School Counselor; 7th-12th grades

Requirements:
Master's degree in school counseling AND current ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL) with a School Counseling Endorsement

Reports to:

Principal

Evaluated by:
Principal

As a vital member of the school’s educational leadership team, professional school counselors provide comprehensive, developmental supports within the academic, personal/social, and career domains to ensure that today's students become productive, well‑adjusted adults of tomorrow. They are uniquely trained professional educators with a mental health perspective and understand and respond to the challenges presented by today’s diverse student population. School counselors provide proactive leadership to engage all stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help all students achieve success in school.

Create, Implement, and Evaluate a Comprehensive School Counseling Program aligned with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) REACH Framework for School Counselors. The framework is aligned to the American School Counselor Association National Model for School Counseling Programs and outlines a comprehensive counseling program that delivers services equitably to all students in the building.

Conduct Annual Needs Assessments and Data Reviews to Determine and Prioritize Student Needs. The school counselor will conduct an annual needs assessment and data review to identify critical areas of student need, then create targeted program goals aligned to the school wide goals, mission, and vision.

Implement the School Counseling Core Curriculum. The counselor will design, conduct, and co‑teach learning activities in classroom, large‑group, and/or school‑wide settings, based on the academic, career, postsecondary, and social/emotional needs of the students so as to facilitate the infusion of school counseling as an integral component of the total education curriculum. Activities may include classroom guidance, high‑school/college/career fairs, tours, and grade‑level or school‑wide team‑building activities.

Provide Individual Student Planning Activities. In collaboration with students, staff, and families, the counselor will create an academic plan that ultimately results in the successful attainment of a diploma and postsecondary option(s) of choice. Activities may include facilitation of completion of the Individual Learning Plan in Naviance, transition activities (orientations, high‑school application process), events to inform families of test results and their implications for educational planning, and advisement to ensure students are on track to the next grade level or phase in life.

Provide Responsive Student Services. The counselor will provide responsive services to address students’ barriers to academic achievement, including facilitation of small groups, structured, short‑term, goal‑oriented individual counseling sessions, participation in building‑level student assistance teams, facilitation of conferences with students, teachers, and families, consultation with teachers, families, and external partners, school‑wide support during crisis or emergency situations, and participation in IEP/504 Plan teams.

School counselors do NOT provide therapeutic treatment of a mental, emotional, or bodily disorder.

Provide Indirect Student Support. Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the counselor’s interactions with others, including referral of students/families to district and community resources, sharing strategies that support student achievement with parents, teachers, other educators, and community organizations, serving as a student advocate to promote student development within the three domains, serving as the school’s resident expert on student development, and partnering with committees and advisory boards to create formalized partnerships with community‑based organizations.

Provide System Support. The counselor will coordinate, conduct, and participate in activities that contribute to the effective operation of the school consistent with the approved school counseling program. Activities may include creation of an annual school counseling Evidence‑Based Implementation Plan and Annual Agreement to support overall school goals and objectives; creation and delivery of needs assessments to determine the primary needs of students;

collection and aggregation of multiple data sources to monitor counseling interventions; protection of planning time; and coordination of professional development/in‑service programs for faculty and staff.

Participate in Regular Professional Development. To stay current with evidence‑based practices, the counselor will actively participate in district, state, and national professional development, professional associations, professional journals, workshops, conferences, and continuing‑education coursework.