Anticipated Openings for 2026-27 SY: School Counselor

Duties and Responsibilities:

Plan, provide, and coordinate short-term individual and/or group counseling to students referred by the building principal, teachers, Act 89 staff, SAP Team, and/or parents.

Examples of problems that might be referred to the counselor:

Bullying/Cyberbullying

Separation/divorce issues

Dealing with grief/loss

Study skills/organization

Poor social skills

Anger management

Poor impulse control/attention issues

Self esteem

School refusal/attendance

Poor coping skills

Transition planning

Students involved in counseling services outside of school may be seen by the school counselor if the child is having academic/behavioral difficulties that interfere with his learning or the learning of others.

Plan, coordinate and facilitate whole class developmental guidance lessons based upon the needs of the school and consultation with the building principal & teachers.

Examples of topics addressed through developmental guidance include, but are not limited to:

Study skills/organization

Developing social skills

Anger management

Conflict resolution/problem-solving

Identification of feelings

Making and keeping friends

Career development

Goal setting and planning

Developing coping skills

Middle School to High School planning

Annually review and facilitate the referral process for counseling services by meeting with building principals, teachers, Act 89 staff, and parents.

Attend and participate in the SAP process by analyzing data, providing solutions/strategies, and planning appropriate services/resources for all children referred.

Maintain regular communication and consultation with building principals, teachers, Act 89 staff, Equitable Participation (EP) staff, parents, SAP teams, and local service agency personnel.

Observation of students in academic and non-academic settings to assist in the development of strategies and interventions to best meet the needs of students experiencing academic, behavioral and/or social difficulties.

Assist building principal, SAP team, teachers, and parents with procedural guidelines for referring students to EP or the student’s school district of residence for formal psycho-educational testing to address academic and/or behavioral concerns.

Assist building principal, SAP team, teachers, and parents with referring students to appropriate agencies (mental health, drug & alcohol, etc.) in cases where school counseling may not address the student’s needs.

Maintain NPSP Counselor documentation to track student referrals, sessions, and other contacts..

Maintain equipment (includes cell phone, computers, printers, etc.) and supplies inventory annually.

Maintain all required certifications and mandated trainings.

Other guidance-related duties may be assigned as deemed necessary.

Qualifications

Educational Specialist Certificate, Elementary Counselor (K-6) and Secondary School Counselor (6-12) are required.

Experience in public or private school as a counselor or teacher is preferred.

Ability to recognize, categorize, and coordinate appropriate services to address treatable problem areas in a child’s academic, emotional, and social development.

Clinical skills in differentiating typical (developmental) from atypical (non-developmental) behaviors.

Training and experience in Student Assistance Program (SAP) and Crisis Intervention is preferred.

Excellent organizational skills, initiative, and an ability to work with limited supervision.

Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Ability and experience in working as a member of a team.

Skilled in the use of Microsoft Office Suite including Word, PowerPoint, Access, Excel and Outlook, and willingness to experiment and work with new technologies.

Ability to comply with the AIU Conduct policy

Additional Requirements

Current Act 114, Act 34 and Act 151 required prior to an offer (Must be dated within 1 year of hire date).

School Personnel Health Record (Form H511.340) must be completed and received by Human Resources prior to hire date.

Working Conditions:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Sitting for extended period of time

Lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling 35 pounds

Ability to kneel, crouch, bend and reach to retrieve and handle teaching materials and supplies

Moving fingers and hands in a repetitive manner

Ability to speak clearly and distinctly when communicating with limited English speaking customers

Hearing clearly

Adequate vision to perform duties

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

Disclaimer: The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required of this position.

Reports To: Program Director of Educational Support Services Department: NPSP

The Allegheny Intermediate Unit is an equal opportunity education institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, handicap, or limited English proficiency in its educational programs, services, facilities, activities or employment practices as required by Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Section 504 Regulations of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1975, Section 204 Regulations of the 1984 Carl D. Perkins Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or any other applicable federal or state statute.