Director of School Counseling - Community Lab School - 2023-24 School Year
Job description
Director of School Counseling
Community Lab School
2023-24 School Year
Community Lab School (CLS) is a grades 6-12 school that aims to foster creativity and intellectual curiosity through interdisciplinary, project-based learning. As a lab school, CLS also exists to design and pilot nontraditional approaches to learning that align to ACPS mission, vision, and goals with intent to inform practices more broadly. CLS is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering the Diploma Programme to students in grades 11 and 12. Our work here is very unique and quite ambitious. Educators who join our team must begin with a strong philosophical commitment to student-centered learning, have a bias toward action, and have the disposition to thrive in a dynamic culture of perpetual change and teamwork
Teach • Lead • Inspire
Be an educator in Albemarle County Public Schools
Are you looking to work in a school division where students are engaged in authentic, challenging, and relevant learning experiences, becoming lifelong contributors and leaders in our dynamic and diverse society? Then look no further!
In Albemarle County Public Schools, we work together as a team to end the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities for our children’s success through high-quality teaching and learning for all. We seek to build relationships with families and communities to ensure that every student succeeds. We will know every student!
We are the first public school division in Virginia, and among the first in the country, to develop and implement an Anti-Racism policy with the expressed purpose of building school communities that share the responsibility to recognize and end racism, eliminate inequitable practices that result in achievement gaps, and support the unique gifts, talents, and interests of every child. In ACPS, “all” really means all.
Who We’re Looking For
Teachers and Specialists are essential to achieving our goals of Thriving Students, Affirming and Empowering Communities, and Equitable, Transformative Resources.
Our ideal candidates are:
- Innovative, self-reflective, collaborative, knowledgeable in their content area and instructional practices, and are continually growing and improving
- Passionate about closing equity and achievement gaps
- Prepared to engage with our Culturally Responsive Teaching model in support of our Equity Mission Statement
Why Work in Our Schools
Here are just a few reasons why both new and experienced educators choose to join our team:
- Strong instructional support and mentoring from our building administrators, instructional coaches, learning technology integrators, diversity resource teachers, and equity specialists
- A wide range of professional development opportunities, including our New Teacher Academy and many other learning experiences held throughout the year for new and experienced teachers
- Competitive pay and benefits, including health & dental coverage, retirement, flexible spending accounts, paid time off, wellness program, discounts on gym memberships, and more
- The opportunity to work in a close-knit, supportive community where you can continue to grow as a professional
Be sure to check out our website to learn more about our Division and our Schools. You can read the full job description here.
Location
Situated around beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia – which is consistently ranked among America’s top university towns and best places to live – Albemarle County is nestled in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park. Just 100 miles south of Washington, DC and 70 miles west of Richmond, it’s only a short trip to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic beaches, and New York is an easy Amtrak ride away. Whether it’s the great outdoors, a vibrant and diverse arts, food, and culture scene, or small town living with a big city feel, our part of Central Virginia has something for everyone.
The Application Process
Are you ready to join the ACPS Team and engage our learners in becoming lifelong contributors and leaders in our dynamic and diverse society? If so, then follow these steps to apply:
STEP 1: Click Apply for this Position at the top right of this page. This will add your application to the candidate pool for this position.
STEP 2: You will receive an email invitation to complete a short online assessment to help us learn more about your strengths as an educator. Instructions will be included in the email. If you've already taken this assessment within the past three years, you do not need to complete it again.
STEP 3: Continue to check our Jobs page frequently as new positions are added throughout the spring and summer. You need to apply for each specific position that you are interested in. Jobs are listed chronologically by posting date, but you can search by categories or by keywords like “teacher” or “counselor”, and you can also sign up for weekly email alerts.
STEP 4: Our school principals and assistant principals will review your application and will contact you directly if they would like to schedule an interview. Time frames vary depending on the position and time of year.
The Director of School Counseling provides leadership, coordination, and innovation in the counseling and guidance department to provide a congruent and seamless network of services for student achievement and student growth. Responsibilities include administrative functions and/or duties as they pertain to the guidance and testing process, and the collection/analyzing of data.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Manages the daily activities of the school counseling at the assigned high school.
- Assists the School Principal in ensuring that the school's policies and procedures related to school counseling meet state, federal, and division requirements.
- Supervises and mentors guidance counselors and assigned clerical staff in the day to day operation of the department and conducts regular meetings to disseminate information regarding current developments and practices in the field.
- Provides leadership in the implementation of career guidance and counseling, and student academic planning; supervises the school's educational and occupational programs.
- Leads efforts to involve the home and family in the school counseling program.
- Participates in curriculum development/revision and serves on the school's instructional support team, which analyzes data about student achievement and ensures proper placement/open curriculum access for students.
- Coordinates student referrals with appropriate student services staff and community agencies.
- Collaborates with central administration in implementing and interpreting program evaluation, the state testing program, and data processing procedures related to student scheduling and student records at the assigned school.
- Provides overall coordination of special activities/events involving the school counseling department of the assigned school to include new student orientation programs, career fairs, financial aid workshops, parenting workshops, etc.
- Assists the School Principal with monitoring and evaluating the school counseling program to ensure effective utilization of staff and resources; and recommends revisions and improvements as needed.
- Serves as a liaison between the assigned school and community resource groups, feeder schools colleges, and universities regarding school counseling related activities.
- Implements a comprehensive and efficient system for maintaining records of school counseling services and student records at the assigned school.
- Prepares necessary statistics and reports related to the operation of the school's guidance department.
- Develops and provides an effective comprehensive school counseling program to serve the needs of all students.
- Demonstrates knowledge of national, state, and local school counseling standards.
- Provides students and families with immediate and long-range educational planning and course selection as appropriate.
- Collect, analyze, and use data to develop, implement, and evaluate the school counseling program.
- Provides workshops for parents and families to assist them in acquiring an understanding of students and techniques and strategies essential for academic and personal/social growth.
- Provides consultation and in-service to give teachers and administrators in the school information, strategies, and approaches for maximizing the total development of students to include academic and social needs.
- Provides transitional counseling for students transferring into the school to facilitate a positive adjustment.
- Performs duties as a School Counselor.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
Thorough knowledge of the instructional methods and presentation strategies for student learners; knowledge of adolescent psychology, growth, and development; comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of the middle school philosophy and current curriculum and instructional trends; ability to counsel students and work with a diverse population; comprehensive knowledge of the ASCA model, guidance and counseling techniques, programs and practices; knowledge of master schedule development; ability to manage multiple projects, excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong organizational skills; ability to prepare reports and to present and interpret statistical data in clear and concise form; ability to establish and maintain cooperative professional relationships and knowledge of supervisory and managerial policies and practices.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Requires Master's degree in guidance and counseling, certification in secondary guidance; Valid Virginia Department of Education license required, or the ability to obtain one and minimum of three years of experience as a school counselor. Experience or academic training in tests and measurements. Must Meet state certification guidelines for guidance counseling.
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