JOB DESCRIPTION:

The School Counselor will possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to implement a developmental and results-based school counseling program that aligns with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. The school counseling program will be based on equity and focused on the academic, career and personal/social development of every student.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE:

Preferences:

• Three years of experience in a public school setting.
• Knowledge and experience in implementing a comprehensive school counseling program based on the ASCA National Model.
• Essential skills include effective communication skills (both verbal and written), flexibility, organization, decision-making and problem solving skills.
• Essential interpersonal skills include working with diverse populations.
• Ability to meet deadlines, work on multiple projects, and coordinate the work of others.
• Knowledge of District policies on child abuse/neglect, intervening with a potential suicide, bullying, sexual harassment, and any others that directly affect the role of the school counselor.
• Knowledge of all laws, regulations and guidelines affecting school counselors and students.
• Knowledge of effective classroom management techniques.
• Ability to maintain positive relationships with students, parents, community members and staff.

REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Requirements:

• A Master’s Degree in School Counseling or a Master’s Degree in Counseling, plus required school counseling program coursework.

• • Course work must include (1) child and adolescent development and/or human growth & development, (2) a school counseling course and (3) a minimum of a 300 hour school counseling practicum in a school setting.
• Applicant must have a valid New Mexico License in School Counseling.

The School Counselor must achieve the following outcomes with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Plans, organizes, implements and evaluates a comprehensive school counseling program which aligns with the ASCA National Model, New Mexico School Counselor Competencies and APS School Counseling Resource Guide.

• Serves as a leader in the school and community to promote and support student success.

• • Maintains professional relationships and works cooperatively with administration, employees, the community and other professionals.
• Advocates and collaborates with parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and other stakeholders to promote and support student success.
• Plans and implements the program with a solid foundation.
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• Develops and updates the philosophy and mission statements of the school counseling program to align with current school improvement and student success initiates at the school, district and state level.

• Utilizes student standards (ASCA Student Competencies, and state content standards) to drive the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program.
• Develops and implements developmentally appropriate school counseling curriculum that addresses all students’ needs, including closing-the-gap activities.
• Facilitates and develops strategies to implement individual student planning, such as appraisal, advisement, goal setting, decision making, social skills, transition and post-secondary planning and/or training.
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• Has current knowledge of career opportunities, labor market trends and global economics, and uses various career assessment techniques to assist students in understanding their abilities and career interests.

• Has current knowledge and can articulate that knowledge to students, family and staff, on the relationship of academic performance to the world of work, family life and community service.
• Utilizes methods for helping students monitor and direct their own academic, personal/social and career development.
• Helps students understand the importance of post-secondary education and/or training.
• 8-12th grade school counselors are a part of the Next Step Plan process.
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• Ensure that the students’ Next Step Plan is based on a career development process that includes career awareness, exploration and interest inventories.

• Utilize the Next Step Plan for advising students on taking courses and career planning.
• Collaborates with parents/guardians and school personnel to complete and finalize the Next Step Plan.
• Helps students navigate the post-secondary education admission and financial aid process.
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• Maintains professional competence in advising students on post secondary options and financial aid.

• Provides responsive services.
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• Uses appropriate interventions for responsive services such as consultation, individual and group counseling, crisis counseling, referrals and peer facilitation.

• Compiles resources to utilize with students, staff and families to effectively address issues through responsive services.
• Has comprehensive knowledge of the similarities and differences between school counseling and other types of counseling, such as mental health, marriage and family, and substance abuse counseling within a continuum of care and only practices within their role as a school counselor.
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• Practices only developmental and short-term individual and small group counseling.

• Applies only theories and techniques that are appropriate to use within the school setting (i.e., Solution Focused Brief Counseling, etc.).
• Refers students who need more extensive services such as long-term counseling/therapy or diagnoses of disorders.
• Has training, knowledge and demonstrates appropriate school counseling group skills.
• Recognizes and utilizes district resources, community agencies and service providers for student referrals.
• Demonstrates knowledge of what constitutes a crisis, the appropriate response and a variety of intervention strategies to meet the needs of the individual, group or school community before, during and after a crisis.
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• Demonstrates a leadership role as needed, and as outlined in the school crisis plan.

• Involves family and appropriate school and community professionals in crisis situations.
• Serves as a member on the Health & Mental Health Team, Student Assistance Team, or any other team where the school counselor’s expertise is relevant to the process.
• Implements system support activities for the comprehensive school counseling program.
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• Creates and implements a plan that addresses the school counselor’s responsibilities for professional development, consultation, collaboration, and program management.

• Conducts in-service training for stakeholders to share school counseling expertise.
• As appropriate, provides supervision for school counseling interns consistent with the principles of the ASCA National Model.
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• Attends meetings for supervision of interns.

• Negotiates with the administrator to define the management system for the comprehensive school counseling program.
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• Collaborates with administration to create and implement an Administrative/School Counseling Agreement.

• Utilizes the school instructional council or other appropriate group as an advisory council for the comprehensive school counseling program.
• Collects, analyzes and interprets relevant data including process, perception and results data, to monitor and improve student behavior, attendance and achievement.
• Develops calendars to ensure the effective implementation of the school counseling program.
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• Creates and shares annual, monthly and weekly calendars with appropriate stakeholders.

• Calendars reflect school counseling program goals identified by the advisory council and the administrator/counselor agreement.
• Utilizes calendars to organize and manage time to implement an effective program.
• Demonstrates appropriate time management skills.
• Designs and implements Guidance Curriculum Action Plans to serve all students in the school.
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• Crosswalks ASCA Student Standards with appropriate school counseling curriculum.

• Demonstrates classroom management and instructional skills.
• Develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school goals.
• Encourages staff involvement to ensure the effective implementation of the school counseling curriculum.
• Knows, understands and uses a variety of technology in the delivery of school counseling curriculum activities.
• Utilizes strategies and accesses resources available to meet the needs of students with special needs.
• Designs and implements Closing-the-Gap (Intentional) Action Plans aligning with school and school counseling program goals.
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• Uses formal and informal methods of program evaluation to design and modify the comprehensive school counseling program.

• Uses data to demonstrate how the school counseling program contributes to student achievement.
• Prepares a Results Report (utilizing technology) for the school counseling program activities to share with stakeholders.
• Uses results obtained for the improvement of the school counseling program.
• Uses results obtained for systemic change as indicated.
• Conducts a program audit annually to assess the current school counseling program implementation of the ASCA National Model, growth of the program, gaps in the program, and to set current program goals.
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• Shares the results of the program audit with administrators, the advisory council and other appropriate stakeholders.

• Incorporates the counseling themes of advocacy, leadership, and system change, which are critical to a successful school counseling program.