Guidance Counselor

Role and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Principal, the PSOE School Guidance Counselor provides support services to students, staff, and parents. Support services include referrals, counseling, assessment, diagnostics, and report writing. This work takes place at the school site, in other public buildings, and in private residences. Additional responsibilities include student rostering/scheduling, maintaining individual student Education Plans, etc. The Guidance Counselor will develop deep operational knowledge of site-based school counseling, community relations, behavioral management, reporting requirements, and process-driven accountability.

Responsibilities

• Provides direct support service to individual students, small groups, and classrooms.
• Completes assessments, referrals, and counseling with students and families.
• Oversees implementation of behavioral programs.
• Consults with other professional staff and outside agencies and other organizations as needed.
• Completes home visits and assessments as delegated.
• Develops and maintains family outreach programs and community partnerships.
• Serves as a member of the FACT team and other school based behavioral/outreach teams.
• Completes written reports as needed or as requested by Principal.
• Provide direct service as needed to students in the classroom.
• Completes reports and follow-up documentation as required by Federal, State and local agencies.
• Is prepared to make oral presentations of assessments, diagnostics, home visits, and observations.
• Keeps updated and documented evidence as case files for all active counseling cases.
• Contributes to a strong administrative team: serve on school committees; seek participation and involvement with direction for both ongoing local operations as well as state and federal counseling obligations.
• Act as a professional advisor to the Principal on all aspects of school counseling activities.
• Identify, assess, and inform the Executive Director of internal and external issues that may affect the organization.
• Foster effective teamwork between the culture team and administration, and between the administration and school staff.
• Abide by all PSOE frameworks as approved by the executive director and as noted in the staff handbook.
• Maintain ongoing, consistent communication with PSOE leadership as noted in the school's leadership frameworks.
• Assume all roles as delegated for a variety of administrative functions for the purpose of managing the administrative workload more efficiently.
• Actively engage and energize PSOE volunteers, board members, event committees, stakeholders, partnering organizations, and funders.
• Utilize effective systems as delegated to troubleshoot problems, track progress, and regularly evaluate workflow components, so as to measure progress in a way that can be effectively communicated to the Principal.

Program planning and management

• Oversee the K-8 behavioral education program development, integration, and implementation with the assistance and direction of the Curriculum Director and Principal.
• Contribute to the organization's mission and reflect the priorities of the school.
• Be prepared to assist in the planning, implementation, execution and evaluation of special projects.
• Oversee high school placement and 21st Century Learners program.
• Assist with family assistance programs, especially surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Human resources planning and management

• Establish a positive, healthy and safe work environment in accordance with all appropriate legislation and regulations including FERPA, Section 504, and Special Education.
• Be prepared to assist all staff with elements of behavioral orientation and organization.

Qualifications and Education Requirements

The Guidance Counselor will be thoroughly committed to the PSOE mission. All candidates should have proven leadership and relationship management experience. Concrete demonstrable experience and other qualifications include:

• Masters degree (preferred) in field of social services, including certification in middle school counseling.
• Unwavering commitment to quality programs and production.
• Excellence in organizational management, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, and set and achieve strategic objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent interpersonal and multidisciplinary project skills.
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, adaptable, and innovative approach to planning.
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Passion, idealism, integrity, grit, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed.
• Annual training and/or professional development is required for all PSOE employees. Job-specific training is identified and scheduled by the School Principal or direct supervisor in partnership with Paramount C-suite.

Preferred Skills

• Proficiency in technology.
• Knowledge of leadership and management principles as they relate to charter schools.
• Knowledge of current community challenges and opportunities relating to the mission of the organization.

Additional Notes

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Must have the ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time; exhibit manual dexterity to dial a telephone, to enter data into a computer; to see and read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids; hear and understand speech at normal classroom levels, outdoors and on the telephone; speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in normal classrooms, outdoors and on the telephone; physical agility to lift up to 25 pounds to shoulder height and 50 pounds to waist height; and to bend, stoop, sit on the floor, climb stairs, walk and reach overhead.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Guidance Counselor usually works in standard workplaces, but will frequently be required to complete tasks in in a wide variety of locations within the school campus. The School Counselor works a standard workweek, but additionally may work evenings, weekends, and any additional hours necessary to accommodate activities such as committees, home visitations, fundraisers, public meetings, and representing the organization at public events.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. Paramount Employees will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the Principal or appropriate administrator. Paramount Schools of Excellence reserve the right to update, revise or change this job description and related duties at any time.