JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title Counselor, Middle School		Evaluation Type Counselor	Department Designated Campus
Pay Grade A3	FLSA Exempt	Date Revised January 2024	Supervisor Principal

 

BASIC FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITY:  Collaboratively work with school faculty and staff, students, parents, and community to plan, implement, evaluate, and advocate for a comprehensive school counseling program at school assigned.  Organize and deliver services through the four components: Guidance Curriculum, Responsive Services, Individual Planning, and System Support as specified in the Texas Model for a Comprehensive School Counseling Program.  Counsel students to fully develop each student’s academic, career, personal, and social abilities and address the needs of students. 

 

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS: 

 

Education/Certification:

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university
• Valid Texas Professional School Counselor certification (or meets qualifications for Texas School Counselor Deficiency Plan). As of September 1, 2023, two years of classroom teaching experience is no longer required. 

Special Knowledge/Skills:

• Knowledge of the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs

 

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: The essential functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the characteristic duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and abilities noted herein; however, this is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions found in this job description.

 

Instructional Management:

• Consult with school staff, parents, and other community members to increase student effectiveness and promote student success.
• Provide guidance to assist all students in developing and applying skills for maximum educational, career, personal, and social growth.
• Coordinate and deliver classroom guidance, group guidance and serve as a consultant to teachers, based on assessed needs of campus.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate a balanced, comprehensive school counseling program to serve all students.
• Advocate for the school counseling program and counselors’ ethical and professional standards with school personnel, parents, students, and the community.
• Support the implementation, monitoring, and/or evaluation of assigned programs for elementary education, curriculum, and/or instructional support, and ensure that assigned programs are efficiently and effectively administered.
• Support and participate in meeting the objectives of the campus/department improvement plans.

Student Management:

• Advocate for all students and provide professional expertise to help staff, parents, and other community members understand individual behavior and human relationships.
• Assist all students with developing and applying skills for maximum educational, career, personal, and social growth during school years and beyond.
• Intervene with students whose developmental needs, personal concerns, or problems affect their continued educational, career, personal, or social development.
• Make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student’s parent or guardian.
• Coordinate people and resources in the school, home, and community to support achievement to assist parents and staff.
• Guide individuals and groups of students and parents to plan, monitor, and manage the student’s social and educational development. including but not limited to course selection, high school diploma plans, four-year plans, provision of information regarding post-secondary opportunities and career development accurately and without bias.
• Use accepted theories and effective techniques to provide individual and/or group developmental, preventive, remedial, and/or crisis counseling.
• Interpret standardized test results and other available student data to promote sound decision-making for students and others involved in the students’ development.
• Facilitate the transition for students between elementary and secondary education.
• Assist campuses in resolving parent/student issues and concerns in a timely manner.
• Assist in managing student behavior in accordance with Student Code of Conduct and student handbook.

Management of Administrative, Fiscal, and/or Facilities Functions:

• Manage resources and activities related to campus needs.
• Maintain collaborative inter-professional relationships.
• Commit to current professional and ethical standards of competence and practice.
• Coordinate departmental activities with other District offices and administrators and provide assistance to requesting departments.
• Follow District and department policies and procedures.

Organization Improvement:

• Analyze critical needs in assigned areas and work collaboratively to implement and improve programs.

Professional Growth and Development:

• Accept responsibility for self-directed professional development through continuous efforts to improve their competence in meeting and exceeding standards in performing job responsibilities.
• Participate in professional development that increases effectiveness and improves District performance.

Texas Academic Performance Indicators and Campus Performance Objectives:

• Support the administration of state-mandated testing at campuses in compliance with state and federal guidelines.
• Monitor and review campus test data and use findings to assist with planning corrective action for the affected group of students and/or campuses.

School/Community Relations:

• Forge partnerships with community agencies, businesses, and universities to better serve the needs and interests of all students.
• Interface with governmental agencies, business, and civic organizations, and the community to provide needed information and to promote the District’s initiatives.

Organization Morale:

• Foster positive morale by participating in team-building activities and the decision-making process.
• Communicate and collaborate with campus/department staff to enhance service delivery, program development, and customer satisfaction.

Other Responsibilities:

• Comply with policies established by federal and state law, including but not limited to State Board of Education and local Board policy.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of counseling procedures, intervention strategies, and student appraisal systems.
• Knowledge of academic programs, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of effective dropout recovery and prevention practices.
• Knowledge of community-based organizations and resources.
• Knowledge of district policies and regulations.
• Skill in interacting effectively with parents and community partners.
• Skill in facilitating campus-level teams.
• Skill in communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in analyzing complex information and data.
• Skill in implementing long-range and immediate plans.
• Skill in operating standard computer and software applications, including but not limited to electronic mail, word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentations.
• Skill in using student information systems to access and interpret student data
• Skill in tracking time spent in the four components of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program 
• Skill in communicating and collaborating between and among various areas of the district to support healthy students, high student achievement, and customer satisfaction.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work responsibilities.

 

 SUPERVISION EXERCISED:  

• None.

    Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

• Maintain emotional control under stress.
• Work with frequent interruptions.
• Use a computer for prolonged periods, resulting in repetitive hand motions.
• Sit for extended periods of time.
• Work occasional prolonged or irregular hours

Work is normally performed in a typical interior office work environment with little or no exposure to physical risk.