School Counselor (K-12) Open Contract Candidate Pool

School Counselor

Under the direction of the school principal and the Coordinator of School Counseling, School Counselors promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, career, and social/emotional development for all students.

Minimum Qualifications

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

Education

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in an applicable field of education.

Certification

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) certification:

• School Counselor
• Guidance Counselor

Skills

• Knowledge of national, state and local school counseling standards and adhere to professional and ethical standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).
• Plan, develop and deliver effective school counseling services.
• Knowledge of growth and developmental stages for child and adolescent development.
• Excellent oral, written, speaking and analytical skills.
• Ability to work with culturally diverse populations.
• Outstanding human relations skills.
• Ability to properly maintain confidential information.
• Leadership and advocacy in working with all stakeholders within the school and community.

Preferred Qualifications

The ideal candidate for this role will also possess a combination of the additional qualifications below. If you don't meet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Three previous years of teaching or school counseling 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.

• Collaborate with school administration to develop comprehensive, data-driven school counseling programs designed to meet the needs of students and student groups.
• Annually develop strategies and goals to guide the effective implementation of the school counseling program that is aligned to district expectations for best practice, State School Counseling Curriculum Standard Course of Study, and is informed by current individual school data.
• Communicate the goals of the comprehensive school counseling program to education stakeholders (i.e. administrators, teachers, students, parents and community/business leaders).
• Maintain current and appropriate resources for education stakeholders.
• Provide direct services through the school counseling curriculum, individual student planning, and preventive and responsive services.
• Provide support to school and district collaborative processes designed to support students in need. These include, but are not limited to, participation in IEP meetings, participation in the School Support Team (SST), participation in the instructional intervention team (IIT), and support for students receiving services identified by Section 504.
• Implement developmentally appropriate and prevention-oriented group activities to meet student needs and school goals. Incorporate the life skills that students need to be successful beyond high school.
• Monitor student academic performance, behavior and attendance to assist all students, individually or in groups, with developing academic, career and social emotional skills, goals, and plans.
• Accurately and appropriately interpret and utilize student data.
• Facilitate appropriate data-driven interventions and utilize appropriate counseling strategies (i.e., individual, group, classroom and school-wide) to support all students.
• Consult and collaborate effectively with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and other educational/community resources regarding students with identified concerns and needs.
• Implement an effective referral and follow-up process as needed.
• Accurately and appropriately use assessment procedures for determining and structuring individual and group counseling services.
• Assist teachers, parents/guardians and other stakeholders in interpreting and understanding student data.
• Participate in professional development activities to improve knowledge and skills.
• Use available technology resources to enhance the school counseling program.
• Adhere to laws, policies, procedures, and ethical standards of the school counseling profession.
• Measure results of the comprehensive school counseling program activities and share results as appropriate with relevant stakeholders. Use this data to inform program improvement.
• Establish relationships with administrators, curricular office staff, colleagues, students, families, and the school community that reflect recognition of and respect for every individual.
• Appraise his/her own effectiveness and demonstrate successful application of skills and information acquired to increase effectiveness.
• Participate in and share responsibility for the safe and orderly operation of schools.
• Attend staff meetings, district professional learning, events, and serve on staff committees when required or requested to do so under reasonable terms.

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 and education which most closely match the position qualifications and the needs of the school system.

Employment Information

Compensation

This is a either a 10-month or 11 month per year position in the Howard County Educators Association (HCEA) employee bargaining unit. The current salary ranges for this position are on the 10-Month or 11-Month Teacher salary scale. Actual placement will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCEA Master Agreement which considers education and relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is exempt from overtime. Note: Elementary and Middle School placements will adhere to the 10 Month teacher scale. High School placements will adhere to the 11 Month teacher scale.

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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 qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.