Counselor

Reports to: Principal, Assistant Principal, and Director of Student Support Services and Counselors

About the Role

In keeping with a tradition of excellence, the Counselor provides a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program for all students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The role involves consulting with parents, guardians, teachers, and other school staff to enhance their effectiveness in supporting students' academic progress, career planning, and personal development. The Counselor also supports other educational programs within the schools.

Responsibilities

• Develop goals, objectives, and activities for the guidance program using needs assessments.
• Organize a guidance committee that functions in an advisory capacity.
• Create a guidance calendar of ongoing and regular events and activities.
• Secure and provide students with information on educational opportunities, personal growth, and occupational trends.
• Develop and implement procedures for the guidance program.
• Deliver the guidance curriculum in classrooms or through systematic developmental counseling programs for each grade level.
• Provide resources to teachers to integrate counseling content into regular lessons.
• Develop and/or implement conflict resolution programs.
• Schedule time for individual student counseling.
• Plan and implement group guidance activities.
• Consult with families, teachers, administrators, and external professionals regarding student services and programs.
• Prepare a list of external agencies, programs, and services for collaboration and referral.
• Interpret test results for appropriate individuals.
• Assist in identifying students who need interventions or special services.
• Review students' progress at the end of each grading period.
• Assist with registering and orienting new students, including those from "feeder" schools.
• Guide students in course selection using ISP guidelines.
• Provide students with information on school district policies, testing, graduation, and college admission.
• Offer materials and guidance on career and post-high school educational opportunities, including college applications, scholarships, and employment applications.
• Inform families about student-related career and educational opportunities.
• Provide classroom guidance on career advisement and sex education.
• Consult with administrators and teachers on course offerings that meet students' needs and interests.
• Act on referrals from administrators, teachers, families, agencies, and other professionals.
• Coordinate behavior interventions.
• Provide crisis intervention and preventive counseling.
• Assist families in accessing community and school resources, including identifying students needing special assistance and maintaining a file of alternate programs.
• Organize the office for effective use and prepare/submit reports, records, and paperwork accurately and timely.
• Participate in local, district, state, or national meetings as required.
• Stay informed of professional developments through active memberships, attending meetings, reading publications, and networking.
• Adhere to Rankin County School District board policies, procedures, and administrative directives.
• Communicate effectively using standard oral and written English.
• Abide by the American School Counseling Association's Code of Ethics.
• Lead and attend staff meetings, trainings, and serve on committees.
• Assume responsibility for professional growth, including maintaining licensure and qualifications.
• Maintain responsibility for district-owned assets and ensure appropriate use.
• Undergo periodic evaluations according to state and board policies.
• Maintain confidentiality and ensure regular, dependable, and punctual attendance.
• Perform other duties as requested by the Board of Education, superintendent, or administrators.
• Read, understand, and abide by the Employee Conduct Policy, district policies, and the Mississippi Educator Code of Conduct.

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling (MS Code 37-9-79).
• Valid Mississippi Department of Education Certification.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities.

• Regularly required to talk or hear.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands for fine manipulation, handle or feel, and reach with hands and arms.
• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, reach, crouch, or crawl.
• Must regularly lift and move up to 35 pounds and occasionally up to 75 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision.

Work Environment

The work environment encompasses the entire active school campus, both inside and outside facilities. Noise levels are usually low to moderate but can occasionally be high.