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The ECC Role
The Education and Career Counselor [ECC] provides educational guidance, advising, and related services for youth across all concentrations of study in residence and the community. In this capacity the ECC coordinates and delivers in-person services and programs designed to assure proactive, youth-centered, goal-directed education and career readiness planning for all DYS youth with varying levels of involvement from intake to re-entry and until discharge from DYS. The ECC also plays a central role in communicating youth education and career readiness efforts and ensuring education progress is awarded and sustained. This is achieved through a combination of direct service services, college and career counseling aligned to the MA Model 3.0 for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs, advocacy, collaborative relationships, monitoring, data-based decision making and strength-based, culturally responsive student and family support.
Professional Expectations
The role of ECC is one of the most outward facing positions in our system, often serving as the first point of contact for Local Education Agencies (LEAs), postsecondary programs, community-based partners, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders.
As such, the importance of maintaining high standards of professionalism and effective communication in all interactions with members of this extended network of stakeholders is critically important. And, in light of the difficult conversations that might arise in carrying out the role of the ECC, supervisors and, when necessary, central office administrators, are available to help ECCs navigate complex situations and cases as they emerge towards successful outcomes.
Work Hours
Work Hours
8 hours a day
5 days a week
The ECC schedule is set to be responsive to the range of services provided and stakeholders with whom they interface. Your supervisor will establish your schedule with you. Typically, ECCs work 7:30 - 3:30 or 8 - 4. Adjustments to this work schedule are allowable as long as it does not impact attendance at meetings and/or phone conferences and it is approved by your supervisor.
The judicious use of an ECC's home office to carry out specific tasks over traveling to their office location may be approved when appropriate. Such decisions shall be authorized and communicated in advance with the appropriate supervisor and included on the shared calendar. Additionally, any day that telework from home is authorized, please use the form below to document your work.
Phone Use
Phone Use
Your work cell phone should be on and with you at all times while you are working. This is how your supervisor and other stakeholders will first try to reach you. If you are in a meeting, your phone should be silenced.
Both cell and office phones should have a personal recorded message stating your name, title, and that you are an employee of the DYS Education Initiative with the Collaborative for Educational Services.
Please respond to voice messages as soon as reasonably possible, and in no more than 2 business days, except in special circumstances.
Please respond to a call or text from your supervisor as soon as possible the same business day.
If you are on vacation for more than two business days, please change your voice mail greeting to an “away” greeting, specifying when you will be back in the office. (Change it back when you return.)
Email Use
Email Use
Check your email daily, and respond to email inquiries within two business days. It is acceptable to respond with a brief email letting the person know you are busy and will get back to them by some future date.
Please respond to email from your supervisor the same business day.
Create a signature for your emails so that all messages contain your name, title, and contact information. Use the Vacation Responder feature during vacation and personal days.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar
Maintain and regularly update your schedule in Google Calendar, sharing with all ECCs and your supervisor, including other central office administrators as may be requested, to make it easier for all to schedule meetings and/or calls.
Use a paper calendar in addition, if you prefer. The benefits of the online Google Calendar are that events can’t be lost, events and tasks automatically sync across all of your devices, your calendar can be shared, and you can use it to notify others of your scheduled times not to be interrupted (for tasks like returning calls, writing emails, etc.).
Calling Out
Calling Out
If you need to use sick time or other emergency personal time, you must text, email, or call your supervisor as soon as possible, and be consistent with the CES Employee Handbook.
For planned vacations or personal days, ECCs should submit a Time Off request in ADP at least two weeks in advance, if possible. See slides 13-18 in this guide for help submitting time off requests.
Inclement Weather Policy
Inclement Weather Policy
In the event of inclement weather, follow the guidelines outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
See also this page.
Dress code
Dress code
Business casual is acceptable.
No jeans or t-shirts, except for specific events, such as basketball games, picnics, etc.
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