Long Term Substitute Guidance Counselor

Guidance Counselor, Bennett-Hemenway Elementary School

The Natick Public Schools educate approximately 5,300 students from Pre-K through age 22. We are an innovative, supportive, and high-performing district whose outstanding staff provides high quality services for our diverse students and their families from Natick and Boston. Natick Public Schools is a community dedicated to all students achieving high standards in a safe, trusting, respectful environment where learning is exciting, dynamic, and engaging, and where connectedness and belonging are valued and actively cultivated.

We are home to families that speak almost 60 different languages and our student population is approximately 29% Students of Color and 71% White students. With a graduation rate of 97% and 90% of our students attending post-secondary schools, we are proud of our commitment to excellence in educating students to be informed and successful citizens of a global world.

We enthusiastically welcome educators to our district who seek and thrive in a diverse environment that focuses on the whole child in a strengths-based approach. Please partner with us in our mission to support the diversity of our school community, promote and deliver equitable practices for all of our staff, students, and families, and create meaningful connections that enable everyone to feel included and thrive.

Job Title
- Counselor, Elementary Long Term Sub
- Location
- Bennett-Hemenway Elementary School

Reports To
- Principal
- Work days/FTE - 9/18/26-12/11/26

Salary/Benefits
- Salary per Long-Term sub rate of the Non-Rep pay schedule
- Benefits
- No

JOB GOAL:
Profile of a Natick Educator

The Guidance Counselor will assist and encourage students to engage in opportunities that best prepare them for the workplace by providing support in developing personalized career plans and connecting students and families to available resources that best meet their needs. This individual will also respond to the personal, social-emotional, and mental health needs of students, as well as provide assistance and encouragement to students as they develop post-secondary plans and will use culturally proficient practices to support and advocate for students and their families.

The Guidance Counselor will provide direct service through individual meetings and classroom seminars as well as indirect support through collaboration and consultation with colleagues across disciplines including administration, teachers and student support service providers.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• MA Degree in School Counseling or Adjustment Counselor/Social Worker Preferred

Specialized Knowledge:

• Thorough understanding of child development
• Demonstrated commitment to ensuring academic success for all students
• Thorough understanding of a broad range of counseling techniques needed to support diverse student needs
• Knowledge of best practices for social-emotional learning
• Thorough understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice as they relate to student, staff and community engagement and cultivation

Professional Certification:

• DESE Certification and Licensure as School Counselor 5-12 or School Social Worker/Adjustment Counselor
• DESE SEI Endorsement

Preferred Experience:

• Experience working in a diverse public school preferred
• Experience working with students with disabilities/special abilities preferred
• Experience working with students who are English language learners preferred
• Experience with Google Suite (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Classroom, etc.) and Power School preferred, but will train the right candidate

Skills:

• Demonstrated aptitude for work to be performed
• Bilingual skills, especially in Spanish and Portuguese, are highly desirable
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Candidates should have a passion for working with students, families, and colleagues
• Candidates must be flexible and collaborative
• Candidates must be able to multitask in a fast-paced, supportive environment that nurtures student growth
• Candidates must be organized and able to meet ongoing, time-sensitive deadlines for work production

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED

• Phone, intercom, personal computer and software applications as outlined above, scanner, copy machine, calculator, camera, printers and fax machine.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB (not limited to)

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• To provide strategies and preventative interventions for clinical issues related to all school-age children, including issues surrounding substance abuse, physical, emotional and sexual abuse, violence, health and changes in the family system.
• Provide individual and/or group…