Guidance Counselor; School Counselor

Job Description

We are deeply committed to an inclusive curriculum and school community that reflects the diversity of our student population. We strive to have the highest quality educators and encourage applications from candidates representing a broad range of skills and diverse backgrounds. We seek candidates who are dedicated to inclusion and have a clear interest in being part of the richness of diversity that the New Bedford Public Schools community has to offer.

• Guidance Counselor (School Counselor)

• To support capacity within the school to provide the best academic and clinical support services for students with disabilities, students in referral, and/or at‑risk students in New Bedford Public Schools.
• Promote the academic, personal/social, and career/college potential of its students.
• Assist students with academic learning by providing strategic services that identify and address academic support, social emotional and behavioral concerns, environmental issues, and college and career readiness.
• Work with parents/guardians, teachers, administration, and community resources, the guidance counselor will implement strategies that promote students’ positive and successful school adjustment and educational experience.
• Prepare students for academic achievement, career readiness and develop their personal or social competencies through a comprehensive, preventive and developmental counseling program.
• Counselors work with students to foster independence, lifelong learning, personal and civic responsibility, and the ability to navigate an ever changing world. While students are the primary focus of the counselors, positive relationships with families, teachers, and administrators are also crucial to the success of the program.

• Work through various aspects of the Student Services Department and work with staff to develop and implement a program that meets the whole student. Specifically addressing a student’s academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs.
• Serve as a liaison between families and the school to positively promote collaborative processes in educational planning for students by encouraging family participation in the school setting.
• Educate and encourage students and families regarding the importance of daily school attendance, high school graduation, and college and career planning at all levels (6-12).
• Assist in the development of a Response to Intervention (RTI) model for the school to include both in‑school and community supports and interventions, to address academic, social, emotional, and behavioral learning. Counselors serve as members on building student assistance/support teams, which meet to share information and develop strategies to meet the specific needs of individual students.
• Assist in the collection of statistical and student data (including behavioral infractions, at‑risk forms) and complete all necessary reports and submit them to the Principal, Special Education Supervisor, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services/Administrator of Special Education.
• Student class scheduling. Aides and schedules students in course and subject selection.
• Coordinate the 504 process and monitor the implementation and compliance of the 504 plans.
• Support the Team evaluation process and insure of all state and federal compliance requirements regarding evaluations, progress monitoring, progress reporting, and team meetings.
• Attend Team meetings as necessary to ensure provisions of quality special education and related services in the area of academic support, social emotional needs, and behavioral concerns.
• Conduct Home Assessments/Visits as required and needed.
• Complete goals, objectives and progress reports for students with counseling or transitional services in the IEP or 504.
• Support Special Education Facilitator with IEP monitoring and compliance as needed. Responsibilities may at times include chairing or coordinating IEP meetings and completing the required paperwork.
• Develop and deliver the school counseling curriculum in a classroom setting.
• Assist students in the areas of academic and career planning and in personal/social development.
• Support students…