Academic Guidance Counselor

WILLIAMSBURG CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

Academic Guidance Counselor

Reports to the Director of Student Support Services

History

Williamsburg Charter High School (WCHS) is a high-performing, public charter high school located in Brooklyn, New York. WCHS opened in August 2004 as the first Chancellor-authorized charter high school in the City of New York with a ninth-grade class of 131 students. Now in its eighth year of operation, WCHS has grown to serve approximately 944 students in grades nine through twelve. The school’s mission is to unite youth, families, staff, teachers, and the community at large in providing young people with the tools necessary to make sense of the world and prepare them in their journey to become skilled workers and literate citizens of the world.  Young people will accomplish this through their participation in a rigorous and demanding liberal arts education that includes language, literature, writing, science, history, mathematics, the arts, technology, and exploration in disciplines designed to teach fairness, justice, respect, and compassion for themselves and others, as well as the skills of critical thinking, communication and research. 

Williamsburg Charter High School provides a broad liberal arts academic program to the high-school-age youth of north Brooklyn. School programs are individualized to connect to each student’s particular level of development, including English Language Learners and students with Special Education Services. Further, WCHS provides supportive relationships with faculty, extended instructional periods, and opportunities after-school and on Saturdays for additional academic support. Social and emotional support is also available to students to ensure their non-academic needs are addressed. Students are accepted to WCHS through a random lottery with no minimum requirements, tests, or auditions required to gain entrance, and, as a public charter school, there is no tuition.

The Williamsburg Charter High Schools seeks individuals who:

• Are committed to providing students with a highly rigorous academic experience.
• Enjoy working in a highly collaborative, professional setting as well as independently.
• Are sensitive to the unique needs of the community they serve as well as the complex issues that are present for urban youth and their families.
• Engage a youth development approach in their interactions with young people by being sensitive to the developmental needs of individual students. 
• Are passionate and positive about school culture.
• Take full responsibility for students’ achievement.
• Act as professional role models for students.
• Are reflective and willing to improve upon their practice through professional development and support.
• Manage time, resources, and technology effectively to ensure that they can complete all required responsibilities.
• Use objective data as well as anecdotal information to gauge student performance.
• See their work as a career and a lifestyle, not just as a job.  They should be willing to take time before and after school to complete their responsibilities such as lesson planning, supporting struggling students, and grading student work. 
• Believe deeply in the transformative power of education for all students, families, and educators.

Duties for Academic Guidance Counselors

• Providing direct individual and group academic counseling to students
• Create and maintain the academic programs for the students in their grade in full compliance with New York State and Believe High Schools graduation requirements and that are aligned with the student’s interests and learning profile
• Assist students in the process of solving school-related problems (academic, personal/social career.
• Use Blackbaud technology for up-to-date student record keeping
• Direct students to specific individuals and resources as needed including specialized summer programs and enrichment programs such as College Now and “MS Squared”
• Engage in data tracking of academic data (student pass rates, Regents scores, etc.)
• Communicate regularly with their Grade Director and grade level teachers as needed to meet the needs of the students in their grade
• Create lists of students for standardized testing (number of students who need to re-take Regents, etc.) in a timely manner and disseminate results to families as needed
• Coordinate Compensatory Education Services to suspended students as well as homebound instruction for students on long-term absences
• Doing transcript reviews at regular intervals (as determined by the Registrar) to ensure compliance and completeness
• Program Summer School and reach out to families with Summer School related information
• Assisting transfer students with transitioning to the school, ensuring that the school has all of their prior records on file and that their previous credits are entered into Blackbaud, and preparing a transfer credit profile for the Registrar.
• In consult with Special Education and AIS staff, facilitate the placement of academically struggling students in academic support programs
• Evaluate standardized testing data at the grade level and at the individual level and recommend changes to the instructional program if necessary
• Conduct orientation meetings with students to provide information about scheduling and graduation requirements
• Meet with families to get them information about programming and requirements
• Ensuring compliance and confidentiality in all services provided to students
• Assisting with training and professional development for teachers and staff that relate to issues of academic guidance and student development.
• Assisting at workshops for families and students that have to do with issues of academic guidance 
• Assisting with the creation and maintenance of a college-going culture for all students

Academic Guidance counselors should be adept at:

· Identifying student and staff needs and designing programs and interventions to meet these needs.

· Understanding and implementing a data-driven approach to school information management

· Communicating promptly, clearly, and frequently with students, staff, and families.

·         Problem-solving.

·         Embracing and embodying the mission of the school as well as demonstrating full awareness of the school’s policies and procedures.

·         Demonstrating a highly professional approach in dealings with students, staff, and families.

·         Being sensitive to the developmental needs of adolescent students at different phases of their social and educational development.

Specific Duties

Academic Guidance Counselors will be required to:

• Be present and participate in Professional Development sessions provided by the school throughout the school year, summer orientation, or end-of-the-year wrap-up. 
• Participate in all assemblies, parent conferences, meetings, and activities offered at the school.
• Participate in focus groups, evaluations, and committees as requested to assist with the constant improvement of the school as a whole. 
• Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the Believe High Schools Student Life Guide, Teacher Handbook, and Personnel Handbook.
• Read all communications from the Believe High School staff and respond as needed or required in a timely manner. 
• Any other duties that are necessary to achieve the mission of the Believe High Schools.

• Experience using a student management system for course scheduling (preferably PowerSchool)
• Experience with high school students, preferably urban students
• Knowledge of the New York State High School Graduation Requirements
• Able to work independently or with a group
• Organized with time management skills
• Spanish bilingual preferred

Education and Credentials

• Master’s degree in education 
• New York State fingerprint clearance
• Master’s Degree in School Counseling; Preferred
• Provisional Certification (K-12) in School Counseling Preferred