K-8 School Counselor - Palouse Prairie Charter School

Job Description:

Provide emotional and academic counseling and guidance, individual and group, for students, and

consultations, coordination, and information services for students, staff, and parents consistent with district

benchmarks for comprehensive guidance and counseling.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

● Ability to use effective oral and written communication skills.

● Ability to listen and react professionally.

● Ability to give and take directions.

● Ability to remain flexible to changes in assignments or situations.

● Ability to work independently.

● Ability to set priorities.

● Ability to maintain accurate records.

● Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.

● Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff, parent, and

community.

● Ability to deal with staff and others in a warm andconfident manner.

● Ability to accept responsibility and make decisions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

● Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university, minimum.

● Demonstrated communication skills: written with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and

grammar, using all parts of speech; speaking withpoise, voice control and confidence, using

correct English.

● Demonstrates high energy and professionalism.

● Apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or

diagrammatic form.

● Read a variety of materials with understanding.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

● Three years of counseling experience in public schools

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

● Idaho Pupil Personnel Services Certificate endorsed for Counselor K-12.

● Must be able to pass all applicable background checks.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

ENVIRONMENT:

Office environment: constant interruptions.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

Requires frequent standing, walking, and sitting. Be able to work efficiently while experiencing frequent

interruptions and schedule changes. Required to deal with a wide range of situations, behaviors and

information.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

● Provides individual and group educational and social-personal counseling for all students.

● Provide students with mental health guidance.

● Implement social and emotional curriuclum in classrooms

● Ability to handle high pressure situations.

● Communicate effectively with district staff.

● Provides for developmental classroom-guidance activities.

● Consults with parents regarding parenting concerns and problems that are related to students’ school

adjustment and performance.

● Works with teachers and principal to create a positive learning environment throughout the school.

● Identifies and refers children in need of specializedservices and instruction.

● Helps with orientation of students involved in grade level changes, transfer, and entry within and

outside the district.

● Ability to relate in a positive way to the full range of students staff, parents, and community.

● Ability to work cooperatively with other staff, administrator, and support personnel in a team

approach to solve individual learning problems.

● Ability to apply group problem solving and team development skills while working with a variety of

groups.

● Ability to maintain confidentiality

Why Teach at Palouse Prairie Charter School?

EL Education schools were founded on the ideals of Outward Bound and organize their curriculum around

rigorous, multidisciplinary learning units called expeditions. The PPCS faculty enjoy a high degree of

autonomy and responsibility in all aspects of the school program, including team-teaching; caring for

students; developing curriculum and standards; leading students in service on and off campus; experiential

methods of learning in environments outside the classroom;participating in shared decision-making; and

engaging in professional development.

What Makes a Good PPCS Teacher?

Each Palouse Prairie teacher has a profound respect for the life of the child and believes that all youngpeople

are capable of great intellectual achievement andprofound compassion. Palouse Prairie teachers are familiar

with research on the teaching of reading, writing,math, and science, and they are comfortable with

collaborative curriculum planning, working with students from various learning backgrounds, team-teaching,

and working together with parents to help students achieve academic and personal success. In addition, the

Palouse Prairie faculty is creative, innovative, and caring. The school community actively encourages teachers

to remain intellectually engaged in their individual content areas as well as creatively inspires faculty to take on

new intellectual and social challenges while continuing to hone their practice as teachers.

Teaching Positions at Palouse Prairie Charter School:

PPCS prefers candidates with the following qualifications:

● Current K-8 Idaho Teaching Certificate with a focus on Health Enhancement and Physical

Education

● Appreciation for the life and mind of the child

● Sense of humor and a high level of energy, enthusiasm,flexibility, and spontaneity

● Teaching experience at the appropriate grade levels consistent with PPCS’s constructivist,

project-based educational philosophy

● Understanding of how to pinpoint each student’s strengths and weaknesses and then apply

differential instructional practices to meet the diverse learning needs of each student

● Ability to manage student behavior in a caring, compassionate, effective manner

● Strong desire to teach in a demanding, cutting-edge program in which all aspects of school life are

open for discussion, reflection, and continuous improvement

● Collaborative approach to working with a diverse population of children and adults

● Deep and abiding sense of inquiry

Position open until filled.

Compensation

Depends on Experience, we will follow the Idaho State Department of Education Career Ladder. Employee

benefits include; medical, dental, and optional vision insurance coverage as well as payment into the state

employees’ retirement plan (PERSI).

Extensive on-site professional development delivered by EL Education school designers, and opportunities

for off-site professional development opportunities at EL Education Institutes, Site Seminars, and

Conferences (PPCS pays for courses, airfare, lodging, substitute teacher, and daily per diem)