Secondary School Counselor
Juab School District has an opening for the 2023-2024 school year for a Secondary School Counselor. This position is full-time with benefits. Please contact Erika Johnson at erika.johnson@juabsd.org with questions. This posting will close 3/31/2023.
School counselors work to maximize student success, promoting access and equity for all students. As vital members of the school leadership team, school counselors create a school culture of success for all.
School Counselor Job Responsibilities:
- Advises and counsels students regarding academic, educational, and short-term social and emotional problems.
- Remains universally accessible and makes an effort to know every student for whom they are responsible.
- Provides individual student planning and responsive services to support students and their families regarding academic matters.
- Teaches guidance classes and provides guidance counseling to students through planned activities in small group or classroom settings to convey educational, social, and important school information, and offers workshops/seminars for parents.
- Consults, facilitates, and maintains communication with parents, teachers, administrators, and pertinent agents on specific student and parent academic and educational matters including academic modifications and/or accommodations.
- Provides feedback and recommends appropriate action and solutions to individual student’s academic and educational needs and abilities.
- Participates on a Student Success Team, identifies students who may need targeted or intensive services, and coordinates with behavioral health specialists.
- Assists students/parents in understanding school policies and procedures.
- Provides brief counseling to address social and emotional concerns and appropriately refers students to behavioral health specialists.
- Communicates, coordinates, and collaborates with behavioral health specialists on developing and implementing student supports.
- Supports and attends appropriate student activities and events.
- Analyzes data to close access, attainment, and achievement gaps
- Meeting with students whose names appear on the low grade list for each marking period and, if appropriate, formulating a plan of action for success involving the student and the parent;
- Planning and/or promoting programs which enhance the academic, social or emotional growth of students, e.g., Curriculum Fair, Career Fair, Underclass Honors Assembly & Senior Honors Program, Graduation, opportunities for student enrichment and/or remediation, scholarship opportunities and parent informational programs;
- Meeting with seniors once each semester and communicating updates on their graduation status to their parents;
- Working with students who have discipline, attendance and academic problems and are referred by teachers, parents or administrators;
- Ensuring that students are aware of requirements for graduation and college admission, as well as any NCAA requirements that may be necessary for athletic participation;
- Guiding each student to choose courses consistent with his/her interests, abilities and career plans;
- Helping students develop post-secondary educational plans in accordance with their interests, abilities and career plans;
- Assisting students with the completion of college admissions applications;
- Assisting the principal in the preparation of diploma lists and identification of honor graduates in preparation for the Senior Honors Program and Graduation;
- Making necessary schedule changes for individual students that are both appropriate for their abilities and aligned with their educational and career plans.
- To facilitate small groups for individual students with identified, common needs
- To consult with and serve as a resource for students, staff and parents regarding developmental needs of students, which may include:
- Identification and referral of students for Child Study Meetings;
- Creation and oversight of Section 504 plans;
- Active participation in Special Education meetings
- Conference with individual students who have experienced a death in the family or serious illness and notification of their teachers.
- Work with teachers to better help them understand students with physical or emotional challenges.
- To refer students and parents/guardians to appropriate school and community resources;
- To participate in, coordinate, conduct activities which contribute to the effective implementation of the high school component of the K-12 guidance curriculum;
- To evaluate and revise the building guidance and counseling program;
- To assist in the development of a District Assessment Program and the interpretation of testing and assessment results related to career guidance; and
- To continue personal professional growth and development.
- Other duties as assigned by the administration
School Counselor Qualifications/Skills:
- Desire and ability to work with students at the specified age level with diverse backgrounds and levels of ability toward accomplishing their educational goals.
- Ability to organize tasks and manage time to meet many and varied deadlines and communicate effectively with students, parents, school administrators and other staff, including the ability to discuss topics which may be sensitive.
- Working familiarity with student assessment tools, especially in evaluating and interpreting standardized test results.
- Knowledge of educational software.
Education, Experience, and Licensing Requirements:
- Successful candidates must have a Master's degree in School Counseling and be eligible for the Utah School Counselor License or obtain one by July 1 of the coming school year
- Meets the state certification/licensure standards
- Minimum of 1 year of school counseling or teaching experience
- Understanding and familiarity with computer applications and word processing functions
- Must pass a background check