Guidance Counselor for 2026-2027 School Year

Decatur Public School District; Decatur (IL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A public school district in Illinois is seeking a Guidance Counselor for the 2026-2027 school year. The ideal candidate must hold a valid Illinois Teaching Certificate and a guidance counselor certificate, along with a Bachelor's degree. Responsibilities include managing student services and collaborating with instructional staff to support student development. The role requires effective communication, conflict resolution, and the ability to work in a busy school environment. Competitive salary based on negotiated agreements.

Qualifications

• Holds a valid Illinois Teaching Certificate.
• Holds a certificate as a guidance counselor.
• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Ability to function effectively as a member of the school staff.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate student services effectively.
• Observe students and concentrate on individual and group counseling.
• Work cooperatively with staff to improve student development.
• Collaborate with teachers, school psychologist, and social worker in staffing and counseling for special education.
• Maintain student records and ICPs for teaching staff.
• Coordinate and administer state and district tests.
• Maintain contact with administration to support student behavior and program coordination.

Skills

Effective communication

Conflict resolution

Counseling techniques

Collaborative skills

Education

Valid Illinois Teaching Certificate

Guidance Counselor Certificate

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Guidance Counselor for 2026-2027 School Year JobID: 9975

• Position Type: Middle School Teaching/Guidance Counselor
• Date Posted: 3/13/2026
• Location: Johns Hill Magnet School
• Date Available: 08/2026

500.033B

Title

Middle School Career/Guidance Counselor

Qualifications

• Holds a valid Illinois Teaching Certificate
• Holds a certificate as a guidance counselor
• Bachelor's Degree
• The ability to function effectively as a member of the school staff.

Reports To: The Principal or Designee

Supplies: As Assigned

Maintains liaison with: Parents, Staff, and Administration. Communicates on a regular basis or as requested by parents, staff, or administration.

Job Goal

To help middle school students adjust to the many changing aspects of adolescence, and to aid the students and teachers in gaining as much academic improvement as possible.

Performance Responsibilities

The following are the essential fundamentals to include but not limited to the following job duties.

Management and Coordination of Student Services

• A. Observes students in their classrooms and other school settings.
• B. Concentrates efforts in the area of student development through individual and group counseling. Emphasis will be placed on helping students develop skills in resolving conflicts, making decisions, improving interpersonal relationships with students and staff, preventing situations that would disrupt the learning environment, and coping with uncomfortable situations.
• C. Works with students to explore and plan educational career opportunities. Maintains the Individual Career Planning folder for each student. (ICP)
• D. Works cooperatively with the teachers, school psychologist, and social worker in the areas of coordinating staffing, applying staffing recommendations through counseling, and provides professional input for special education students at staffing.
• E. Maintains student cumulative records, interprets records for students and parents, and makes student records accessible to the teaching staff. This would include the Individual Career Planner (ICP).
• F. Maintains contact with building administration to ensure that there is a coordinated effort and program to help students develop responsibility for their behavior.
• G. Has knowledge of community agencies that can assist students and coordinate community agencies where applicable.

Assistance to Instructional Staff

• A. Works with the staff in determining the needs of the students.
• B. Advises teachers on the social, emotional, and career development of the middle school student.
• C. Works with individual teachers to assist with situations that help will improve the teachers effectiveness working with middle school students.
• D. Works with staff to coordinate and implement a group guidance program.
• E. Coordinates and administers State and District wide tests.
• F. Uses grammatically correct English in verbal and written communications.

Staff and Professional Responsibilities

• A. Maintains and submits accurate and timely records/reports as required by law, Board policy, and administrative guidelines.
• B. Follows building and district rules, procedures, and policies.

Terms of Employment

Salary is based upon Schedules A & B, of the collective negotiated Agreement.

Evaluation

Each employee in contractual continuing service shall be evaluated at least once every two (2) years. Each employee not in continuing contractual service shall be evaluated once every year.

Physical Demands

Handle work which deals mostly with people, objects, equipment in a general setting; depth perception and field of vision are important. Employee regularly is required to bend, stoop, twist, turn, reach, lift (up to 50 pounds), carry, pull, push, climb, and kneel; walking and standing approximately 50-75% of each shift. Employee must recognize differences in sound, such as voices/noises that are loud and playful instead of angry and combative; ability to differentiate tones and volumes in conversation.

Mental Demands

The Teacher must ensure that children are supervised at all times, and that children are involved in safe and appropriate activities. There may be a number of situations happening at once, and the Teacher must be prepared to handle accidents and emergencies at any time.

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 Teacher will be working in a busy and occasionally noisy environment. There may be a number of activities and situations happening at once, and the Teacher will have to supervise all students at all times.

Approved 6/24/97

This position falls under the Decatur Education Association (DEA) Contract - 2022-2026.

Benefit information can be found HERE