Meskwaki Settlement School Middle & High School Professional School Counselor

Meskwaki Settlement School

Job Description

Middle & High School Professional School Counselor

Qualifications:

• MA degree required
• Valid Iowa license with 5-12 counseling endorsement (#173) required
• Fulfill continuing education requirements
• Uphold ASCA ethical and professional standards
• Knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate practices; appropriate counseling strategies for use with young children; working knowledge of agencies and institutions for support and referral purposes; effective instructional strategies; effective classroom management strategies

• Excellent interpersonal skills; communication skills; teaming skills; flexibility and openness to change; commitment to continued professional growth
• Ability to lead
• Ability to work collaboratively with parents, school personnel, and other agencies to meet the needs of students; ability to assess and monitor student progress; ability to teach groups of adults and children
• Must be able to supervise students in all types of conditions, meet multiple demands from several people, and interact effectively with the public and other staff

Job Summary/Goals: The school counselor's role is to design and deliver school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. The counselor will lead, advocate and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their school counseling program to the school's academic mission and school improvement plan. They uphold the ethical and professional standards of ASCA and promote the development of the school counseling program based on the following areas of the ASCA National Model: define, deliver, manage and assess.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities* [Other duties may be assigned]:

Academic Guidance:

• Helping students plan their academic schedules.
• Providing information about course requirements, prerequisites, and graduation requirements.
• Assisting with college and career planning.
• Offering support and guidance on study skills and time management.
• Preparing the 6-12 master schedule in the spring prior to the start of a new school year. Making appropriate adjustments to the master schedule before the start of the second semester.

Individual Counseling:

• Conducting one-on-one counseling sessions to address personal, academic, and social issues.
• Providing crisis intervention and support as needed.

Group Counseling:

• Leading group counseling sessions on topics such as study skills, time management, and social skills.

Career Counseling:

• Assisting students in exploring career options and interests.
• Providing information about vocational and technical training programs.
• Offering guidance on college and scholarship applications.

College and Career Planning:

• Helping students navigate the college application process.
• Assisting with resume writing, interview preparation, and job search strategies.

Social and Emotional Support:

• Addressing social and emotional issues affecting students' well-being.
• Collaborating with teachers, parents, and other professionals to support students.
• Referring students to external resources or specialists as needed.

Conflict Resolution:

• Mediating conflicts between students.
• Assisting in resolving issues related to peer relationships.

Testing and Assessment:

• Interpreting standardized tests.
• Providing feedback on test results to students and parents.

Parent and Teacher Collaboration:

• Collaborating with parents and teachers to support students' academic and personal development.
• Attending parent-teacher conferences to discuss student progress.
• Serving on committees and helping to update the parent-student handbook and write reports, grant applications, and similar documents.
• Participating in the planning and implementation of special events and activities such as Homecoming and Prom.

Advocacy & Cultural Understanding:

• Advocating for the needs and interests of students, families, and teachers.
• Collaborating with school administrators to implement programs that benefit students.
• Learning and understanding required of the disparities with the Native American Population and specifics to Meskwaki culture.

Professional Development:

• Engaging in ongoing professional development to stay current on educational trends and counseling techniques.

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.]:

• Noise level is quiet to loud
• Work may be indoors or outdoors
• Work may be in non-air conditioned rooms
• Tobacco and alcohol-free environment
• Fast-paced atmosphere with constant contact with students, staff, or the public
• May include evenings
• Direct responsibility for the safety and well-being of students

*This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills

required of personnel in this position. These statements are not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct, and control the work of employees.

Terms of Employment:

1. Days of employment: 210 contract days, including 180 student days, 5 days to be fulfilled before teacher contracts begin, and 5 days to be fulfilled after teacher contracts end; or as agreed upon by administration.

Requirements:

• Must pass a background check per P.L. 101-630, P.L.101-647, and 25 CFR Part 63
• Valid driver's license with a good driving record.
• Must maintain confidentiality.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screening

Salary: Dependent on qualifications and experience.

Applicants will be required to submit to a background check and to a pre-employment drug test.