Position Title: School Counselor (Grades 7-12) – College, Career, & Academic Focus

Reports To: Building Principal

Employment Terms: 210-Day Contract (Standard Arkansas Counseling Contract)

Salary: Based on the District Certified Salary Schedule (dependent on degree and experience)

Job Summary

The 7-12 School Counselor will design, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program aligned with the Arkansas School Counseling Improvement Act (Act 190), the Arkansas LEARNS Act framework and the Arkansas ACCESS Act framework. This position places a heavy emphasis on guiding students toward a "Success-Ready" future via intentional college exploration, career pathway navigation, and data-driven academic scheduling. The counselor serves as the primary architect for student master scheduling and graduation progression monitoring.

Performance Responsibilities & Essential Duties

1. College & Career Readiness 

• Student Success Plans (SSPs): Lead the development, annual review, and implementation of digital Student Success Plans for all students in grades 8-12, partnering actively with students, parents, and advisory teachers.
• Career Pathway & CTE Coordination: Guide students through Arkansas Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, aligning student aptitudes with local high-demand industry needs and helping them achieve "CTE Completer" status where applicable.
• Post-Secondary Transitions: Assist students with college applications, the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship application, FAFSA completion (FAFSA Frenzy events), institutional scholarships, and military enlistment processes.
• Work-Based Learning Integration: Partner with regional employers and district coordinators to connect junior and senior students to Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities, youth apprenticeships, and industry-recognized credentialing.

2. Academic Advising, Master Scheduling, & Credentials

• Course Scheduling & Registration: Manage the student registration, course selection, and schedule adjustment process for grades 7-12. Coordinate closely with administration to build a student-centered master schedule.
• Graduation Tracking: Regularly audit student transcripts to guarantee that every student meets state graduation requirements.
• Accelerated Learning Placement: Identify and place eligible students in advanced courses, including Advanced Placement (AP), Concurrent College Credit enrollment, and honors classes.
• Academic Intervention: Utilize student data systems to identify academic deficiencies and design intentional interventions to guide struggling students back onto a graduation pathway.

3. State Testing & Program Compliance

• Comprehensive Counseling Plan: Assist in writing and updating the district’s Comprehensive School Counseling Plan, ensuring it is posted publicly on the district website by the state's August 1 deadline annually.
• 80/20 Time Rule: Adhere strictly to Arkansas Act 190 mandates, ensuring that at least 80% of monthly work hours are spent providing direct and indirect services to students, with no more than 20% allocated to administrative duties.
• Assessment Support: Assist with the administration and data interpretation of state-mandated assessments, as well as career/college aptitude tools (e.g., ACT, PreACT, ASVAB, and state-approved career exploration platforms).

4. Social-Emotional & Crisis Support (Indirect/Direct Services)

• Responsive Services: Provide short-term individual and small-group counseling to address barriers to learning, behavioral challenges, and peer relationships using the state’s G.U.I.D.E. for Life personal competency framework.
• Crisis Response: Intervene in crisis situations, performing threat/suicide assessments as required by state law, and provide appropriate referrals to community mental health agencies.

Minimum Qualifications & Job Requirements

• Education: Master’s Degree in School Counseling from an institution approved by the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
• Licensure: Valid Arkansas Educator License with a Standard School Counselor (K-12) endorsement.
• Background Clearances: Satisfactory completion of an FBI non-criminal, fingerprint-based background check and clear documentation from the Arkansas Child Maltreatment Central Registry.
• Skills:

• Proficiency with student information databases (e.g., eSchoolPLUS, Triand) and state-approved online college/career exploration platforms.
• Thorough knowledge of Arkansas requirements and higher education admission processes.
• Strong communication skills for hosting parent workshops, financial aid nights, and community career fairs.