School Counselor - Texas Connections Academy

Position Summary And Responsibilities

• Advises students and families related to academics, career planning, and graduation.
• Keeps abreast of all high school graduation requirements, including special requirements such as College, Career, and Military Ready and graduating with Endorsements.
• Aids students and parents with the secondary school course selection process according to Houston ISD and the State of Texas credit and graduation requirements and student needs and interests.
• Assists students and parents in developing a Four Year Plan (Personal Graduation Plan) for meeting graduation requirements.
• Advices students with issues related to dropping courses and changing schedules, seeking support as needed, while ensuring that the school’s course selection and drop policies are adhered to.
• Reviews student transcripts and the entry of credits into the online transcript system.
• Fulfills procedures to ensure that student transcripts are accurate and up-to-date.
• Works with administrative assistants to obtain school records from the student’s previous school (where applicable) and forwards student records when appropriate.
• Implements programs for students and families related to interpersonal adjustment issues.
• Works with school teams to identify and help families access school and community resources.
• Participates in the development of crisis prevention and management plans for the school and serves as a key member of the Student Support Team (SST).
• Coordinates a team of teachers to help identify students who are “at risk” or “in crisis.”
• Acts as the main point of contact for these students and families, communicating regularly with them.
• Oversees and maintains the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for each student.
• Implements efforts to secure complete and accurate records for students.
• Supports families through the school withdrawal process, assisting with data collection regarding withdrawal.
• Reports and refers critical incidents that jeopardize student well-being as obligated by law, administrative regulations, or ethical standards.
• Stays abreast of all state regulations relating to incident reporting and documentation.
• Assists teachers when students enroll mid-semester, making sure that teachers receive guidance on integrating the students into their coursework, and ensuring that previous grades, credits, and evaluations are handled appropriately.
• Implements special programs such as Advanced Placement support, SAT and ACT Preparation, and college entrance preparation.
• Understands the requirements for and assists the principal to facilitate the administration of all high school testing, including exit exams, PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams.
• Helps students to research and understand their post-secondary career and educational options.
• Assists with student preparation of applications for college and jobs.
• Edits students and parents about college admissions requirements and financial aid.
• Supports professional development activities for teachers and school staff members.
• Collaborates in a Professional Learning Community (PLC).
• Assumes teaching and grading duties as necessary.
• Coordinates high school graduation ceremonies.
• And other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Texas School Counseling Certification Required.
• Ability to travel 15-20% for school-related business (state testing, marketing, professional development, and school meetings); May require overnight travel.
• Strong technology skills (especially with Microsoft Office products and Google Suite).
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Customer focused approach.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills.
• High degree of flexibility.
• Team player with demonstrated leadership skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work well in fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work some occasional evening hours, as needed to support some families.
• Ability to work remotely.
• Must be able to use a personal electronic device and an email address for two-step authentication.