PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Qualifications: 

•  Louisiana certificate        
• Three years of teaching experience 
•  Master’s degree, including 21 hours of professional courses as  
   Listed in Bulletin 746 
•  Additional criteria as the board may require   
•  Minimum requirements as stated in SDE Bulletin 746 (as revised) 
•  Qualifications should not be established for the individual, but rather 
   for the position.      

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Component I: Individual Student Planning

A. Individual or small-group appraisal

• The school counselor works with students analyzing and evaluating students’ abilities, interests, skills and achievement.

• Test information and other data are often used as the basis for helping students develop immediate and long-range plans.

• The school counselor uses school and student-level data to identify needs and helps students plan for their future in academics, career choice and personal/social development.

• In high school, the school counselor meets with students yearly to develop and revise students’ academic plans.

B. Individual or small-group advisement

• The school counselor advises students using personal/social, educational, career and labor market information in planning personal, educational and occupational goals.

• Involves students, parents or guardians and the school in planning students’ programs that meet their need.

• The school counselor provides accurate and timely information to parents and stakeholders about options for students.

• Individual student plans include specific actions and next steps for the student to move toward goals and develop planning skills.

Component 2: System Support

A. Professional Development

• The school counselor is involved regularly in updating and sharing their professional knowledge and skills through in-service training, professional association membership, and/or post-graduate education.

• The school counselor both receives and provides development and is encouraged to contribute to professional and public discourse and remain competent in their constantly evolving field of work

. • The school counselor provides relevant professional development to staff regarding the school counseling program. • The school counselor seeks out professional development opportunities that address the needs of the school.

B. Consultation, Collaboration and Teaming

• The school counselor provides important contributions to the school system through consultation, partnering, collaborating and teaming. • The school counselor consults with teachers, staff members and parents or guardians regularly in order to provide information, to support the school community and to receive feedback on the emerging needs of students.

• The school counselor networks with other stakeholders to identify student needs and design programs and activities to address them. • The school counselor creates support services collaboratively with their administrator.

• The school counselor serves on departmental curriculum committees, district-level subject councils, community or advisory councils.

C. Program Management and Operations

• The school counselor analyzes student achievement and counseling program-related data to evaluate the counseling program, conduct research on activity outcomes and discover gaps that exist between different groups of students that need to be addressed.

• The school counselor performs fair share responsibilities that align with and are equal in amount to the fair share responsibilities provided by other educators on the school site.

• The school counselor shares data and their interpretation with staff and administration to ensure each student has the opportunity to receive an optimal education.

• The school counselor uses data to advocate for systematic change to reduce barriers to student learning.

Component 3: Responsive Services

A. Consultation

• The school counselor serves as a student advocate by consulting with parents or guardians, teachers, other educators and community agencies regarding strategies to help students and families.

B. Individual and small-group counseling

• The individual and small-group counseling helps students identify problems, causes, alternatives and possible consequences as they confront challenges in relationships.

• The school counselor makes appropriate referrals when longer-term or professional therapeutic services are necessary.

C. Crisis Counseling

• The school counselor provides counseling and support to students and families facing emergency situations.

• The school counselor makes referrals to appropriate community resources when necessary.

• The school counselor provides a leadership role in the district’s crisis intervention team.

D. Referrals

• The school counselor uses referral sources (mental health agencies, employment and training programs, juvenile services and other social and community services) to deal with crisis such as suicidal ideation, violence, abuse, depression, and family difficulties.

E. Peer Facilitation

• The school counselor trains students as peer mediators, conflict managers, tutors and mentors.

• The school counselor counsels individual students and small groups of students with identified needs and concerns.

• The school counselor consults effectively with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators and other relevant individuals.

• The school counselor develops and communicates an efficient referral process and implements it effectively with administrators, teachers and other school personnel.

• The school counselor makes the students and faculty aware of procedures to initiate responsive services for themselves or other students.

Component 4: School Counseling Curriculum

A. Classroom Instruction

• The school counselor provides systematic instruction in the data-driven school counseling curriculum.

B.   Interdisciplinary Curriculum Development

• The school counselor collaborates with other educators to deliver elements of the curriculum through infusion in other classroom disciplines.

C.  Group Activities

• The school counselor conducts planned small group activities outside the classroom to respond to students’ identified needs or interests.

D.   Parent Workshops and Instruction

• The school counselor plans and delivers workshops and information sessions aligned with the school counseling curriculum for parents and guardians.

• The school counseling curriculum has been presented to and accepted by administration, counselors, and the school counseling advisory council.

Component 5:  PROFESSIONALISM

A.   The school counselor grows and develops through professional development as assigned and voluntarily to improve teaching and learning.

• Attends and constructively participates in meetings and professional development activities.

• Uses active listening skills.

• Accepts and recognizes the value of the contribution of others.

B.   The school counselor shows professionalism in attitude and conduct

• Develops leadership and responsibility in colleagues and students if applicable.

• Demonstrates skills to receive and give constructive feedback.

• Identifies problems and issues and works collaboratively to contribute ideas and find solutions.

• Maintains communication with immediate supervisor, keeping him/her informed of problems, concerns, and significant developments. • Uses verbal and non-verbal communication in a respectful manner.

• Writes and speaks clearly and concisely for understanding.

• Develops and maintains a safe and caring environment for students.

• Represents the schools and district in a positive manner.

• Adheres to Lafourche Parish School Board employee dress code.

• Treats all stakeholders in a respectful and helpful manner. 

• Cooperates with administration in the performance of additional duties.

• Cooperates with building and district staff in planning and evaluation.

• Completes tasks, reports, and documents accurately according to specified timelines and expectations.

• Minimizes bias in self and others and accepts responsibility for his/her own actions.

• Adheres to Board policies and procedures and administrative rules, guidelines, and regulations.

• Adheres to district guidelines relative to attendance.  Regularly reports to work on time and works additional hours when deemed necessary.

• Adheres to ethical, legal and professional standards.

• Applies laws, policies, regulations, and procedures fairly, consistently, wisely, and compassionately.

• Follows directives as assigned by supervisor.

• Refrains from revealing confidential information.

• Uses proper administrative procedures for making requests and resolving conflicts.  

• develops an Individual Education Plan (IEP), ITP, and or IFSP (for Special Education teachers only);*

**Component 5 denotes non-instructional indicators.  Deficiencies in these areas shall not be subject to a plan of intensive assistance.

METHOD OF EVALUATION

The combination of the applicable measure of growth in student learning and the qualitative assessment of performance competencies and standards shall result in a composite score used to distinguish levels of overall effectiveness.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Other duties may be assigned

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, speak, hear and sometimes sit. Occasionally the employee will bend or twist at the neck more than the average person. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 50 lbs such as boxes of books and AV/VCR carts. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  The work environment described here is representative of which an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently exposed to a noise level in the work environment which is moderate to loud.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

  *MAX SALARY / Per Year is contingent on possessing a doctoral degree at 30 years of employment