GRASP School Counselor

About the role

This position is responsible for providing a comprehensive school counseling program that supports an identified at-risk population of students in grades 9-12 in all areas of counseling with an emphasis on community, family, and work/career skills readiness. This is a dedicated GRASP grant-funded position focused exclusively on a limited caseload of identified at-risk students.

Responsibilities

• Provide a comprehensive developmental program of guidance and counseling to assist identified at-risk students in the areas of academic achievement, attendance, soft skills, career/educational decision-making, college readiness, personal/social development, and conflict resolution.
• Consult with parents, teachers, administrators, and supporting agencies concerning the needs and abilities of students.
• Review data to develop and inform the school counseling program and evaluate the program’s impact on the school’s instructional goals.
• Utilize responsive counseling, initiating individual and group sessions for students’ academic, social, and personal concerns.
• Act as a consultant, to school staff, parents, and community members.
• Promote the school guidance and counseling program to students, school staff, parents, and the community.
• Conduct individual counseling with at-risk students in areas of need.
• Conduct group counseling with at-risk students in areas of educational, academic, career, and social/emotional needs.
• Cook with school staff to provide supportive instructional classroom activities that relate to student, academic, career, and social/emotional needs.
• Serve as a member of the Student Support Team.
• Ensure at-risk students receive appropriate career development assistance.
• (See also item 18 for GRASP-specific postsecondary exploration activities.)
• Consult with school staff and parents on student problems and concerns as needed or requested.
• Promote the utilization of community resources, services, and agencies.
• Attend and participate in professional development activities, workshops, seminars, and conferences in order to maintain expertise in the counseling field.
• Conduct in-depth student analyses to understand population needs and establish an appropriate caseload of off-track and/or at-risk students, creating individually tailored plans and programs of study to meet each student’s unique academic, personal, social, and career development needs.
• Establish and lead a comprehensive support team for each student on the caseload, coordinating services across school staff, families, and community agencies.
• Engage caseload students in discovering, examining, and exploring postsecondary options, including college visits, career exploration, and workforce readiness activities, utilizing student travel funds (up to $10,000) as approved in the grant budget.
• Implement a structured counseling program specifically designed to support at-risk caseload students, within the $10,000 program cost limit outlined in the GRASP grant.
• Maintain accurate and ongoing data collection including Beginning of Year (BOY), Middle of Year (MOY), and End of Year (EOY) submissions tracking student interventions, academic progress, attendance, and discipline.
• Partner with the school counseling team to develop and implement a cluster counseling plan addressing identified at-risk students.
• Collaborate with the assigned GaDOE GRASP program specialist to ensure that interventions and strategies are aligned with identified needs and grant program expectations.
• Complete all GaDOE-required reporting templates including data trackers, pre/post student surveys, and the GRASP action plan template describing the focus of interventions, strategies, and resources utilized.
• Submit Counselor Monthly Impact Reports to the Office of School and District Improvement (SDI) to assess the effectiveness of grant initiatives throughout the grant period.
• Participate in End of Year (EOY) Focus Interviews with students, administration, and the GaDOE program specialist.
• Develop a sustainability plan for counseling activities and programs initiated during the grant period.
• Attend all required GaDOE-sponsored GRASP training events.

Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in education, school counseling, or a related field required.
• Certification or Licensure: Meets Georgia state certification requirements for school guidance and counseling.
• Skills: Knowledge of school counseling programs and related programs of studies. Knowledge of growth and developmental stages of children. Ability to read, take notes, and interpret written material. Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently with students, administrators, school staff, and parents. Knowledge of event planning, record keeping, and data collection. Knowledge of community resources. Ability to be self-motivated and work effectively with at-risk populations. Ability to speak persuasively and tactfully, write professionally, and create multimedia texts. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Excellent human relations skills with the ability to establish positive relationships with many different types of individuals and groups. Must conduct self in a professional manner. Ability to maintain confidentiality. Strong time management and organizational skills. Ability to use computer programs and various software applications. Ability to develop individualized academic and career plans for at-risk students. Familiarity with postsecondary exploration resources and FAFSA/college application processes. Experience with monthly impact reporting, action planning, and data tracking systems.

Skills

• Knowledge of school counseling programs and related programs of studies.
• Knowledge of growth and developmental stages of children.
• Ability to read, take notes, and interpret written material.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently with students, administrators, school staff, and parents.
• Knowledge of event planning, record keeping, and data collection.
• Knowledge of community resources.
• Ability to be self-motivated and work effectively with at-risk populations.
• Ability to speak persuasively and tactfully, write professionally, and create multimedia texts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent human relations skills with the ability to establish positive relationships with many different types of individuals and groups.
• Must conduct self in a professional manner.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to use computer programs and various software applications.
• Ability to develop individualized academic and career plans for at-risk students.
• Familiarity with postsecondary exploration resources and FAFSA/college application processes.
• Experience with monthly impact reporting, action planning, and data tracking systems.