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

About the role

The School District of Philadelphia is seeking passionate and dedicated individuals to serve as school counselors at assigned secondary or middle schools. This position involves providing counseling services that foster the academic, personal, social, and career development of all students.

Responsibilities

• Provides counseling services to students and their families, addressing issues that impact academic achievement and personal development.
• Serves as the primary agent for addressing issues that affect students at risk of failing to attain their full academic potential.
• Collaborates with parents, teachers, and other staff to support students through comprehensive educational programs.
• Makes referrals to outside agencies as needed 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 on students, correspondence, and statistical summaries.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships.

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 ability to provide counseling and guidance on an individual/group basis and conduct group support/guidance sessions.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Demonstrated ability to identify the signs of substance abuse and students at risk for suicide.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret standardized test scores, marking guidelines, and promotional policies.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in crisis intervention.
• 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.
• 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.
• GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Provides academic, college, and career counseling services to GEAR UP students.

Minimum Requirements

• Regular, Sign Language, and GEAR UP 3 Specialty: Valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instructional specialist certificate endorsed for Secondary Counselor (or Guidance Counselor Certificate issued prior to July 1, 1969).
• Bilingual Specialty: 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.