To provide a career guidance program that provides students with attitudes, knowlege and skills that support school success and establish a strong foundation for promising futures focusing on the academic development, career development and personal/social development of each student based on the American Counseling Association National Standards.  

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives general direction from the assigned Principal, or assigned administrator.

May exercise technical and functional supervision over clerical staff.

Essential Function Statements - Essential duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Implement programs to provide the foundation for acquiring the skills, attitudes, and knowledge that enable students to make a successful transition from school to the world of work; programs to provide the foundation of personal and social growth that contributes to academic and career success.
• Provide vocational and career guidance to students and parents; review with students and parents the high school four-year plans and assist in adjustments.
• Implement strategies and activities that support and maximize student learning, e.g. career planning; prepare student for post-secondary education by developing, counseling, and implementing career goals/plan.
• Upholds the standards of the counseling profession.
• Initiate a cultural awareness sensitive for students and parents; identify and counsel with at-risk students.
• Performs related duties and responsibilites as required.

Coordinate activities in the school counseling program, including:

1. Assist students in preparing for the scheduling of required college entrance exams, and assist in the perparation and processing of college and scholarship applications.
2. Coordinate services with the Navajo Nation Scholarship Office and the Youth Services Department, and other resources.
3. Participate in and assist in scheduling and/or identifying appropriate career fairs; schedule on-site visit, orientation to colleges, universities and vocational tech centers.
4. Communicate and exchange information with parents/guardians by way of conferences, parent education workshops and newsletters.
5. Participate as members of the school improvement and interdisciplinary teams and work as liaisons with parent organizations.
6. Work with specialized populations and needs that require special attention such as culturally diverse populations and students of various abilities.
7. Seek, identify and involve students with close-up program, MESA, AISES Programs at local, state and national level.
8. Coordinate activities with Guidance Counselor; performs duties outside of normal school hours, including weekends to accommodate parents.

Qualification Requirements

Knowlege of:

• Operational characteristics, services and activities of a comprehensive school district counseling program.
• Adult training methods.
• Modern and complex principles and practices of program evaluation.
• Principles and procedures of grant application and administration.
• Methods and techniques of career counseling, both individually and in small groups.
• Principles of school district budget preparation and control.
• District policies, rules, regulations relative to student advisement.
• Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations.
• Local and state educational structure and organization.
• The manner in which concepts of cultural diversity relate to an understanding of individuality.
• Educational foundations of a school district, including the organization, administration, funding resources, and record keeping.
• Cultural divesities of the local area and the traditional Native American beliefs of students and families.

Ability to:

• Counsel students regarding career goals, and interests.
• Utilize and understand formal assessment instruments, procedures and techniques for evaluation.
• Undertand statistical analysis and evaluation, testing materials and results, counseling and interpersonal relations.
• Supervise, direct and coordinate the work of lower level staff.
• Interpret and explain district policies and procedures.
• Prepare clear and concise reports.
• Maintain program records and prepare year end reports.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Handle and maintain the records of students in a confidential manner.
• Understand and respect the cultural diversities, and Native American traditional beliefs and practices, of students and their families.
• Interpret and apply Federal, state and local policies, laws and regulations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including a variety of District and other government officials, community groups and the general public.
• Maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of making sound decisions and demonstrating intellectual capabilities.
• Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities.

Experience and Training Guidelines:  Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities in qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:  Two years of responsible counseling experience; one year of career counseling is desirable.

Education:  Master's Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a accredited program in school counseling, guidance & counseling, psychology, sociology, or a related field.  Candidates must meet the criteria for one of the licensure pathways outlined below for a School Counselor:

SCHOOL COUNSELOR, PRE K-12
PATHWAY 1

• Bachelors and Master’s Degree (earned from a regionally accredited college/university)
• Minimum of 36-42 semester hours in a School Counselor program including a practicum in a school setting
• Passage of the New Mexico Teacher Assessment (NMTA) Content Knowledge Assessment (CKA) in School Counseling

PATHWAY 2

• Possess an LPC or LPCC license issued by the NM Counseling & Therapy Practice Board
• 6 semester hours of graduate credit in school counseling
• Passage of the New Mexico Teacher Assessment (NMTA) Content Knowledge Assessment (CKA) in School Counseling

PATHWAY 3

• Possess a certificate issued by the National Board for Certified Counselors
• Passage of the New Mexico Teacher Assessment (NMTA) Content Knowledge Assessment (CKA) in School Counseling

NMPED does not reciprocate out of state school counseling licenses.  You must be able to meet one of the above-referenced pathways to obtain a school counseling license.  Please contact NMPED directly if you have any questions regarding licensure.

Working Conditions

Environmental Conditions:

Office environment; exposure to computer screens.

Physical Conditions:

Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for sitting for prolonged periods of time.
 

All GMCS schools are eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

Full and complete job descriptions available from the Personnel Department.

All applicants must upload copies of official transcripts or evaluation of foreign transcripts from any and all accredited colleges/universities attended by you for review in order to be considered for this position.