School Counselor

Tasks

• Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.

• Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their resource needs.

• Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.

• Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.

• Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.

• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.

• Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.

• Teach classes and present self-help or information sessions on subjects related to education and career planning.

• Provide special services such as alcohol and drug prevention programs and classes that teach students to handle conflicts without resorting to violence.

• Conduct follow-up interviews with counselees to determine if their needs have been met.

• Instruct individuals in career development techniques, such as job search and application strategies, resume writing, and interview skills.

• Plan and promote career and employment-related programs and events, such as career planning presentations, work experience programs, job fairs, and career workshops.

• Plan and conduct orientation programs and group conferences to promote the adjustment of individuals to new life experiences, such as starting college.

• Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics, using tests, records, interviews, or professional sources.

• Collaborate with teachers and administrators in the development, evaluation, and revision of school programs and in the preparation of master schedules for curriculum offerings.

• Observe students during classroom and play activities to evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.

• Establish and enforce administration policies and rules governing student behavior.

• Address community groups, faculty, and staff members to explain available counseling services.

• Prepare reports on students and activities as required by administration.

• Attend meetings, educational conferences, and training workshops and serve on committees.

• Compile and study occupational, educational, and economic information to assist counselees in determining and carrying out vocational and educational objectives.

• Plan, direct, and participate in recruitment and enrollment activities.

• Supervise, train, and direct professional staff and interns.

• Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements and write letters of recommendation.

• Provide students with information on topics, such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.

• Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.

• Assess needs for assistance, such as rehabilitation, financial aid, or additional vocational training, and refer clients to the appropriate services.

• Establish and supervise peer counseling and peer tutoring programs.

• Provide information for teachers and staff members involved in helping students or graduates identify and pursue employment opportunities.

• Establish contacts with employers to create internship and employment opportunities for students.

• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities, such as restrooms.

• Refer qualified counselees to employers or employment services for job placement.

• Interview clients to obtain information about employment history, educational background, and career goals, and to identify barriers to employment.

• Sponsor extracurricular activities, such as clubs, student organizations, and academic contests.

Skills

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

• Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

• Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

• Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.

• Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

• Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

• Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Knowledge

• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

• Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

• Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.