26-27 SY School Counselor - Sec School Counselor 7-12

Job Summary

Provides counseling services that foster the academic, personal, social, and career development of all students.  Provides individual/group counseling and guidance for students and implements broad based programs that deal with decision making, conflict resolution, self esteem, coping strategies, and other issues.  Serves as both the primary agent for addressing issues that impact students at risk of failing to attain their full academic potential and the school-based resource for dealing with child abuse/neglect and crisis prevention/intervention.  Acts as a liaison between the school and various community/governmental agencies that may provide services to students and their families and participates on the school’s multidisciplinary committee. 

NOTE: External candidates or current SDP employees seeking to reclassify into a School Counselor role must go through, at least, two-steps to complete in order to determine eligibility.  First step is completion of the Eligibility Application to ensure minimum requirements are met, and the second step is an interview with members of the District’s Prevention and Intervention office.  Bilingual School Counselors must go through a third-step, which is a language assessment to confirm the bilingual skill.
 

Essential Functions

• Provides general school counseling and guidance programs/services including individual and group counseling and guidance;
• Implements broad based programs dealing with decision-making, conflict resolution, self esteem, coping strategies, and other issues;
• Plans and provides classroom guidance focusing on social and emotional issues, family and/or peer relationships, and decision-making;
• Provides formal and informal counseling services to students and their parents concerning issues that are affecting or may affect the students’ school adjustment;
• Serves as the primary agent for addressing issues that impact students at risk of failing to attain their full academic potential;
• Serves as the school-based resource for dealing with child abuse/neglect and crisis prevention/intervention;
• Participates in team interventions with other staff to support students;
• Participates on the school’s multidisciplinary committee that includes other staff members;
• Collaborates with parents, teachers, and other staff members in the planning and implementation of a comprehensive educational program for students;
• Makes referrals to outside agencies as needed and provides ongoing follow-up services to students and their families;
• Gathers and disseminates information on critical issues such as student substance abuse, child abuse/neglect, suicide prevention/intervention, preteen/teen pregnancy, and homelessness;
• Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in school counseling and guidance for elementary, middle, and/or high school students;
• Prepares and maintains student counseling records;
• Prepares reports on students, correspondence, and statistical summaries;
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with representatives of various community/governmental agencies to facilitate the availability and accessibility of services to meet the needs of students and their families.

For bilingual Counselors (in addition to the above)

• Communicates with bilingual or deaf/hearing impaired students/families using English and a specified world language, or English and American Sign Language or Signed English;
• Provides students and families with general school and guidance programs and services in English and a specified world language, or English and American Sign Language or Signed English;
• Creates an environment in which schools have access to bilingual counseling/guidance materials that address their needs and interests;
• Keeps abreast of current techniques and trends in bilingual school counseling and guidance.

PLEASE NOTE: Salary is commensurate with experience in education and educational attainment.  Both prior experience and educational degree must go through the District's verification process in order for final salary to be confirmed.  Please click this link to read through the process and download the verification forms for your previous employer(s) to complete.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Nondiscrimination: The School District of Philadelphia provides to all persons equal access to all categories of employment in this District, regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin or handicap/disability, gender identity, or genetic information. Please refer to Board Policy 104 for further information regarding the District's commitment to Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices.

Minimum Requirements

NOTE: External candidates or current SDP employees seeking to reclassify into a School Counselor role must go through, at least, two-steps to complete in order to determine eligibility.  First step is completion of the Eligibility Application to ensure minimum requirements are met, and the second step is an interview with members of the District’s Prevention and Intervention office.  Bilingual School Counselors must go through a third-step, which is a language assessment to confirm the bilingual skill.

• Master’s degree in school counseling at an accredited college or university

*Certificates/Licenses

• Possession of a valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania instructional specialist certificate endorsed for Elementary Counselor or Secondary Counselor (or Guidance Counselor Certificate issued prior to July 1, 1969) OR;
• Possession of a valid Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Elementary and Secondary School Counselor (PreK-12) certification OR;
• Presentation of an original, signed letter from the Certification Officer of an accredited college or university verifying current enrollment in an approved certification program in order to be eligible for an Emergency Permit.  

*Note: Certification must match the grade levels you are supporting

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Demonstrated knowledge of:

• The principles, practices, and theories of individual/group counseling and behavioral intervention;
• The principles, practices, and theories or developmental/educational guidance;
• The current techniques and trends in counseling and guidance at the elementary, middle, and/or secondary level;
• Theories and principles of adolescent development, individual/group behavior, group dynamics, and interpersonal interactions;
• Communication skills and techniques;
• The current health, economic, and social problems experienced by urban families;
• The functions and resources of community/governmental agencies that provide support services for students and their families;
• For bilingual School Counselors, both English and the specified world language or English and American Sign Language or Signed English, including history and culture.

Demonstrated ability to:

• Provide counseling and guidance on an individual/group basis, and to conduct group support/guidance sessions;
• Employ tact, diplomacy, and sound judgment in dealing with sensitive or personal problems and hostile attitudes;
• Work effectively with students and their families and aid them in the constructive use of their capacities to address their specific problems;
• Identify the signs of substance abuse and students at risk for suicide;
• Understand and interpret standardized test scores, making guidelines and promotional policies;
• Participate in crisis intervention;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Prepare and maintain student-counseling records, reports, correspondence, and statistical summaries;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships;
• For bilingual School Counselors: fluently speak, read, and write both English and the specified world language, or English and American Sign Language or Signed English.

PLEASE NOTE: Salary is commensurate with experience in education and educational attainment.  Both prior experience and educational degree must go through the District's verification process in order for final salary to be confirmed.  Please click this link to read through the process and download the verification forms for your previous employer(s) to complete.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Nondiscrimination: The School District of Philadelphia provides to all persons equal access to all categories of employment in this District, regardless of race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin or handicap/disability, gender identity, or genetic information. Please refer to Board Policy 104 for further information regarding the District's commitment to Nondiscrimination in Employment Practices.