What are the responsibilities and job description for the Anticipated Middle School Guidance Counselor position at Melrose Public Schools?
Middle School Guidance CounselorQualifications
- Master's Degree in content specific field.
- Excellent communication skills
- Appropriate Massachusetts licensure required (School Guidance Counselor 5-12) Dual Licensure 6-8 Guidance Counselor and Adjustment Counselor Preferred
- S.E.I. Endorsement
- Successful completion of a Criminal Record Check (C.O.R.I.) and fingerprint check.
- Attend team meetings on a regular basis
- Schedule and manage the teams calendar as it pertains to parent meetings
- Advocate for students interests with team teachers as is most effective with regular team meetings
- Provide knowledge about each childs educational history through experience over the course of 3 years, research through cumulative files, and/or contact with previous teachers and faculty
- Support team events such as processing hot topics like bullying, school violence, cyber bullying, community service projects etc.
- Conduct an initial interview with parent/guardian and student
- Collect appropriate data i.e. health records, proof of residency, transcripts, IEP/504 information, contact former school if need be
- Create schedule, inform teachers, provide orientation, arrange for peer helpers
- Organize, conduct Instructional Support Team meetings for academically at risk students
- Collect data for the I.S.T. process, maintain file, refer for testing
- Attend all IEP team meetings initial, annual, and 3-year re-evaluations for each child
- Assist the principal in maintaining a file of all plans
- Facilitate the implementation of the plan especially as regards providing middle school staff with information
- Assist the principal in reviewing plans annually
- Assist the principal in new referrals and the creation of plans as needed
- Hold parent meetings to discuss the implementation and accommodations of the plans
- Parent Evening Orientation Program
- Support orientation of eighth graders to high school - participate in vocational school informational sessions; process, collect data, write recommendations for private school applications
- organize and run programs for transition from grade sixth to seven and seven to eight - Visit classes to explain new programs and ease anxieties related to transition; Collect data for selection of certain courses: i.e. foreign language and music
- Create the nine new teams three per grade with consideration given to the following so that there is equity among the teams: various neighborhoods in Melrose, especially important in the fifth to sixth transition, males, and females, special education students, siblings, numbers of ability-based math sections in grades seven and eight, specialized courses as indicated per I.E.P.s, and any other pertinent information
- Make schedule changes at the beginning of each year and semester per parent, teacher, student requests
- Students at Risk suicide ideation/action, runaways, chemical involvement, self-injurious behavior and any other emotional crisis
- Good Grief grieving protocol
- Be available for crisis/immediate need on a daily basis home visits for school phobics and potential truants
- Referrals from administration particularly suspended students part of the re-entry processes
- Self-referrals students bring themselves to the guidance office on a regular basis for issues that range from family concerns to peer issues to academic concerns
- Teachers refer/bring students for a variety of reasons, most prominent academic or non discipline behavioral issues
- Parental referrals for additional support with their children with school and/or home concerns
- Conflict resolutions between individuals with peer issues primarily on occasion, between students and teacher and student and parents.
- Run an issue oriented group, i.e. grief, loss through divorce, friend moving, bullying, social interactions etc.
- Review mid-quarter progress reports, meet with students, call parents etc.
- End of year, contact parents of students who must attend summer school and assist in making appropriate plans
- Assist principal in organizing schedule
- distribute materials preparing testing materials for 12 homerooms (per grade) and special ed. staff
- Collect, itemize, and pack materials for return
- administer make-up tests to students who were absent
- Organize I.S.S.P. (Individual Student Success Plans) for students who receive a Warning on a designated MCAS test
- file 300 scores
- Locate, mail, transfer students MCAS scores
- gather data
- complete applications
- write recommendations
- send records
- file 51A, C.H.I.N.S. as needed
- attend court and represent school at hearings as needed
- arrange an informational assembly for the eighth grade
- process applications meet with interested students and parents
- arrange a tour of the school for/with interested students
- as needed attend annual reviews for special education students accepted to the school.
- contact, request and supply information to the courts/police and DCFS and contracted agencies
- Consult with physicians, psychologists and other therapists about students caseload.
- Work directly with Melrose Alliance Against Violence to implement programs
- Coordinate Arbour and HES counseling services
- Research various programs and resources for families
- Maintain regular consultations with METCO coordinator
- Schedule, consult and support ESL students
- Arrange tutoring Bridge volunteers, high school students doing community service
- Collect homework assignments for absentees
- List of students not attending MHS
- Assist & attend Drug & Alcohol Summit Week
- Assist & attend Random Acts of Kindness Summit Week
Salary : $57,000 - $72,100
High School Guidance Counselor
Woburn Memorial High School -
Woburn, MA
