School Counselor

Loudoun County Public Schools; Ashburn (VA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Loudoun County Public Schools is seeking a School Counselor to help students overcome obstacles to learning and develop into productive citizens. Responsibilities include providing individual and group counseling, developing counseling programs, and collaborating with faculty and families.

The ideal candidate holds a Master’s degree in school counseling and has experience in school guidance. This position is vital to ensuring that students achieve their personal and academic goals in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college and completion of an approved school counseling program.
• Successful full-time teaching or school guidance and counseling experience.
• Eligibility for appropriate licensure as a counselor.

Responsibilities

• Support students' personal-social and academic needs.
• Provide individual and group counseling.
• Conduct classroom instruction on college readiness.
• Develop a Comprehensive School Counseling Program.
• Analyze and report data on the counseling program's effectiveness.

Skills

Knowledge of effective school counseling program

Ability to communicate effectively

Knowledge of barriers to student learning

Ability to collaborate with stakeholders

Knowledge of data-driven practices

Education

Master’s degree in school counseling

Tools

Technology for counseling services

Job description

Job Overview

The School Counselor helps students overcome problems that impede learning; and assists them in making educational, occupational, and life plans appropriate to their age/maturity level, leading to their development as productive citizens and helping them develop their potential to live full, useful lives.

Roles And Responsibilities

The following information is intended to describe the overall nature and scope of the work being performed. This is not a comprehensive listing of all responsibilities or tasks; work may differ and other work may be assigned when deemed appropriate.

• Works to support the personal-social, mental health, academic needs, and college and career readiness of each and every student in the building.
• Works with students on an individual basis in the solution of personal problems related to such situations as home and family relations, peer relations, health, and emotional adjustment; is available to students to provide counseling in such areas as personal growth, self-understanding, and maturity.
• Conducts small group counseling on student-selected and data-driven topics such as study skills, social skills, anger management, self-esteem, changing families, and grief.
• Creates and provides classroom instruction every two to three weeks through lessons promoting personal-social, career and college readiness and bullying prevention based on Virginia Department of Education and American School Counselor Association standards for school counseling programs.
• Develops a Comprehensive School Counseling Program which supports the American School Counseling Association Recognized ASCA Model Program.
• Collects, analyzes, and reports complex outcome-oriented data related to the effectiveness of their school counseling program with emphasis on equity and student-centered approach; uses data to determine trends and concerns and communicated data results and implications to stakeholders while also assisting counselors in measuring and reporting the effectiveness of their work.
• Demonstrate fidelity in best practices for a school counseling program through consistent use of technology and monitoring of student outcomes.
• Provides in-service training in school counseling for staff; collaborates with administrators and faculty on the matters of student discipline, developmental issues, and identifying significant behaviors such as suicide, self-harm, and depression.
• Fosters professional growth and building a positive climate of support, keeps abreast of current research, participates in professional organizations, and keeps staff informed of state and national issues and trends related to school counseling.
• Collaborates with families, school staff, administrators, and other educational stakeholders to support student achievement and wellness.
• Takes an active role in interpreting the school's objectives to students, parents, and the community at large; confers with parents whenever necessary.

Qualifications

Below are the minimum qualifications for this job. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are also acceptable.

Education

Master’s degree from an accredited college or university and completion of an approved school counseling program.

Experience

Successful full-time teaching or school guidance and counseling.

Licenses/Certifications

Eligibility for appropriate licensure.

• An active Licensed Professional Counseling (LPC) license issued by the Virginia Department of Health Professionals (DHP) may be considered in lieu of these requirements.

In addition to the LPC, the Licensed Clinical Psychologist and the Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) may be eligible.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Knowledge of the structure and components of an effective school counseling program.
• Knowledge of barriers to student learning.
• Knowledge of data-driven school counseling practices.
• Knowledge of Individual counseling, group counseling and classroom instruction methods, techniques, and best practices.
• Knowledge of legal, ethical, and professional issues in public education.
• Knowledge of learning and counseling theories.
• Ability to use technology effectively and efficiently to plan, organize, implement, and evaluate the school counseling services.
• Ability to collaborate with parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and other stakeholders to promote and support student success.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly talking, expressing, or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. The employee must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly. The employee must possess normal cognitive abilities including the ability to learn, recall and apply certain practices and policies. Frequently sitting and/or remaining in a stationary position for long periods of time. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

Reports to: Principal or Assistant Principal

FLSA status: Exempt

Months/Days/Hours: ES- 10 months/ 200 days/ 7 hours per day

Salary Level: Scale A/Licensed

Salary Scale: lcps.org/compensation

Remote Work Eligible: No

Union Designation: Certified