School Counseling Secretary

School Counseling Secretary

Under the direction of the Principal, the School Counseling Secretary provides high-level administrative support to the Student Services Team. As the primary point of contact, this role manages front-line inquiries, directs communications, and delivers exceptional customer service to all stakeholders. Responsibilities include managing team schedules and office logistics, overseeing student aides, supporting 504 processes and timelines, and providing critical project support for major milestones such as graduation and senior celebrations. During non-peak periods, the Secretary provides cross-functional backup for other school support staff.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications below to be considered for the vacancy.

Education:

• High School diploma or GED (must scan and upload to the online application). Education completed outside the United States must be evaluated by an MSDE approved organization. For a list of approved vendors, please click here.

Experience:

• Two years of general administrative or clerical experience. An Associate Degree or the successful completion of 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university may be substituted for up to two (2) years of the required experience.

Essential Position Responsibilities

The below list is a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties.

Section 504 process to include:

• Activates/Deactivates/Reactivates students in Case Management System
• Creates Section 504 Meeting Notices in Case Management System and sends to families
• Updates Section 504 Case Managers assignments in Case Management System
• Creates and distributes teacher input forms
• Assists Administrators with Flash 504 verification
• Assists with setting up a centralized scheduling calendar
• Assists with setting up Section 504 meetings using the centralized calendar

Administrative and clerical support for the Student Services Office:

• Primary point of contact for the Student Services Office, efficiently directing high-volume phone calls and assisting walk-in visitors, scheduling meetings for Student Services team members.
• Provides professional service to all internal and external stakeholders through the composition and distribution of clear, formal correspondence.
• Streamlines office traffic and administrative workflows to maintain a productive environment and serve as the central hub for internal inquiries. This includes ordering and maintaining office supplies.
• Facilitate logistics for visiting organizations, such as college representatives.
• Directs and supports student aides while overseeing the safety and conduct of students in the office waiting area

Graduation support:

• Collaborates with administrators, graduation coordinators, counselors and other staff to plan for graduation and other senior celebrations - including but not limited to diploma orders, program creation and event planning. Supports communication with families.

Coverage:

• Other duties as assigned such as back up for other front office/support staff, support for attendance.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.

Knowledge:

• Special Education/Case Management Software (TIENET): In-depth understanding of the platform, including student profile management (activation/reactivation), document generation, and staff assignments.
• Section 504 Regulations: Familiarity with the administrative requirements of Section 504, including meeting notice timelines, teacher input mandates, and case management protocols.
• Office Operations: Comprehensive knowledge of administrative workflows, front-office logistics, and supply chain management.
• Academic Events: Understanding of graduation protocols, including diploma procurement and event programming.
• Student Safety & Conduct: Knowledge of school policies regarding student behavior and the supervision of student aides within an office setting.

Skills:

• Data Management: Proficiency in updating and maintaining accurate student records and staff assignments within a database.
• Technical Proficiency: Expert use of Google Workspace (specifically Google Forms/Surveys for data collection) and calendar integration tools.
• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills for composing formal correspondence to families and directing high-volume inquiries.
• Logistics & Scheduling: Skilled in building and managing centralized calendars to coordinate complex meeting schedules across multiple stakeholders.
• Project Coordination: Ability to facilitate large-scale events like graduation and visiting organization logistics (e.g., college reps)

Abilities:

• Multi-Tasking in High-Volume Environments: Ability to remain professional and efficient while managing phone lines, walk-in visitors, and administrative deadlines simultaneously.
• Interpersonal Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with administrators, counselors, and external stakeholders to achieve departmental goals.
• Attention to Detail: Precision in verifying "Flash 504" data and ensuring diploma orders and graduation programs are error-free.
• Adaptive Problem Solving: Ability to streamline office traffic and pivot to "back-up" roles (like attendance or front office support) as needed.
• Confidentiality & Discretion: Ability to handle sensitive student services information and Section 504 documentation with the utmost privacy.

Working Hours

• The duty day for this position is 7.5 hours, which will include a 30-minute unpaid, duty-free lunch period.

Application Requirements

Complete applications must be submitted, and once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Selection Criteria

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation. Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience which most closely match the position qualifications and the needs of the school system.

Employment Information

Compensation

This is a 10-month per year position in the Howard County Education Association, Educational Support Professionals (HCEA-ESP) employee unit. The current salary range for this position is Grade 8 on the HCEA-ESP Secretaries and Assistants salary scale. Step placement will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCEA-ESP Master Agreement which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is not exempt from overtime.

Retirement

Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employee elect membership. The annual contribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee's annual salary.

Benefits

HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees. Information about additional benefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreement for employees in this bargaining unit.

Pre-Employment Requirements

Professional references will be contacted prior to any offer of employment. Recommended candidates will be required to provide references from current and recent supervisors.

All employees, regular and temporary, must be fingerprinted, have a criminal background investigation completed, and successfully complete the Maryland Employment History Review, pursuant to Section 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland. In addition, some positions will require completion of a physical examination and/or drug testing.

Anyone offered employment is required to provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the United States. HCPSS participates in E-Verify and does not offer employee sponsorship.

For questions regarding this posting, please contact: View email address on click.appcast.io

Equal Opportunity Employer

To request an accommodation during the application or interview process due to a documented disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io.

HCPSS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind. HCPSS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees in providing them with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HCPSS are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual