26-27SY Teacher, Full-time-School Counselor 7-12

About the role

The School District of Philadelphia is seeking dedicated professionals to serve as school counselors at various levels. This position involves providing counseling services, implementing broad-based programs, and collaborating with students, families, and community partners.

Responsibilities

• Provides individual and group counseling and guidance to students.
• Develops and implements broad-based programs addressing decision-making, conflict resolution, self-esteem, coping strategies, and other issues.
• Conducts classroom guidance sessions focusing on post-high school planning, career exploration, family relationships, and decision-making.
• Assesses and addresses issues impacting students' academic and personal development, including those at risk of dropping out, substance abuse, pregnancy, homelessness, and crisis prevention.
• Communicates with bilingual or deaf/hearing-impaired students and families using English and a specified world language or English and American Sign Language.
• Serves as a liaison between the school and various community/governmental agencies to provide services to students and their families.
• Participates in team interventions and collaborates with parents, teachers, and other staff to support students.
• Makes referrals to outside agencies and provides ongoing follow-up services to students and their families.
• Gathers and disseminates information on critical issues such as student substance abuse, suicide prevention, teen pregnancy, and homelessness.
• Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in school counseling and guidance for secondary and/or middle school students.
• Prepares and maintains student-counseling records, prepares reports, and maintains accurate and complete records.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with students, families, colleagues, and community partners.

Qualifications

• All Specialties: Master’s degree in school counseling from an accredited college or university.
• Bilingual Specialty: Master’s degree in school counseling from an accredited college or university.
• Sign Language Specialty: Master’s degree in school counseling from an accredited college or university.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Master’s degree in school counseling from an accredited college or university.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of principles, practices, and theories of individual/group counseling.
• Demonstrated knowledge of principles, practices, and theories of developmental/educational guidance.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current techniques and trends in counseling and guidance at the secondary/middle school level.
• Demonstrated knowledge of theories and principles of adolescent development, individual/group behavior, group dynamics, and interpersonal interactions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of communication skills and techniques.
• Demonstrated knowledge of current health, economic, and social problems experienced by urban families.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the functions and resources of community/governmental agencies that provide support services for students and their families.
• Demonstrated ability to provide counseling and guidance on an individual/group basis and to conduct group support/guidance sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to employ tact, diplomacy, and sound judgment in dealing with sensitive or personal problems and hostile attitudes.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with students and their families and to aid them in the constructive use of their capacities to address their specific problems.
• Demonstrated ability to identify the signs of substance abuse and students at risk for suicide.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and interpret standardized test scores, marking guidelines, and promotional policies.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in crisis intervention.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare and maintain student-counseling records, reports, correspondence, and statistical summaries.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Additional Functions

• Bilingual Specialty: Provides students and families with general school and guidance programs and services in a specified world language as well as English.
• Bilingual Specialty: Creates an environment in which students have access to bilingual counseling/guidance materials that address their needs and interests.
• Bilingual Specialty: Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in bilingual school counseling and guidance.
• Sign Language Specialty: Provides students and families with general school and guidance programs and services in American Sign Language and Signed English as well as English.
• Sign Language Specialty: Creates an environment in which deaf/hearing impaired students have access to specialized counseling/guidance materials that address their needs and interests.
• Sign Language Specialty: Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in school counseling and guidance for the deaf and hearing impaired.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Provides academic, college, and career counseling services to GEAR UP students.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Provides career and college entrance information and assistance to students, teachers, parents, and counselors in small groups and one-to-one.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Collaborates with school counselors to schedule college visits, college representative visits, career-related speakers, workshops, etc.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Plans, organizes, develops, and implements career events and publications; prepares letters, flyers, mailers, and other materials to publicize GEAR UP counseling services, resources, and speakers.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Counsels cohort students regarding state and district tests and in preparing for college entrance exams.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Provides financial aid counseling and FAFSA completion support.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Provides support for students involved in mentoring, job shadowing, and internship programs.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Participates in the development of the annual action plan.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Submits all matching funds documents regarding career and counseling activities to the program manager.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Enters college and career program and student data weekly.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Maintains appropriate, accurate, and complete records.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Provides monthly program updates to the program manager.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Shares GEAR UP information with other GEAR UP school counselors.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Participates in on-site visits.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Participates in all GEAR UP training and professional development.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Attends regional monthly GEAR UP staff meetings.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Travels to school district monthly meetings.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Attends the GEAR UP Capacity Building and Annual Conferences.

Minimum Requirements

• Regular, Sign Language, and GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Possession of a valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instructional specialist certificate endorsed for Secondary Counselor (or Guidance Counselor Certificate issued prior to July 1, 1969).
• Bilingual Specialty: Presentation of an original, signed letter from the Certification Officer of an accredited college or university verifying current enrollment in an approved School Counselor certification program.

Disclaimer

The School District of Philadelphia provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, disability, pregnancy, marital status, gender identity, or genetic information. Please refer to Board Policy 348 for further information regarding the District's commitment to Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices.