School Counselor

Title: School Counselor

State Role Title: Trainer and Instructor II

Hiring Range: $47,610 - $75,000

Pay Band: 4

Agency: VA School for the Deaf & Blind

Location: VA School for Deaf & Blind

Agency Website: Http://www.vsdb.k12.va.us

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind is seeking a School Counselor to provide personal and academic counseling that addresses the Virginia Standards of Learning for guidance services for elementary, middle school and high school age students.

The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind (VSDB) is located in the historic, vibrant city of Staunton, Virginia. VSDB provides superior education for students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/vision impaired, deafblind, and deaf or blind with other disabilities.

VSDB offers PreK-12 education with both residential and day student options.

VSDB believes that disabilities are challenges not barriers and supports each student in their goal to be independent and to reach their highest academic potential!

VSDB prepares students for life!

The VSDB offers:

• $3,500 Sign-on Bonus available!

• Great comprehensive benefit package with sign-on bonus

• Supportive and positive team setting

• School-Residential partnership that supports a 24/7 learning environment

This is a 10-month, faculty position with state benefits, including health insurance, retirement, life insurance, and disability coverage.

The beginning date for this position is the beginning of our next school year in July 2024.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintains the guidance program by assessing student needs and coordinating guidance services for students on their caseload.

• Collaborates with the School Social Worker to ensure guidance services are consistent between all grade levels and students receive the necessary services for successful progression.

• Provides personal and psycho-educational counseling in a one-on-one setting or group setting on a scheduled basis, in the areas of socio-emotional, academic and career development.

• Provide support for new students and TEMP program students in the form of check-ins and teacher collaboration.

• Provides support for Character Education programming as necessary.

• Maintains schedules of students; Inputting classes, sections, and student schedule in Powerschool.

• Maintains the most current information in the School Counseling/Social Work field by attending professional development opportunities, such as conferences, training, and site visits.

• Conducts informal and standardized career and technology assessments for the purposes of transition planning school wide.

• Conduct Classroom Guidance lessons related to Career/ Employment, Training, and Higher education opportunities,

• Meets with each student individually or in groups to address individual Career/Transition goals and Academic Plans at times coordinated with academic teachers.

• Develops or serves as a consultant for the development of transition plans in the Individualized Education Plans for all appropriately aged students on their caseload, along with attending IEP meetings to report on Transition progress and planning.

• Serves as facility liaison to link students with outside agencies and coordinate vocational, educational and transitional services, such as Department of Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI), Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Virginia Rehabilitation college recruiters, etc.

• Serves as facility liaison in working with graduating seniors to pursue appropriate post graduate academic and/or work related goals; including appropriate testing requirements, college recruitment/application, scholarship and financial assistance

• Assists students in making the transition from school to school, school to work, or school to additional education and training.

• Works in conjunction with VSDB administration to develop class schedules for all high school students to ensure compliance with graduation requirements by gathering and coordinating information from students, families and VSDB staff.

• Serves as a member of the Admissions team to evaluate information for potential placement of students

• Assesses potential success of student and determine class placement

• Serves as a member of the Student Support team to monitor the social-emotional and behavioral needs of students

• Serves as a member of the Administrative Support Team to support programs and activities on campus.

• Serves as a member of the Threat Assessment Team to evaluate threats or risks on campus.

• Follows up with counseling related issues communicated from Incident Reports in the School and the Residential Hall setting.

• Administers and monitors testing with appropriate accommodations for entrance to the workforce, colleges or higher education, such as the ACT, SAT, VPT, WorkKeys, etc.

• Provides support for In- school suspension, as needed.

• Serves as a liaison and support to the Mental Health Counseling agency on campus.

• Provides crisis counseling support for escalating situations which include but are not limited to self-harm statements, behavior related referrals or unplanned walk-in appointments.

• Recommends/contacts referral sources, agencies or programs to deal with crisis situations (available after hours for emergency or crisis intervention and assistance)

• Implements preventive, remedial and crisis intervention plans/activities that seek to remove barriers that impede student learning and frustrate teacher efforts in the school environment

• Serves as a liaison between the home, school and community, and promotes effective resource utilization and positive relations with public entities in order to support transition from school to employment/higher education.

• Works with the educational team to provide an effective link between the academic program and the student's home

• Prepares and distributes on a quarterly basis information for the parent newsletter apprising families of activities and suggesting ideas for home-school collaborative efforts

• Provides information on training programs, activities and materials for families outside of the school setting.

• Coordinates, plans and executes events with guest speakers from the community, recruiters, and representatives applicable to a student's social-emotional well-being or future educational/ career aspirations.

• Provide family education, counseling, and support in areas such as child development, child mental and behavioral health, and the special education process

• Provide advocacy and linkage to community-based services and resources to meet family basic needs, meet medical or mental health needs, or access other programs for students with special needs.

• Coordinate and manage multi-agency services to best serve students and their families

• Provide consultation and support to school personnel, developing and delivering professional development for school personnel on topics such as child abuse and neglect, mental health for children, trauma informed practices, diversity awareness and other topics as assigned;

• Assist in the development and management of programs for English Language Learners, LGBTQ students, homeless and unaccompanied youth, pregnancy and teen parenthood, and students in foster care;

• Assist in the development of programs to support initiatives relating to safe and supportive school climates, harassment and bullying prevention, positive and preventive student conduct, human trafficking, etc.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• A minimum of a Masters Degree from a regionally accredited college or university and certification from an approved counselor education program.

• Hold or be eligible for a valid Virginia professional license issued by the Board of Education with an endorsement as a School Counselor preK-12.

• Current CPR and First Aid Certification required or must be obtained per school policies.

• Hold a valid Virginia Driver's License and submit for review by DMV.

• Knowledge of child growth and development, and special needs of children with disabilities

• Minimum proficiency level of "Intermediate" in American Sign Language as measured by the Sign Language Proficiency Interview and agreement to acquire an "Advanced" level within three years of employment

• Ability to plan and organize work

• Ability to work using a team approach

• Ability to follow school policies and procedures.

• Knowledge of counseling theory and principles and practices of counseling

• Ability to provide required services and meet the needs of students with hearing and/or vision loss

Additional Considerations

Preferred:

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to "Your Application" in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

For full consideration, please submit college transcripts with application materials.

Note: A criminal history, a Virginia Department of Social Services check, and a driving record check will be required for final candidates.

Applications must be completed online at https://www.jobs.virginia.gov/. VSDB is a tobacco free facility. For more information call (540) 332-9069 or visit our website at www.vsdb.k12.va.us.

EEO/AA

Contact Information

Name: Jody Beelendorf

Phone: (540)332-9069

Email: jody.beelendorf@vsdbs.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth's commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.