Director Of Counseling 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. 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 Counseling will: Program Development and Management: Develop, implement, and oversee a comprehensive PK-12 counseling program that aligns with state and national standards, as well as the district goals. Ensure that counseling services promote the academic achievement, personal development, and career readiness of students. Support school-based 504 coordinators with the training, writing, and implementation of 504 Accommodation Plans. Attend meetings as requested. Evaluate and implement programs aligned with the district's social emotional goals and objectives. Team Leadership and Supervision: Assist school principals and other school and district administration with interviewing and recommending qualified candidates for school counseling and support staff positions. Contribute to evaluations of building based counselors with onsite administration as requested. Evaluate district adjustment counselors, behavior interventionists and substance abuse prevention support staff. Provide ongoing professional development and guidance to counselors to enhance their skills and knowledge. Ensures that the evaluation process is aligned with Massachusetts school counselor standards. Student Support and Counseling: Collaborate with counselors to provide individual and group counseling to students as needed, addressing academic, career, and personal issues. Ensure a proactive and responsive approach to addressing the mental health and social-emotional needs of students. Visits schools and observes on a regular basis to ensure consistency of implementation of the school counseling program. Consult with counselors and administration on 504 implementation for specific students. Collaboration and Communication: Work closely with teachers, administrators, and parents to create a supportive and collaborative environment that maximizes student success. Facilitate communication between students, parents, and staff to address student needs and concerns. Collaborate with Family engagement facilitator and other district departments to improve and maintain the physical and mental well being of students, staff and the larger community. Data Analysis and Program Evaluation: Collect and analyze data to assess the effectiveness of counseling services and make data-driven decisions to improve programs. Prepare regular reports on counseling program outcomes and student success. Compliance and Regulatory Adherence: Ensure that the counseling program complies with relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards. Community Engagement: Collaborate with community organizations, mental health providers, and other external resources to enhance support services for students and families.
Required Minimum Qualifications:- A master's degree in counseling or a related field.
- Valid DESE licensure as a School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker.
- Independently licensed clinician (LICSW or LMHC)
- Valid DESE licensure as a Supervisor/Director (School Counselor Director) or as a school administrator required
- Several years of experience as a school counselor, with a demonstrated record of increasing responsibility.
- Strong leadership and management skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Knowledge of current counseling practices, educational standards, and mental health support services.
- Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
- Ability to create and/or manage timelinesADA 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, 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.
