Guidance Counselor - Burncoat Middle School 2024-2025

SUBJECT: GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

REPORTS TO: BUILDING PRINCIPAL

ACCOUNTABILITY OBJECTIVE:

This position is accountable for meeting the development needs of secondary students and to assist them as they face many critical issues in the process of growing and developing through the use of counseling, consulting, coordinating, managing, and teaching a developmental guidance curriculum consistent with the policies of the Worcester Public Schools and relevant State laws and regulations.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES: (to be included along with other responsibilities)

1. Responsible for assisting students in identifying problems, thinking them through and developing within themselves the ability to make decisions.
2. Responsible for helping prevent problems from developing with the aim of reducing the need for crisis counseling.
3. Responsible for pre-referral conferences with school personnel in a team context for the appropriate referral of a student for needed services.
4. Responsible for individual and/or group short-term counseling with or: otherwise assisting students.
5. Responsible for assisting students in planning programs of study to meet life objectives.
6. Responsible for helping students and parents assess student occupational goals, to utilize career resource materials effectively; and to assist teachers in developing student's awareness of career goals.
7. Responsible for providing crisis intervention and conflict resolution services when requested by school personnel.
8. Responsible for providing outreach and follow-up for students referred because of attendance problems.
9. Responsible for assuring equal educational opportunity to all individuals regardless of race, color, gender, age, marital status, religion, gender identity, national origin, sexual orientation, homelessness, or disability.
10. Performance of other job-related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Massachusetts DESE licensure as a School Guidance Counselor.
2. Evidence of mastery of development counseling techniques.
3. Ability to understand the dynamics of families from various cultural backgrounds.
4. Two years' experience working with school-age children and their families.
5. Familiarity in working with consultants, resources personnel, community groups, etc.
6. Ability to produce concise reports concerning relevant development social and medical information.
7. Group work experience.
8. Ability to deal with typical issues as eating disorders; pregnancy; alcohol and other drug abuse; sexual identity; family conflict; and physical, sexual and psychological abuse.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Training in, and experience in conflict resolution techniques.
2. Experience working in schools and/or social service agencies with clients from culturally and socio-economically diverse backgrounds.
3. Experience in providing a developmental curriculum to students in the areas of social skill development, career awareness, and decision making.
4. Demonstrated experience supporting students with special needs
5. Ability to speak Albanian, Arabic, Nepali, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese or an African Language.
6. Demonstrated experience with second language acquisition

WORK YEAR: 183 days

WORK DAY: School Days, with some flexibility for afternoon and evening meetings.

Salary scale shown is based on the candidate holding a Bachelor's Degree. Potential to increase based on degree level

TO APPLY: Any person interested in this position must submit a resume, cover letter, licensure, and answer all questions on-line at https://worcesterschools.org/about/employment-opportunities

This deadline date does not preclude further advertisement or recruitment