School Counselor

POSITION: School Counselor

REPORTS TO: Site Administrator/Supervisor

LOCATION: Various Locations

NATURE OF WORK:

This is a professional position to provide students with a school counseling program that promotes academic, career, and social/emotional development and academic achievement outcomes.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Ability to professionally relate to and collaborate with co-workers, students, and community members

Ability to understand and maintain confidentiality

Ability to use technology effectively to complete tasks

Ability to report to work daily and on time

Ability to organize, supervise, coordinate and establish priorities of tasks to be completed

Ability to work independently in the absence of detailed instructions and to follow complex oral and/or written instructions

Ability to communicate orally or in writing, courteously and tactfully, with staff, students, parents, and the community in a timely manner

Possess excellent time management skills and the ability to take initiative and make decisions within assigned responsibility in a challenging, fast-paced professional environment and be flexible in work responsibilities and hours

Possess knowledge of the programs, policies, and procedures of the St. Mary’s County Public Schools

Possess an in-depth knowledge of the ASCA Comprehensive School Counselor program

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Delivers a developmental school counseling program (K-12) to students to include: individual and group counseling, and classroom guidance

Provides career, social/emotional, and academic development to students in accordance with ASCA professional standards

Consults with staff and parents

Connects students with services provided through the local school district and community agencies, and remains aware of state laws and local district policies related to students with special needs, including limits to confidentiality and notification to authorities as appropriate

Facilitates short-term groups to address students’ academic achievement, postsecondary and career exploration, and social/emotional well-being

Informs parents/guardians and school administration when a student poses a serious and foreseeable risk of harm to self or others

Collaborates as needed to provide optimum services with other school and community professionals with legitimate educational interests (e.g., school nurse, school psychologist, school social worker, speech-language pathologist), following all local, state, and federal laws

Collaborates with all relevant stakeholders, including students, school faculty/staff, and parents/guardians, when students need assistance, including when early warning signs of student distress are identified

Provides a list of outside agencies and resources to students and parents/ guardians when students need or request additional support

Assists students, through individual and small group sessions, to understand and accept themselves and others, resolve conflicts, overcome crisis situations, etc.

Coordinates and implements student career development in conjunction with the school counseling program

Provides culturally responsive counseling to students in a brief context

Provides career awareness, exploration, and postsecondary planning and decision-making to support students’ postsecondary options, including but not limited to college/university, career and technical school, military, or workforce

Consults with school staff as a resource to change the disruptive behavior of students

Helps with such issues as child abuse, suicidal tendencies, and substance abuse

Take part in professional development activities

Cooperates with students and staff

Maintains open lines of communication with students, staff, and parents

Performs other related and non-related job duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

Master’s degree in School Counseling or School Guidance and Counseling

Three (3) semester credits in Special Education

TERM OF EMPLOYMENT:

Full-time, ten-month position.

SALARY GRADE RANGE : The salary for this EXEMPT position will be based on EASMC Teacher Career Ladder for ten-month employees.

BARGAINING UNIT ELIGIBILITY : EASMC

Updated 10.2024, 04.2025