Counselor, Elementary (2025 - 26 School Year) (8219)

About the position

The Counselor for Elementary will collaboratively work with school faculty and staff, students, parents, and the community to plan, implement, evaluate, and advocate for a comprehensive school counseling program at the assigned school. The role involves organizing and delivering services through four components: Guidance Curriculum, Responsive Services, Individual Planning, and System Support as specified in the Texas Model for a Comprehensive School Counseling Program. The counselor will counsel students to fully develop their academic, career, personal, and social abilities and address the needs of all students.

Responsibilities

• Consult with school staff, parents, and other community members to increase student effectiveness and promote student success.
• Provide guidance to assist all students in developing and applying skills for maximum educational, career, personal, and social growth.
• Coordinate and deliver classroom guidance, group guidance and serve as a consultant to teachers based on assessed needs of campus.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate a balanced, comprehensive school counseling program to serve all students.
• Advocate for the school counseling program and counselors' ethical and professional standards with school personnel, parents, students, and the community.
• Support the implementation, monitoring, and/or evaluation of assigned programs for elementary education, curriculum, and/or instructional support.
• Support and participate in meeting the objectives of the campus/department improvement plans.
• Advocate for all students and provide professional expertise to help staff, parents, and other community members understand individual behavior and human relationships.
• Assist all students with developing and applying skills for maximum educational, career, personal, and social growth during school years and beyond.
• Intervene with students whose developmental needs, personal concerns, or problems affect their continued educational, career, personal, or social development.
• Make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student's parent or guardian.
• Coordinate people and resources in the school, home, and community to support achievement.
• Guide individuals and groups of students and parents to plan, monitor, and manage the student's social and educational development.
• Use accepted theories and effective techniques to provide individual and/or group developmental, preventive, remedial, and/or crisis counseling.
• Interpret standardized test results and other available student data to promote sound decision-making for students.
• Facilitate the transition for students between elementary and secondary education.
• Assist campuses in resolving parent/student issues and concerns in a timely manner.
• Assist in managing student behavior in accordance with Student Code of Conduct and student handbook.
• Manage resources and activities related to campus needs.
• Maintain collaborative inter-professional relationships.
• Commit to current professional and ethical standards of competence and practice.
• Coordinate departmental activities with other District offices and administrators.
• Analyze critical needs in assigned areas and work collaboratively to implement and improve programs.
• Accept responsibility for self-directed professional development through continuous efforts to improve competence.
• Participate in professional development that increases effectiveness and improves District performance.
• Support the administration of state-mandated testing at campuses in compliance with state and federal guidelines.
• Monitor and review campus test data and use findings to assist with planning corrective action.
• Forge partnerships with community agencies, businesses, and universities to better serve the needs and interests of all students.
• Interface with governmental agencies, business and civic organizations, and the community to provide needed information.
• Foster positive morale by participating in team building activities and the decision-making process.
• Communicate and collaborate with campus/department staff to enhance service delivery, program development, and customer satisfaction.
• Comply with policies established by federal and state law.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Valid Texas Professional School Counselor certification (or meets qualifications for Texas School Counselor Deficiency Plan).
• Knowledge of the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.
• Knowledge of counseling procedures, intervention strategies, and student appraisal systems.
• Knowledge of academic programs, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of effective dropout recovery and prevention practices.
• Knowledge of community-based organizations and resources.
• Knowledge of district policies and regulations.
• Skill in interacting effectively with parents and community partners.
• Skill in facilitating campus-level teams.
• Skill in communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Skill in analyzing complex information and data.
• Skill in implementing long-range and immediate plans.
• Skill in operating standard computer and software applications.
• Skill in using student information systems to access and interpret student data.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work responsibilities.