Job Guidelines for Graham ISD Counselors

Primary Function

To provide a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program for all children in Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade; to consult with teachers, parents and staff to enhance their effectiveness in helping students; to provide support to other school educational programs.

Organizational Relationships

A PreKindergarten - twelfth grade counselor is supervised by campus administration, collaborates with other district counselors, and works cooperatively with allGraham ISD staff.

Major Job Responsibilities and Illustrative Key Duties:

(these serve as examples with specifics to be determined by individual campus needs)

1. Implement the guidance curriculum: conduct classroom lessons in each teacher’s class and/or systematically conduct developmental counseling groups for each grade level throughout the year; consult with and/or provide resources to teachers to facilitate their instruction of counseling content; and participate in interdisciplinary curriculum teams. Counselors in Graham ISD are required to teach the Second Step guidance curriculum as resources for guidance lessons.

2. Counsel individuals and groups of students toward academic and career development: work with teachers in preparation for transition from one school to another, conduct/coordinate/oversee career awareness activities and participate in the beginning-of-the-year orientation activities for students.

3. Counsel individuals and small groups of students toward personal/social development and emotional growth: conduct goal-oriented counseling sessions in systematic response to identified needs of individuals or groups of children. Topics may include academic failure, family issues, child abuse, attendance and/or behavior problems, peer problems, and substance abuse, etc. Counselors in Graham ISD use a proactive, student-centered, and solution-focused approach to problem-solving.

4. Participate in the intervention team process: assume an advocate role in designing, implementing, monitoring, and adjusting educational plans for individual students.

5. Consult with and train teachers, parents and staff regarding students’ needs: participate in staffing’s; conduct in-service programs for faculty; act as a resource person for faculty, staff and parents; conduct conferences with teachers and/or parents; conduct or provide opportunities for parent educational programs; write articles for parent newsletters; assist families with school-related problems; and serve as a student advocate and resource for guidance/counseling issues and concerns.

6. Refer students and their parents to special programs, specialists, and community agencies: consult with and coordinate in-district and community-based specialists, such as school administrators, nurses, school psychologists, community-based psychologists, service agencies, and physicians. Consult with parents regarding referrals when appropriate. Counselors in Graham ISD function as campus 504 coordinators and as such must be knowledgeable about eligibility requirements and plan development for students with a recognized disability.

7. Participate in activities which contribute to the effective operation of the school: interpret group test results to faculty and staff; contribute to the Campus Improvement Plan; establish liaisons with the various instructional departments; serve as an advocate for groups or individual students as decisions are made that will affect those students; work with other school staff in the placement of students with special needs in appropriate programs, including gifted education, special education, and technical education opportunities; and participate as a team member in the district/state testing programs.

8. Plan and evaluate the counseling program: review the counseling program annually with the other staff and administration; establish the counseling department Master Calendar; document and evaluate guidance learning activities as they are implemented; and complete an annual counseling program evaluation and follow-up studies on recent graduates.

9. Pursue professional growth: attend state and locally sponsored staff development offerings; join associations; read professional journals; become knowledgeable in multicultural and legal/ethical issues in education; attend relevant workshops and conferences sponsored by professional organizations and the Texas Education Agency; take postgraduate courses; contribute to professional literature and/or conference presentations; conduct training for staff and other counselors.