School Counseling Secretary

Position Summary Under the direction of the Principal, the Middle School Counseling Secretary facilitates the daily operations of the counseling office through comprehensive administrative support. This role serves as the primary coordinator for student transitions—including registration, enrollment, and withdrawals—while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity and customer service. Minimum Qualifications 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 Enrollment, Registration & Withdrawal of students: Executes and coordinates all procedures for the registration, enrollment, transfer, and withdrawal of middle school students according to established local and state procedures. Verifies student residency and eligibility for enrollment in collaboration with the PPW in strict accordance with county policies and guidelines. Collaborates with relevant school staff such as school counselor and data clerk on enrollments and withdrawals. Student Records: Upholds the confidentiality and integrity of all student information in compliance with FERPA, county, state, and federal laws, as well as HCPSS policies. Follows all guidelines for the retention and disposal of student cumulative records as directed by the HCPSS Student Records Manual. Accurately enters, manages, and verifies student data within the Student Information System to include student course history and grades as needed. 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 School Counseling Office: Answers and directs phone calls or walk-ins. Delivers high-quality customer service to all internal and external stakeholders, including composing and distributing professional correspondence (letters and emails). Supervising students in the student services waiting area. Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Knowledge Regulatory Compliance: Thorough understanding of FERPA, state, and federal laws regarding the privacy and integrity of student records. Registration Procedures: Mastery of local and state procedures for student enrollment, residency verification, transfers, and withdrawals. Information Systems: Proficiency in Student Information Systems (SIS) and specialized platforms like TIENET for managing student data and Section 504 workflows. Records Management: Knowledge of records retention and disposal schedules as outlined by the HCPSS Student Records Manual or equivalent guidelines. Skills Administrative Precision: Meticulous data entry skills for managing course histories, grades, and case manager assignments with zero errors. Technical Proficiency: Expert use of the Google Workspace (specifically Google Surveys for teacher input) and centralized scheduling calendars. Professional Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills for composing professional correspondence and directing a high volume of inquiries. Coordination & Logistics: Ability to organize complex meetings, manage meeting notices, and facilitate the clerical steps of the Section 504 process. Abilities Exceptional Customer Service: Ability to interact professionally and empathetically with diverse stakeholders, including parents, staff, and Pupil Personnel Workers (PPW). Collaboration: Ability to work effectively with school counselors, data clerks, and administrators to ensure seamless student transitions. Student Supervision: Ability to maintain a safe and orderly environment while supervising students in the waiting area. Confidentiality & Discretion: Ability to handle sensitive and protected information with the highest level of integrity. Multi-tasking: Ability to manage recurring clerical tasks (like Flash 504 verification) while responding to immediate walk-in or phone needs. Working Hours The duty day for this position is 7.5 hours, which will include a 30-minute unpaid, duty-free lunch period. 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 HCPSS Education Support Professionals (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. 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. 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 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. #J-18808-Ljbffr