Position Title:                        Middle School Counselor

Reports to:                             Head of Middle School

Work Hours:                         7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Work Calendar:                    School year (plus one week prior to fall employee in-service and approximately one week after the school year ends.)

Description

The Middle School Counselor utilizes leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, promotes student success, provides preventive services, and responds to identified emotional and social student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program for grades 5-8.

Essential Functions and Tasks

• Provides Individual Student Planning, Preventive and Responsive Services, and System Support.
• Assist all students, individually or in groups, with developing academic, career,

            and personal social skills, goals, and plans.

• Provides counseling on issues such as conflict resolution, goal setting, and time management to students, parents, and faculty to better nurture students' emotional needs. 
• Provides individual and group counseling, consultation, and care to students, faculty, and parents within school guidelines. 
• Responsible for the development of advisory programming for student wellness, social-emotional learning, and relationships.
• Monitors student academic performance, behavior, and attendance, and assists with appropriate interventions.
• Holds in confidence all referrals and maintains a record of referrals, keeping the Head of Student Support Services and the Division Head informed of such referrals.
• Provides updates on counseling issues to the Division Head, chaplains, and, as needed, the nurses.
• Meets regularly with the Head of Middle School in planning special events in which counseling is an integral part.
• Attends monthly HAISC meetings and weekly meetings with division heads and assistant heads regarding student care and concerns.
• Models and articulates the school's commitment to the healthy psychological development of all students. 
• Serves as counseling liaison for students and families transitioning from Middle School to High School.
• May collaborate or share responsibility for the counseling needs of students in grade 4 and grade 9 with the LS and US counselors.Coordinates and collaborates with all Student Support Services staff to ensure the counseling needs of students in all divisions are met.
• Assists the school in establishing and maintaining educational programs that encourage personal commitment to mental and physical health and assist students in developing life skills.  
• Provides professional assistance and support to students during transitions, heightened stress, or other situations that impede school success.
• Adheres to laws, policies, procedures, and ethical standards of the school counseling profession.
• Other duties as assigned by the Head of School and/or direct supervisor, including extracurricular.
• Completes various tasks related to the employee’s yearly goals and the school’s long-range and strategic financial plan.
• Assists in maintaining congruency between the school’s board-approved Mission Statement, the Long Range and Strategic Financial Plan, and all activities of the student support services department.

• Assists in assuring that community members are familiar with and adhere to school policies in all areas of the school’s operation.
• Adheres to the Employee and School Handbooks and recommends potential revisions and updates to the School Handbook to the division head.
• Exhibits the behaviors described in the Faculty and Staff: Basic Expectations, Characteristics of Professional Excellence, and complies with Physical Requirements and Work Environment. 
• Completes various tasks related to the employee’s yearly goals and the school’s long-range and strategic financial plan. 
• Be assessed through the Professional Growth and Evaluation Program.
• Performs other tasks and duties as assigned by the Head of Middle School and/or Head of Middle School, including extracurricular. 
• Employees may be required to work remotely or engage in telework activity as determined at the employer’s sole discretion. 
• This job description is intended to describe the basic, critical elements of the job and should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with the job. 
• This job description does not constitute a contract. It may be modified or amended at any time as determined in the employer’s sole discretion. 

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or Higher in Counseling, Psychology, or related field, required.

• Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified School Counselor, or Licensed Clinical Social Worker required
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in written and oral expression.
• Ability to relate effectively with administrators, teachers, operations staff, parents, students, and other school constituent groups and individuals.
• Ability to use basic office equipment and the school records management system.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Occasionally lift to 30 pounds.
• Generally, works in standard office conditions and climate.
• May work in varied extreme outside weather conditions during school events, special activities, and fundraising events.
• Ability to work in a highly stressful environment, dealing with a wide variety of challenges and deadlines.  May work at a desk and computer for extended periods of time.
• Ability to stoop, bend, kneel, stand, walk, and reach.

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