Job Description:

Job Title:                Guidance Counselor

Department:          Elementary, Middle, School, and/or High School

Reports To:           Principal (Building)

FLSA Status:        Exempt

General Statement of Duties

The fundamental reason this classification exists is to counsel students with educational planning and personal/social development. The Guidance Counselor works independently, directly with students, parents, administrators, instructors, and other educational leaders to provide personal and academic counseling services to students.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

·         Strive to implement the district's mission, instructional goals, and objectives.

·         Assist students, with the cooperation of instructional staff and parents, with a variety of needs including the personal adjustment and academic progression through public school education.

·         Assist students to understand and overcome social and emotional problems through individual or group counseling.

·         Provide programs for students such as, but not limited to: awareness activities related to self-concept development, goal setting, and understanding relationships with others; alternative programs focusing on developing their problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict resolution abilities; career awareness classroom activities; equality information in regards to racism, sexism and special needs; drug awareness; and safety and prevention; college education programs for students and parents.

·         Develop individual appraisal programs that reflect the student's needs.

·         Collect, organize, and analyze information about individuals through records, tests, interviews, and professional sources, to appraise their interests, aptitudes, abilities, and personality characteristics for vocational and educational planning.

·         Oversee the administration, coordination, and analysis of the mandated and elective student assessment programs in cooperation with the school administration, including, but not limited to: Advance Placement Testing, Stanford Achievement Tests, Dakota STEP, Career Assessment Program (CAP), Stanford Writing, PLAN, PSAT, and the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

·         Maintain a filing system of information such as, but not limited to: documents, student records, contract, and communication related to programs.

·         Process new students and ensure records from previous schools are received.

·         Prepare and forward records of transferred students upon request.

·         Consult with parents to discuss student progress, needs, concerns, problems, and the rights of the students.

·         Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to aid students in making and carrying out vocational and educational choices.

·         Provide advisory and consultation services to instructional staff regarding student matters.

·         Assist the principal in providing crisis management.

·         Provide new student orientation and individual and group transition orientation between grade levels.

·         Assist in the identification, consultation, and accommodation of special service provisions such as, but not limited to: 504 plans, IEP’s, and modified or adapted curriculum to meet the needs of the student.

·         Develop master class schedule and assist students in selecting course of study and academic placement.

·         Ensure that school is a safe environment for the students and staff.

·         Make appropriate referrals of students to outside agencies if deemed necessary.

·         Act as a liaison between the school and referral agencies.

·         Represent the school district or building at local, state, regional, and/or national meetings, conferences, workshops, and/or seminars.

·         Participate in faculty and professional meetings; parent requested meetings; educational conferences; district in-service; and teacher training workshops.

·         Prepare and submit necessary reports to principal, department head, and district office as requested.

·         Continue professional development through reading, course work, conference attendance, professional committee work, workshops, and interaction with educators from other districts.

·         Compose, type, and maintain routine correspondence, reports, assessments, and various other materials and projects. Submit reports and documents as deemed necessary.

·         Operate various equipment to include photocopier, telephone, fax machine, computer, calculator, educational equipment, etc.

·         Attend meetings, training, and seminars as deemed appropriate and necessary by the district.

·         Work directly with highly sensitive personnel and student information. Maintain confidentiality of work related information.

·         Perform duties in compliance with safety standards established by the district.

·         Due to the nature of the duties and to promote the efficient operations of the district, it is necessary for the counselor to work the assigned and scheduled shifts,

·         Perform other duties as deemed appropriate and necessary.

Minimum 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.

Education and Experience

·         Master's degree in education, child development, psychology, or related field.

·         Two (2) years experience as a guidance counselor preferred; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be acceptable to the hiring authority.

Skills and Abilities

·         Ability to work well with students, public entities, educational professionals, etc.

·         Work under pressure to meet tight time schedules and deadlines, and handle significant problems and tasks, which come up simultaneously or unexpectedly.

·         Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.

·         Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

·         Ability to speak effectively before groups of students or employees of the organization.

·         Ability to use math and computer skills.

·         Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

·         Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form.

·         Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

Certificates, Licenses, Examinations

·         Valid South Dakota Teacher Certification with school counselor authorization.

·         Successful completion of written tests and/or verbal interviews.

·         Evidence that a criminal record history check and required physical examination have been conducted in accordance with South Dakota Codified Law.

·         Other such examinations as deemed necessary by district.

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions

The physical demands and environmental conditions 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 communicate.

·         The employee regularly is required to sit and to use hands to finger, handle, or feel.

·         The employee is regularly required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.

·         The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

·         The employee is occasionally subject to extended working hours outside of the "regular" workday, week, and calendar year.

·         The employee is subject to possible exposure to communicable and blood-born diseases.

·         The noise level in the work environment varies.

Performance Evaluation

Performance of this position will be evaluated by the supervisor in accordance with the provisions of School Board Policy GCNA*.

Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

The Meade School District serves the county and communities of Sturgis, Piedmont, Summerset, Whitewood, Atall, Hereford, Elm Springs, Union Center, Enning, and Opal, with Sturgis being home to the district and having a population of over 7,000 people.

In the city of Sturgis, you will find Sturgis Elementary, Sturgis Williams Middle School, and Sturgis Brown High School. Located in the beautiful Black Hills in western South Dakota, Sturgis sits along Interstate 90 and Highway 34 and is surrounded by amazing sites to see. Sturgis has a thriving arts scene, many community events including agriculture events, kid-friendly events, downtown rallies, and so much more. Just outside Sturgis is Bear Butte State Park with a lake, hiking, and camping.