School Counselor

Danbury Public Schools CT · Danbury, CT · 2 wk ago

OTHRFull-time

About the District

Danbury Public Schools is a diverse community located in western Connecticut, serving more than 12,500 students across the City of Danbury. We are committed to cultivating equity and excellence for all students, closing opportunity gaps, and preparing students for post-secondary success. Our mission is to provide transformational learning experiences designed to nurture thoughtful and prepared graduates. Our schools include 13 unique elementary schools (including an interdistrict magnet school for International Studies), three middle schools (including an intra-district magnet school focused on STEM and World Studies), and the Danbury Career Academies, which offer a wide range of interests taught by faculty with real-world and academic experiences.

About the Role

The K-12 school counselor provides academic, career, college access, affordability, admission, and social-emotional competencies to every student annually by designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive evidence-based school counseling program across the district. The counselor develops an annual plan, delivers classroom lessons in collaboration with educators, and provides group and individual counseling. They also lead school-wide activities to promote student success, close achievement and opportunity gaps, and improve mental health and well-being. The counselor serves as an advocate, leader, and change-agent, partnering with colleagues, community members, and families to support student success. Supervision is provided by the Assistant Superintendent for Special Education & Pupil Personnel in consultation with the building Principal.

Responsibilities

Services to Students

Plans, delivers, and evaluates school counseling interventions to help close achievement, opportunity, and attainment gaps.
Delivers academic success skills, including organization, time management, and study skills to all students annually.
Provides career development skills, such as career assessments, use of the Occupational Outlook Handbook, resume/cover letter creation, and job shadowing/searching techniques.
Delivers college access, affordability, and admission skills, with special attention to first-generation students, students with disabilities, and those needing affordability resources.
Teaches social-emotional skills, including anti-violence/anti-bullying, stress management, cultural diversity, and strategies to improve energy/mood.
Ensures every student has an annually updated ACCESS & Accomplishments Plan.
Uses ethical practices by applying a decision-making model and sharing updates of the ACA, ASCA, and NACAC codes of ethics with stakeholders.
Coordinates orientation for new and transfer students and families.
Applies developmental, learning, counseling, and education theories in practice.
Uses Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success standards (ASCA) in the school counseling program.
Demonstrates understanding of cultural, social, and environmental influences on student success and opportunities.
Designs and implements instruction aligned with Mindsets and Behaviors in classroom, group, and individual settings.
Provides appraisal and advisement in classroom, group, and individual settings.
Offers short-term counseling in group and individual settings.

Collaboration with School and Professional Staff

Collaborates with teachers, school social workers, and school psychologists for optimal student success.
Works with multiple school systems and peers for systemic change, including serving as Equity Consultants on the Master Schedule, supporting student access to challenging coursework, Academic Support Services, and Co-Curricular Activities.
Consults with teachers on culturally responsive interventions to support struggling students, including addressing noncognitive factors affecting success.
Participates in PPT/504 meetings, team meetings, and restorative justice settings.
Makes referrals to appropriate school resources.
Consults with educators to support 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 to foster school/family/community partnerships for student achievement and success.
Makes referrals to appropriate community resources.

Planning and School Counseling Program Development/Evaluation

Demonstrates leadership as a system change agent for equity by developing and implementing a comprehensive school counseling program.
Establishes and maintains a School Counseling Program Advisory Council.
Assists in the annual Equity Audit of school programs, policies, and practices.
Uses disaggregated data to plan school counseling program interventions.
Uses technology effectively in the school counseling program.
Annually updates the school counselor/administrator agreement.
Analyzes school disaggregated data to inform best practices in the school counseling program.
Demonstrates understanding of educational systems, legal issues, policies, research, and trends.
Applies school counseling professional standards, competencies, and legal and ethical principles.
Creates school counseling program beliefs, vision, and mission statements aligned with school and district goals.
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.
Assesses and reports program results to the school community.
Uses time appropriately according to national recommendations and student/school data.
Establishes an annual agreement with building leaders about the school counseling program.
Uses a school counseling appraisal process (e.g., ASCA SC Appraisal/101 Solutions-CAFE Model).
Maintains weekly and annual calendars of school counseling use of time and program/school-wide events for all stakeholders.

Requirements

068 School Counselor certification or eligibility in Connecticut.
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, including curriculum lessons, group and individual counseling, and planning/advising for all students.
Demonstrated professional identity and memberships in state and national school and college counseling organizations.

Skills

Effective skills in working with all school stakeholders and community partners.
Ability to identify students with disabilities and refer them for appropriate services and accommodations.
Ability to affirm and work effectively with students and stakeholders of multiple cultural and linguistic identities.
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, delivering developmental school counseling curriculum lessons, group counseling, and individual counseling.
Technology skills, including use of spreadsheets, social media, websites, apps, and other tools to enhance the school counseling program’s effectiveness.

Preferred Qualifications

Bilingual (fluent in Spanish preferred).
Experience and understanding of bilingual students’ unique academic and social-emotional strengths and challenges.
Experience in urban, diverse environments.
K-12 teaching, advising, and/or coaching experience.
Experience using the ASCA Model, Code of Ethics, Professional Competencies, and Mindsets & Behaviors.
Experience in career and college access, affordability, and admission counseling.
Experience in a distance learning work environment.

Pay

Salary and wages are paid in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement between NEA Danbury and the Danbury Board of Education.