as case manager.
Participates in PPT/504 meetings, student assistance teams, and in restorative practices.
Supports annual review and performs other necessary consultation with teachers and counseling for 504 students.
Makes referrals to appropriate school resources.
Serves as a member on the building based student assistance team and consults with educators for student achievement and success.
LIAISON AND COLLABORATION WITH OUTSIDE RESOURCES:
Maintains professional memberships in state and national school and college counseling organizations (ASCA/CSCA, ACA, NACAC/NEACAC).
Collaborates with family members and community agencies/businesses in a school/family/community partnership for student achievement/success.
Makes referrals to appropriate community resources.
PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION:
Demonstrates leadership and advocacy as a systems change agent for equity by developing and implementing a comprehensive school counseling program.
Establishes and maintains School Counseling Program Advisory Council.
Assists with annual Equity Audit of school programs/policies/practices.
Assesses the School Counseling Program annually and shares results with all stakeholders
Uses disaggregated data to plan School Counseling Program interventions.
Uses technology effectively in the school counseling program.
Analyzes school disaggregated data to inform school counseling program best practices.
Demonstrates understanding of educational systems, legal issues, policies, research, and trends in education.
Applies legal and ethical principles to the school counseling profession.
Applies school counseling professional standards and competencies.
Creates school counseling program beliefs, vision and mission statements aligned with school and district.
Identifies gaps in achievement, attendance, discipline, opportunity, and resources.
Develops annual student outcome goals based on data.
Develops and implements action plans aligned with student outcome goals and data.
Reviews and evaluates the school counseling program annually with other district counselors and administrators; establishes a planning calendar for activities.
Uses time appropriately according to national recommendations and student/school data.
Establishes annual agreement with building leaders about the SC program.
Establishes/convenes SCP Advisory Council district-wide and in all schools.
Uses a SC appraisal process.
Maintains weekly and annual calendars of SC use of time and school counseling program/ school-wide events for all stakeholders.
Plans and coordinates programs such as career and college fairs, scholarships, and other extensions of the counseling curriculum.
Assesses and reports program results to the school community.
Assists in the administration of relevant assessments.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Eligible for School Counselor certification in CT.
Master’s degree in Counselor Education/School Counseling.
Knowledge of evidence-based research and best practices in designing, implementing, and evaluating a school counseling program and interventions including school counseling curriculum lessons, group and individual counseling, and planning/advising for all students.
Effective skills in working with all school stakeholders and community partners.
Ability to affirm and work effectively with students and other stakeholders of multiple cultural and linguistic identities.
Demonstrated professional identity/memberships in state and national school and college counseling professional organizations.
Knowledge of ACA, ASCA and NACAC professional codes of ethics for school and college counselors.
Experience in implementing and evaluating a school counseling program model such as the ASCA National Model.
Experience in advising/planning for all students, developmental school counseling curriculum lessons, group counseling, and individual counseling.
Able to develop and maintain positive and supportive relationships with all members of the learning community in alignment with the SEARCH Institute’s Developmental Relationship Framework.
Technology skills including use of Google Suite, spreadsheets, social media, websites, apps, and other ways that build and enhance the school counseling program effectiveness with all stakeholders.
PROFESSIONAL:
Implements Board of Education and school policies and the student code of conduct listed in the Student Handbook.
Promotes and upholds district and school goals and objectives.
Takes necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials and facilities.
Demonstrates an on-going interest in educational concerns and professional learning to keep up with new trends and programs and state requirements.
Maintains confidentiality regarding personal student and family information within the expected limits of a counseling relationship.
Maintains high standards for attendance and punctuality so that student achievement is not adversely impacted.
Performs other tasks and responsibilities as delegated by the Principal and/or Director of Pupil Personnel Services and/or Instructional Supervisors of Student Development and Wellness.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Experience and understanding of bilingual students’ unique academic and social-emotional strengths and challenges.
Experience using the ASCA Model, Code of Ethics, Professional Competencies, & Mindsets & Behaviors.
Experience in career and college access, affordability, and admission counseling.
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Valid Connecticut Teaching Certificate for appropriate level of instruction and/or subjects, which must satisfy the definition of “Highly Qualified” status for content area assignment.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Principal or designated Administrator
WORK YEAR:
Per Teacher Contract