JOB SPECIFICATION

MIDDLE SCHOOL COUNSELOR

THE POSITION

The Middle School Counselor is responsible for effective implementation of District adopted program standards and procedures for guidance and counseling services.

RESPONSIBLE TO:            Principal 

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

The duties listed are typical, but not exclusive:

Plan, recommend, and implement appropriate educational and psychological treatment strategies to accommodate middle school students, parents, and families.

• Utilize an efficient multifaceted approach to delivering guidance services.

Developmental – stress positive personal growth for students and families.

Preventive – attempt to anticipate future problems and make early efforts to intervene.

Remedial – deal with already existing problems or immediate needs.

• Individual counseling to assist persons toward better personal, emotional, and educational development.
• Group counseling
• Family counseling to assist families in improving family relationships.

Family communication, discipline, rule setting, and decision making.

• Initiate crisis intervention methods on behalf of students and families at times of crisis.

Child mistreatment, neglect, and other situations detrimental to the physical, emotional, social, and/or intellectual development of the middle school student.

• Provide services to students whose poor attendance (truancy) hinders their own learning and that of other students.

Home visits, conferences, and appropriate referrals.

• Refer students to other special school services, such as health services, psychometric testing, home teaching, or special classes.  This may include a recommendation for changing the child’s class placement so that he may be in a group more adapted to his abilities and needs.
• Refer cases to other community agencies.
• Consult with parents concerning their children’s progress and problems in school and the home. 
• Initiation and implementation of student behavior contracts and progress reports.
• Matriculation and orientation sixth and eighth graders.
• Assistance in student career exploration.

Help students assess their interests and abilities.

• Arrangement of student transfers, retentions, and promotions.
• Consult with the teacher (or those having immediate responsibility for the child in the school) in order to gain an understanding of the child’s difficulties and the best approach to treatment.  Emphasis is placed on the teacher’s role in meeting the child’s needs, and the significance of good teacher-pupil relationship in that child’s development.
• Provide appropriate services to assist school staff members to better understand the behavior and learning patterns of children and to apply these understandings in promoting an improved climate for learning.
• Assist teachers to interpret data and pupil information and gather information about a student.
• Assist teachers to develop classroom programs to meet children’s needs, consistent with general classroom goals and activities.
• Follow-up of teachers’ referrals (student behavior, academic non-achievement).
• Help teachers deal with problems through greater understanding of their own strengths and personal growth.
• Coordinate and maintain effective communication between the school, home and the community.
• Serve as a liaison agent between school and other community agencies concerned with the welfare of children and families – probation office, county welfare, children and family clinics, and law enforcement agencies.
• Interpret policies, regulations, and educational philosophies to parents and professional agencies.
• Keep members of the school staff informed about community resources that may be of benefit to both pupil and teacher.
• Contribute toward the general programs of the school.
• Continue professional and personal growth through in-service experience and college coursework so as to increase his/her value to teachers, students, families, and the community.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE

• Valid California Credential or license authorizing service in grade levels and areas assigned.
• Bachelor’s degree, including all courses to meet credential requirements.

Training and Experience:

• Student teaching, internship, or full-time teaching experience.

Personal Qualities:

• Appearance, grooming and personality, which establish a desirable example for students.
• Ability to meet District standards for physical and mental health.
• Above average recommendations from student teaching supervisors and other professionals who have observed the characteristics, scholastic attainment and classroom performance of the teacher.

WORK YEAR:         195 days

SALARY:                  Counselor/Librarian Salary Schedule