Director of Counseling

TITLE: DIRECTOR OF COUNSELING

TYPE: Individual Contract

SALARY: Per Individual Contract

STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Assistant Superintendent for Student Support Services

OBJECTIVE:

The Director of Counseling will be responsible for providing leadership and guidance to a team of school counselors and support staff throughout the district. The primary objective is to create a supportive and inclusive counseling program that fosters the academic and social emotional growth of all students throughout Chicopee Public Schools. The Director of Counseling will collaborate with various stakeholders including but not limited to students parents teachers administrators and community partners to ensure a comprehensive and effective school counseling program that addresses the unique needs of students at all grade levels.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The essential duties and responsibilities listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar related or a logical assignment to the position.

The Director of Counselingwill:

Program Development and Management:

1. Develop implement and oversee a comprehensive PK-12 counseling programthat aligns with state and national standards as well as the district goals.
2. Ensure that counseling services promote the academic achievement personaldevelopment and career readiness of students.
3. Support school-based 504 coordinators with the training writing andimplementation of 504 Accommodation Plans. Attend meetings as requested.
4. Evaluate and implement programs aligned with the districts social emotionalgoals and objectives.

Team Leadership and Supervision:

1. Assist school principals and other school and district administration withinterviewing and recommending qualified candidates for school counseling and support staff positions.
2. Contribute to evaluations of building based counselors with onsite administrationas requested.
3. Evaluate district adjustment counselors behavior interventionists and substanceabuse prevention support staff.
4. Provide ongoing professional development and guidance to counselors toenhance their skills and knowledge.
5. Ensures that the evaluation process is aligned with Massachusetts schoolcounselor standards.

Student Support and Counseling:

1. Collaborate with counselors to provide individual and group counseling tostudents as needed addressing academic career and personal issues.
2. Ensure a proactive and responsive approach to addressing the mental health andsocial-emotional needs of students.
3. Visits schools and observes on a regular basis to ensure consistency ofimplementation of the school counseling program.
4. Consult with counselors and administration on 504 implementation for specificstudents.

Collaboration and Communication:

1. Work closely with teachers administrators and parents to create a supportiveand collaborative environment that maximizes student success.
2. Facilitate communication between students parents and staff to addressstudent needs and concerns.
3. Collaborate with Family engagement facilitator and other district departments toimprove and maintain the physical and mental well being of students staff and the larger community.

Data Analysis and Program Evaluation:

1. Collect and analyze data to assess the effectiveness of counseling services andmake data-driven decisions to improve programs.
2. Prepare regular reports on counseling program outcomes and student success.

Compliance and Regulatory Adherence:

• Ensure that the counseling program complies with relevant laws regulations andethical standards.

Community Engagement:

• Collaborate with community organizations mental health providers and otherexternal resources to enhance support services for students and families.

REQUIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

1. A masters degree in counseling or a related field.
2. Valid DESE licensure as a School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker.
3. Independently licensed clinician (LICSW or LMHC)
4. Valid DESE licensure as a Supervisor/Director (School Counselor Director) or as a schooladministrator required
5. Several years of experience as a school counselor with a demonstrated record ofincreasing responsibility.
6. Strong leadership and management skills.
7. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
8. Knowledge of current counseling practices educational standards and mental healthsupport services.
9. Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders including students parentsteachers and administrators.
10. Ability to create and/or manage timelines

ADA AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment including computers copiers adding machines etc. Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift carry push and pull or otherwise move objects including the human body. Must be able to stand crouch squat and bend over for a long period of time at intervals throughout the day.
• Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable functional structural or composite characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data people or things.
• Interpersonal Communication: Requires the ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions assignments or directions to subordinates or assistants.
• Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence reports forms newsletters schedules manuals invoices requisitions menus recipes journals etc. Requires the ability to prepare correspondence reports forms evaluations procedures charts surveys articles bid specifications brochures news releases handbooks budgets etc. using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation grammar diction and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise voice control and confidence.
• Intelligence: Requires the ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems collect data establish facts and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information to explain procedures to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including medical legal accounting and marketing terminology.
• Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; and to apply the principles of algebra and geometry.
• Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length width and shape. Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment.
• Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as office equipment and hand tools. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
• Interpersonal: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with emergency situations.
• Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.) Must be able to communicate via telephone.

Required Experience:

Director