Guidance Counselor

Job Summary

To provide a comprehensive guidance program consisting of guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support components as outlined in the South Carolina Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program Model.

Consult with administration, teachers, parents, and staff to enhance effectiveness in helping students and provide support and assistance to other educational programs within the school and district.

Essential Duties

• Implementing the South Carolina Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program Model for elementary guidance and counseling program.
• Counseling individual and small groups of students in their academic development; in their career awareness; and in their development of life skills.
• Counseling individual and small groups of children toward personal, social, and emotional growth and development.
• Consulting with and training teachers, parents / guardians, and staff regarding children's needs. Referring children and their families to special programs, specialists, and community agencies when appropriate.
• Participating in, coordinating, and conducting activities that contribute to the effective operation of the counseling program and the school.
• Participating in the intervention-team process and / or as a member of the school's student support teams. The system support component includes indirect guidance management activities that maintain and enhance the total guidance and counseling program.

The responsibilities of guidance counselor in this component encompass staff and community relations, special research projects, committees, professional development, and student support teams.

• Planning and evaluating the counseling program.
• Pursuing continuous professional growth.
• Other Duties
• Performs any other related duties as assigned by the Principal or other appropriate administrator that serve to promote the social and academic well-being of students.

Job Specifications

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.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required)

• Possess a current and valid South Carolina certification in guidance and counseling at specific level.
• Have a working knowledge and understanding of the components of the South Carolina Comprehensive Developmental Guidance and Counseling Program Model.
• Demonstrated proficiency in written and spoken interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of technology.
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board and administration may find appropriate and acceptable.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and reach with hands and arms; walk;

sit; stoop or kneel; crouch or crawl. Duties may involve risk resulting from attending to students' behavioral, physical or sanitation / hygiene needs.

Additional physical requirements include the following :

• Physically capable of frequently lifting or moving up to 40 pounds;
• Sufficiently mobile to ensure the safety of students;
• Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to focus;
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time;
• Manual dexterity for the purpose of using a telephone and data entry;
• Read a computer screen and printed material with or without vision aids;
• Hear and understand speech at normal levels and on the telephone and,
• Speak in audible tones so that others may understand clearly in person and on the telephone.

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. Duties are normally performed in a school / classroom environment.

Duties may be conducted in work-related community settings and / or occasionally performed on study trips away from the school.

Pay Grade : 28

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The employee will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the appropriate administrator or supervisor.