School Counselor

THE CCPS SCHOOL COUNSELOR MISSION

The CCPS Counselors’ mission is to provide a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses the academic, career, and social/emotional needs of each and every student. CCPS counselors are professional school advocates who promote academic achievement, equity, and access for all students. In partnership with other educators, parents/guardians, and the community, school counselors work to prevent and remove barriers to student learning.

Their goal is to ensure that all CCPS students feel challenged and supported to develop intellectually, socially, and emotionally to become productive and responsible members of society.

• Provides individual counseling, small group counseling, and classroom instruction ensuring access to resources that promote: academic achievement; social and emotional development; career exploration and readiness; the identification of appropriate post‑secondary education opportunities.
• Applies appropriate theories and techniques in their classroom instruction, and in individual and small group counseling.
• Demonstrates knowledge of child and adolescent brain development in selecting instructional materials, implementing counseling strategies, and creating interventions and programs to support students.
• Knowledge in identifying specific needs of students and developing and implementing effective attendance, academic, or behavior interventions to meet their needs.
• Ability to develop and implement effective tier two interventions to include modified functional behavior assessments, behavior education plans, data collection, progress monitoring, data analysis, and provide meaningful feedback to students, teachers, and parents.
• Understands the continuum of mental health services including prevention and intervention strategies to enhance student success in the school setting.
• Understands and participates in the threat assessment team process conducting effective risk assessments for self‑harm or threats to others, and develops effective safety plans when necessary.
• Understands and applies general principles of working with various student populations based on race, ethnic background, English language proficiency, health impairments and disabilities, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation and socio‑economic status.
• Knowledge of school crisis planning, crisis response, mitigation and recovery, understanding their role in providing support and responsive services to various crisis situations.
• Knowledge of effective multi‑tiered attendance, academic, and behavior support systems for individuals, groups, and the whole student body.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures for identifying and serving special populations of students to include: students with disabilities under an Individual Education Plan or a section 504 plan;
  English as a second language; migratory or homeless youth; abused or neglected children; those negatively affected by traumatic life experiences; those exhibiting possible mental health disorders.
• Demonstrates an expert understanding of the Program of Studies and graduation requirements for each type of diploma and seal recognized by the Virginia Board of Education. (Middle and High School Counselors)

• Aligns instructional and counseling objectives, activities, and assessments to school improvement plans.
• Uses local, state and national standards to drive the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program.
• Designs effective instructional and counseling services and interventions and program based proven research‑based principles and techniques in collaboration with colleagues, other professionals, and parents.
• Selects appropriate instructional and counseling strategies, resources, materials, and interventions that promote student engagement, learning, goal setting, decision making, social skills, transition, and academic and career planning based on different learning preferences and readiness.
• Gathers, analyzes, synthesizes, and disaggregates student data to develop strategies…