Job Description

• Position Type: Student Support Services/ Guidance Counselor
• Date Posted: 10/6/2026
• Location: Barclay School

Position: Anticipated Elementary School Counselor

Closing Date: October 20, 2026

Location: Barclay Elementary School

Required Certification: NYS School Counselor Certification

Start Date: November 9, 2026

Position Overview: We are seeking a compassionate, student-centered, and highly motivated Elementary School Counselor to support the academic, social-emotional, and behavioral development of students. The counselor will provide developmentally appropriate prevention, early intervention, responsive services, and family support while working collaboratively with students, families, teachers, administrators, and community partners. The successful candidate will help create a safe, inclusive, and nurturing school environment in which all students can access learning and develop the skills necessary for school and life success.

Responsibilites:

1. Student Counseling and Support

• Provide developmentally appropriate individual and small-group counseling related to friendship skills, emotional regulation, grief, anxiety, family changes, attendance, behavior, and school adjustment.
• Build trusting relationships with students and help them develop self-awareness, self-advocacy, coping strategies, decision-making skills, and resilience.
• Support students during transitions, including entry into kindergarten, movement between grade levels, transfer into the district, and transition to middle school.

2. Classroom and Schoolwide Programming

• Deliver or coordinate classroom lessons aligned with a comprehensive school counseling program, including social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, personal safety, empathy, problem-solving, and responsible decision-making.
• Plan and support schoolwide prevention and belonging initiatives, including anti-bullying, character development, attendance improvement, and positive school climate efforts.
• Use age-appropriate resources and instructional strategies that are responsive to students' developmental, cultural, and individual needs.

3. Academic and Behavioral Support

• Collaborate with teachers and administrators to identify barriers to learning and develop practical supports that improve student engagement, attendance, behavior, and academic progress.
• Participate as appropriate in multi-tiered systems of support, child study, attendance, behavior support, and student problem-solving teams.
• Contribute counseling expertise to intervention planning and progress monitoring while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality.

4. Crisis Response and Student Safety

• Respond promptly to student crises, safety concerns, and significant changes in behavior; provide immediate support and follow district procedures for notification, documentation, referral, and follow-up.
• Assist with threat assessment, suicide risk response, mandated reporting, re-entry planning, and post-crisis support consistent with district protocols and applicable law.
• Coordinate referrals to school-based and community mental health, social service, and family support resources when student needs exceed the scope of school counseling services.

5. Family, Staff, and Community Collaboration

• Partner with parents and guardians to address student needs, strengthen home-school communication, and connect families with appropriate resources.
• Consult with teachers, related service providers, administrators, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and other staff to coordinate student supports.
• Serve as a liaison with community agencies and outside providers, with appropriate authorization, to promote continuity of care and student success.

6. Program Development, Data, and Professional Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and evaluate an elementary counseling program aligned with student needs, district priorities, and recognized professional standards.
• Use relevant student data to identify needs, prioritize services, monitor outcomes, and recommend program improvements while protecting student privacy.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records; follow ethical standards, district policies, and legal requirements; participate in professional learning, faculty meetings, committees, and school improvement initiatives.
• Perform other duties consistent with the role of an Elementary School Counselor as assigned by the building principal or district administration.

QUALIFICATIONS

• NYS State certification as a School Counselor.
• Previous experience working with children or adolescents in an educational setting is preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and build trusting relationships with students, parents, and staff.
• Knowledge of current counseling practices, behavioral management strategies, and educational resources.

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