School Counselor (K–8)
Reports To
Director or Designee
Position Summary
The School Counselor is responsible for designing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes the academic, career, and social-emotional development of all students. The counselor serves as a leader, advocate, and collaborator who works closely with students, families, teachers, administrators, and community partners to remove barriers to learning and ensure student success.
This position is aligned with the North Carolina Professional School Counselor Standards, the ASCA National Model, and all applicable federal and state laws, policies, and ethical standards.
Essential Duties and ResponsibilitiesStandard 1: Demonstrate Leadership, Advocacy, and Collaboration
The School Counselor:
- Leads the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program aligned with school improvement goals.
- Serves as an advocate for equitable educational opportunities and student success.
- Collaborates with administrators, teachers, families, and community agencies to support student achievement.
- Participates as a member of the school's leadership, MTSS, Student Support, and problem-solving teams.
- Uses student data to identify barriers to learning and develop interventions.
- Promotes a positive, safe, and inclusive school climate.
- Supports initiatives that improve attendance, behavior, academic performance, and school connectedness.
Standard 2: Promote a Respectful Environment for Diverse Populations
The School Counselor:
- Builds positive relationships with students and families from diverse backgrounds.
- Provides culturally responsive counseling services.
- Promotes equity and inclusion for all students.
- Assists families in accessing school and community resources.
- Helps create an environment that values diversity and individual differences.
Standard 3: Support Student Learning
The School Counselor:
- Provides individual and small-group counseling based on identified student needs.
- Delivers classroom guidance lessons focused on:
- Social-emotional learning
- Character education
- Conflict resolution
- Bullying prevention
- College and career awareness
- Academic success skills
- Assists students in developing educational and personal goals.
- Implements evidence-based interventions that support academic achievement and emotional wellness.
- Provides crisis prevention, intervention, and follow-up services.
Standard 4: Facilitate the Delivery of a Comprehensive School Counseling Program
The School Counselor:
Program Planning- Develops and annually updates a comprehensive counseling program aligned with the ASCA National Model and North Carolina Comprehensive School Counseling Standards.
- Establishes measurable annual program goals.
- Develops and maintains a yearly counseling calendar.
- Conducts needs assessments to identify student priorities.
- Evaluates program effectiveness using student outcome data.
Counseling Services- Provides short-term individual counseling.
- Facilitates small-group counseling.
- Provides classroom guidance lessons.
- Makes referrals to community agencies and mental health providers when appropriate.
Student Support Services- Coordinates interventions through the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).
- Participates in Student Support Team meetings.
- Assists with attendance improvement initiatives.
- Supports behavior intervention planning.
- Collaborates with Exceptional Children staff and other student service personnel.
- Assists in identifying students needing additional academic, behavioral, or emotional support.
Consultation- Consults regularly with teachers regarding student concerns.
- Provides parent conferences and family support.
- Collaborates with administrators regarding student services.
- Coordinates communication among school personnel, parents, and outside agencies.
Standard 5: Reflect on Practice
The School Counselor: