Position Summary:
Under the direction of the Instructional Supervisor – Guidance &
Counseling Services, the Instructional Specialist - Counselor is responsible
for acting as a change agent towards ensuring equity and access for all
students by assisting in planning, developing and monitoring the implementation
of K-12 guidance and counseling services and initiatives and executing
administrative responsibilities, as required.
The incumbent’s primary focus is to assist the Instructional Supervisor
– Guidance & Counseling Services in developing an aligned counseling
curriculum, program standards and providing technical assistance through
modeling of critical components of an exemplar comprehensive school counseling
program. They must also assist in
providing professional development to school counselors, observe and evaluate
staff upon principal’s request.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Assists the Instructional Supervisor in establishing and providing systemic oversight of comprehensive data-driven school counseling programs that are aligned with the mission and vision of our school district;
- Assists in establishing and providing leadership in the implementation of the system’s College Readiness platform initiatives, career and college readiness program strategies, goals, and measurable targets (i.e., dual enrollment, college aspirations, academic planning, student enrichment, college and career exploration and selection processes, assessments, college affordability planning, admissions, and postsecondary transition);
- Assist in establishing and maintaining leadership in the implementation of the system’s goals to provide social-emotional learning and mental health awareness tools;
- Collects, analyzes, and uses data to identify systemic achievement gaps, recommend systemic school counseling programs, and evaluate our progress in achieving the district and office goals;
- Conducts in-person or virtual site visits as a coach to demonstrate essential counseling components (i.e., program planning, service delivery, classroom guidance lessons, groups, and individual counseling strategies);
- Provides formal and informal counselor observations with meaningful feedback to counselors;
- Engages in collaborative planning with other disciplines, serving as counseling representative on systemized initiatives at the central office level;
- Assess professional development needs and provide leadership in the development and implementation of ongoing staff development for elementary school counselors;
- Coordinates ongoing curriculum writing and program document updates impactful for comprehensive school counseling services grades PreK-5 and contributes to the 6th -12th-grade counseling curriculum. Serves as liaison between counseling office and all stakeholders (internal and external);
- Assists with community outreach and public relations strategies; and
- Assists with recruitment and interviewing applicants for counseling placements
- Increases school counselors' awareness of evidence-based counseling strategies to promote students' academic, personal/social, behavioral, and career success in order to provide preventive and responsive services to support culturally diverse student populations;
- Provides protocols for the early identification and execution of redemptive action for students in danger of failing through the utilization of data systems, strategic planning, monitoring, and documentation of services to increase promotion, attendance, student-school connectivity, post-secondary action, parental involvement, and linkages of appropriate resources;
- Provides technical assistance and ensures the proper utilization of the School Instructional Team, Response to Intervention, and the Student Services Team to identify students in at-risk situations and proactively implement positive strategies to increase school success;
- Collaborates with the 504 Instructional Specialists to ensure school counselors' compliance in case management, including student identification, documentation, plan writing, articulation, annual review, and implementation of 504 services; and
- Provides leadership to ensure district-wide compliance with MSDE's requirements for service delivery and documentation into Maryland Online IEP for all students who receive counseling as a related service.
- Ensures a system of effective crisis response exists district-wide through the establishment of trained service providers, administrative procedures, evidence-based practices and resources, method of contact, consultation to counselors and principals, and process evaluation;
- Works with all central office and community stakeholders to conduct parent programs/informational sessions on topics that support student achievement, provide awareness of available counseling services, systemic programs, etc.;
- Establishes and strengthens county-wide partnerships (i.e., schools, family and community agencies, universities, employers, organizations, and associations) to increase resources for students towards graduation and college and career readiness; and
- Provides consultation on appropriate school—and/or community-based referral resources to school counselors in assisting students, parents, and families in addressing barriers to thriving and/or accelerating learning opportunities.
- Establishes and communicates deadlines for counselors to upload counseling documents into the employee evaluation database (i.e., Student Outcome Goals, Administrative Agreement, Student Outcome Results, and Yearly Calendar). Monitors completion of tasks.
- Provides accurate academic advisement to counselors (i.e., courses needed for graduation, danger of not graduating, early graduation, advanced placement, etc.); and
- Collects and submits district-wide quarterly data program reports in a timely fashion in accordance with systemic and departmental goals (i.e., personal education plan, college readiness platform usage, scholarship reports, and social-emotional learning platforms).
- Develops and conducts professional development for elementary school counselors, administrators, and other stakeholders through workshops, conferences, and monthly meetings on best practices, trends, and program standards of the counseling office; assists with planning professional development for middle and high school counselors; and
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- Demonstrated knowledge of the growth and development of elementary school students and articulation needs
- Demonstrated knowledge of national, state, and local school counseling standards and the ASCA Model;
- Demonstrated integrity in professional and ethical standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA);
- Thorough knowledge of all current Prince George’s County Policies and Procedures, initiatives, programs, resources, and student offerings;
- Demonstrated leadership and expertise in the range of issues, programs, professional associations, journals, research, and resources relevant to School Counseling;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to speak effectively to counselors, parents, administrators, and students individually and in large or small forums;
- Excellent human relations skills with the ability to establish good relationships with counselors, principals, administrators, parents, and community stakeholders;
- Effective interpersonal, problem-solving, and mediation skills;
- Capacity to work with a diverse culture competently and
- Ability to use a technological program to retrieve, disaggregate, and report data, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite, Synergy, and other system-specific
Education and/or Experience Requirements:
Master’s degree in School Counseling from an accredited college or university required. A minimum of five (5) successful years as a practicing school counselor at the elementary, middle school or high school level.
Certification:
Holds or is eligible for certification/licensure appropriate to area of assignment issued by the Maryland State Department of Education. National Board Certified Counselor recommended (NCC or NCSC).
Supervisory Responsibilities:
No direct supervisory responsibilities.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands 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, talk, hear, walk, sit, and use fingers, tools or controls. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision such as to read handwritten or typed material, the ability to adjust focus, and depth perception. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally push or lift up to 25 lbs.
Working Environment:
The work environment characteristics are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job.
Additional Information:
None.
