Counselor Assistant Jobs in Jackson, MS (NOW HIRING)

Job purpose:

• In keeping a tradition of excellence, the purpose of the Counselor is to provide a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program for all students at all grade levels, from pre-kindergarten through grade 12; to consult with parents/guardians, teachers, and other school staff members to enhance their effectiveness in guiding and supporting students in progressing through the grade levels and in planning their careers; and to provide support for the other education programs in the individual schools. 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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Goals, objectives, and activities of the guidance program are developed using the results of needs assessments
• Organize a guidance committee that functions in an advisory capacity
• Develop a guidance calendar of activities that lists on-going and regular events and activities
• Secure and makes available to students information and material on further educational opportunities, personal growth and development, and occupational opportunities and trends
• Develop procedures for guidance program
• Implement the guidance curriculum in each teacher's classroom and/or systematically conducting developmental counseling programs for each grade level in the particular school throughout the year
• Provide resources to teachers to facilitate their teaching of counseling content in their regular lessons
• Develop and/or implement program for conflict resolution
• Provide time in the daily schedule for individual counseling of students
• Plan and implement group guidance activities
• Consult with families, teachers, administrators, and other appropriate individuals regarding services and programs available to/for students
• Prepare a list of contact personnel in agencies, programs, and services external to the school setting for collaboration and referral
• Interpret test results to appropriate individuals
• Assist in identifying students who need interventions/special services
• Assist in reviewing students' progress at the end of each grading period
• Shall NOT serve as School Test Coordinator or Assistant School Test Coordinator
• Assist with registering and orienting new students
• Provide orientation to students from "feeder" schools
• Conduct course selection using ISP guidelines
• Provide students with information on school district policies regarding counseling services, student activities, competency and grade-level testing, graduation, and college admission
• Provide students with materials and information regarding career and post-high school educational opportunities; assists with college applications, scholarships, and employment applications including the writing of letters of recommendation
• Inform families of student-related career and educational opportunities
• Provide classroom guidance in areas of career advisement and sex education
• Consult with administrators and teachers in the planning of course offerings that meet the needs and interests of students
• Receive and acts upon referrals from administrators, teachers, families, agencies, and other professional staff
• Serve in coordination of behavior interventions
• Provide crisis intervention and preventive counseling
• Assist families in effective use of community and school resources such as (a) identification of students needing special assistance, (b) maintaining a current file of alternate programs and schools, (c) counseling families and students about alternatives available, and (d) following up on students' progress
• Organize office for most effective use
• Prepare/submit reports, records, lists, and other paperwork accurately and in a timely manner
• Participate in meetings on the local, district, state, or national level as required or appropriate
• Keep informed of developments within the profession by maintaining active membership in appropriate organizations, attending professional meetings, reading professional journals and other publications, and networking with other professionals
• Educational consultation and collaboration with teachers, administrators, and community
• Adhere to Rankin County School District board policies and procedures and administrative directives
• Communicate effectively using standard oral and written English
• Abide by the American School Counseling Association's Code of Ethics
• Lead and attend staff meetings/trainings as applicable; serve on staff committees
• Assume responsibility for own professional growth and development, for keeping current with literature, new research findings, for attending appropriate professional meetings and conferences, and to maintain any credits and/or continued education for maintenance of licensure/qualifications required for the position
• Maintain and accept responsibility for any district owned fixed asset item assigned to employee and ensure appropriate use by following district policies for acceptable use
• Undergo periodic evaluations according to state and board policy procedures
• Maintain confidentiality
• Regular, dependable, punctual, in person attendance is an essential function of this position
• Perform such other and not specifically enumerated duties as may be requested by the Board of Education, superintendent, administrator, director or established by district policy
• Read, understand, and abide by Employee Conduct Policy, GAB, all other district, state and federal policies, and procedures and protocols as established by RCSD and the Mississippi Educator Code of Conduct
   
  

Qualifications:

• Education Level: Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling (MS Code 37-9-79)
• Certification:  Valid Mississippi Department of Education Certification
• Other Requirements:  

Physical Demands:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. 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 talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, use hands for fine manipulation, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms using equipment such as a keyboard and video display terminal. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, reach, crouch or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and move up to 35 pounds and occasionally up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.    

Work Environment:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The work environment is not a standard office setting; but rather encompasses the entire active school campus both inside and outside the facilities. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate and occasionally high.

Terms of Employment:

• Salary, days and work year as established by the Rankin County Board of Education 

Evaluation:

• Performance of this job will be evaluated in accordance with the provisions of the Rankin County School Board policy on Evaluation of Employees.