School Counselor; Middle School; SY - General Pool

Job Description

The Middle School - School Counselor is responsible for the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the comprehensive school counseling program in alignment with the ASCA national model. The School Counselor provides all students with academic, social‑emotional, and career development opportunities through classroom lessons, individual counseling, and group counseling. School Counselors work to provide preventative and responsive services to all students in order to maximize each student's individual potential towards rigorous achievement.

School counselors are the liaison between the school administration, teachers and other school staff, parents and families, and the larger ACPS community to support all developmental aspects of a student's schooling. The School Counselor assists students as they explore and plan their post‑secondary pathways. This is a Licensed Middle School 10‑month, 195 day Teacher position, reporting to the Director of School Counseling, School Principal, and Division Administrators.

• Education: Bachelor's degree;
  Master’s Degree required in School Counseling, representing intensive coursework in the principles and practice of school counseling as it aligns with the ASCA national model. This includes developmentally appropriate counseling services related to academic instruction, interpretation of educational testing; social and emotional counseling; organizational and administrative school counseling services; and supporting students with the application of learning.
• Certificates & Licenses: A Valid Virginia Department of Education Pupil Personnel Services License, with an endorsement in School Counselor, or eligibility to obtain the PPS License with the appropriate endorsement upon hiring.
• Experience: Job‑related within the specialized school counseling field with increasing levels of responsibility is required.

• Define and focus the comprehensive school counseling program in response to the needs of students based on the schools’ academic, attendance, and behavioral data.
• Identify student needs through data collection and analysis and in consultation with school administrators, teachers, and other school staff to enhance program development.
• Deliver the school counseling core curriculum via classroom instruction with reinforcements delivered through small group instruction and/or individual instruction towards high student achievement.
• Teach developmentally appropriate lessons, deliver group activities to promote an academic, career, or social/emotional development in partnership with other counselors and/or teaching staff.
• Lead the academic advisement process with individual students to develop academic and career plans based on each individual student's interests, abilities, skills, and achievements to achieve their educational and post‑secondary goals.
• Provide responsive services based on academic, career, and social/emotional data to provide short‑term solution‑focused counseling interventions.
• Crisis response to assist students with a variety of social‑emotional and mental health concerns and make appropriate referrals to outside mental health providers when necessary.
• Consult and work in collaboration with other members of the Student Support Team and community partners in support of positive social‑emotional development and overall mental health.
• Educate and assist students with understanding and becoming knowledgeable about all aspects of the college process (e.g. financial aid, college materials, applications, online registration, scholarships, etc.) in support of academic and career opportunities.
• Conduct student and parent workshops and/or presentations on a variety of academic, social‑emotional, and career topics.
• Collaborate to coordinate college visits, Career Day, student work, and volunteer opportunities to include educational and career assessments related to student interests.
• Collaborate to maintain a variety of confidential and non‑confidential student records.
• Participate in a variety of professional learning opportunities to include meetings, workshops, and committees related to performing school counseling functions and remaining knowledgeable with program guidelines.
• Prepare a variety of documents, reports, and written materials (e.g. emails, individual awards, invitations, event programs, bulletins, reports, etc.) to effectively communicate information to parents and staff.
• Perform other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the school counseling department.

• Step Placement and Salary for this position is determined by the ACPS Teachers and Other Licensed Staff Salary Scale.

• Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.
• Tuberculosis Skin Test.
• Public Health Compliance – Must follow safety and health protocols.