Elementary Counselor

Lewistown Public Schools

Job Description

Job Title:               ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR 

Classification:       Certified Position  

Reports To:           School Principal/Superintendent

Prepared By:         Sandi Chamberlain

Prepared Date:      March 20, 2006

Approved By:        Charles Brown

Approved Date:     March 23, 2006

SUMMARY:  Counsels individuals, provides group educational guidance services, and works with other educators and parents in serving students by performing the following duties.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:  Other duties may be assigned

• Instruct students in assigned subject areas, develop methods and techniques, evaluate students' progress, and maintain an effective learning area.
• Assist the administration in implementing all policies and/or rules governing student life and conduct.
• Maintain discipline and enforce rules of conduct and behavior in accordance with school policies, rules and regulations.
• Assist individuals to understand and overcome social and emotional problems.
• Remain readily available to students as to provide counseling that will lead each student to increased personal growth, self-understanding, and maturity.
• Utilize a variety of counseling methods, techniques, strategies and aides in the best interest of the students.
• Evaluate student academic progress in accordance with established objectives by collecting pertinent data and working directly with students, staff and parents to improve the academic achievement of individual students.
• Administer yearly standardized testing program.
• Consider available equipment and materials, student records and resource personnel and other relevant facts in an effort to develop a variety of appropriate and effective methods and techniques to facilitate the students' learning process.
• Engage in research and follow-up activities to evaluate counseling techniques. Work to improve his/her knowledge of subject area.
• Contribute supervision, knowledge and skill in a variety of school activities, including extracurricular.
• Help in cooperative effort to determine equipment and supplies needed for the curriculum program.
• Works with teachers and other staff members to familiarize them with the general range of services offered by the student personnel services department, and to improve the educational prospects of individual students being counseled.
• Attend faculty, curriculum committee and district meetings.
• Schedule students in the appropriate building into their classes and update individual schedules as needed.
• Perform all particular duties that are unique to the guidance and counseling areas as assigned.
• This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive and the employee will also perform other duties as assigned by the Building Principal and the Superintendent of Schools.

QUALIFICATIONS - To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE - Master's Degree (M.A.) from an accredited college or university; and a valid Montana Class 6 Specialist License with a School Counselor endorsement.

LANGUAGE SKILLS - Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS - Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS - The work environment for instructors has increasingly become technology driven.  School District #1 expects staff to meet reasonable expectations in the use of computers and other technology, in and out of the classroom.

REASONING ABILITY - Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

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 regularly required to talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT - The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those 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.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS - Employees of Lewistown School District #1 must exhibit acceptable work habits and perform tasks in a professional manner by adhering to the following guidelines:  Maintain proper grooming and dress consistent with the type of task being performed; be regular in attendance and punctual for work; initiate tasks in a self-directed manner and perform work with a minimum of supervision; organize work and manage time to achieve efficiency and high quality of work; perform tasks neatly and accurately in accordance with desired quality and quantity; provide positive feedback to supervisor(s) for implementing ideas which will make the work assigned more effective and efficient; maintain self control and a friendly, outgoing disposition; and maintain confidentiality of related work matters as applicable.

DRUG FREE WORKPLACE - Screening tests for alcohol and illegal drug use may be required before hiring and during your employment in School District #1.  Employees of Lewistown School District #1 must submit to a fingerprint criminal background check.  Any appointment will be contingent upon the results of the criminal background report received from the Department of Justice, which must be acceptable to the Board of Trustees, in its sole discretion.

EVALUATION - Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with provisions of the Board's policy on Evaluation of Professional Personnel.