School Counselor - Term of Project - Alabama Connections Academy

Company Summary: Alabama Connections Academy (ALCA) is a tuition-free, online public school serving students in grades K–12 across Alabama. ALCA is authorized by the Limestone County School District, and began serving students in the 2017-18 school year. The school contracts with Connections Education LLC to provide its educational program and other services. Connections Academy, a division of Connections Education, is accredited by AdvancED. Alabama Connections Academy strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we serve. We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Position and Responsibilities: This position is working with Alabama Connections Academy. From our office in Athens or from your home office within the state, the Term of Project School Counselor will assist students and parents/learning coaches with course selection, scheduling and will be the initial point of contact for student concerns that span multiple subject areas as well as non-academic issues. The Term of Project School Counselor will become an expert on course and credit requirements and will work with the Manager of Counseling Services to establish counseling processes for middle and high school students. The Term of Project School Counselor will be responsible for the successful completion of the following tasks:

• Advise students and families related to academics, career planning and graduation;
• Keep abreast of all high school graduation requirements, including special requirements such as community service, and communicate this information to the High School Coordinator and to the principal;
• Assist students and parents with the secondary school course selection process according to specific state credit and graduation requirements and student needs and interests. An integral part of this process is assisting students and parents to develop a Four Year Plan for meeting graduation requirements;
• Advise students with issues related to dropping courses and changing schedules, seeking support as needed, while ensuring that the school’s course selection and drop policies are adhered to;
• Review student transcripts and the entry of credits into the online transcript system;
• Follow procedures to ensure that Connections Academy transcripts are accurate and up-to-date;
• Work with the administrative assistants to obtain school records from the student’s previous school (where applicable) and forwarding student records when appropriate;
• Implement programs for students and families related to interpersonal adjustment issues;
• Work with school teams to identify and help families access school and community resources;
• Participate in the development of crisis prevention and management plans for the school and serve as a key member of the Student Support Team (SST);
• Coordinate a team of middle and high school teachers to help identify students who are “at risk” or “in crisis”; Act as the main point of contact for these students and families, communicating regularly with them;
• Oversee and maintain the Personal Learning Plan (PLP) for each student;
• Implement efforts to secure complete and accurate records for Connections Academy students;
• Support families through the school withdrawal process, assisting with data collection regarding withdrawal;
• Report and refer critical incidents that jeopardize student well-being as obligated by law, administrative regulations, or ethical standards. Stay abreast of all state regulations relating to incident reporting and documentation;
• Assist teachers when students enroll mid-semester, making sure that teachers receive guidance on integrating the students into their coursework, and ensuring that previous grades, credits, and evaluations are handled appropriately;
• Communicate with the Curriculum Team to ensure that curriculum offerings meet state requirements;
• Implement special programs such as Advanced Placement support, SAT and ACT Preparation, and college entrance preparation;
• Understand the requirements for and assist the principal to facilitate the administration of all high school testing, including exit exams, PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams;
• Help students to research and understand their post-secondary career and educational options;
• Assist with student preparation of applications for college and jobs;
• Educate students and parents about college admissions requirements and financial aid;
• Support professional development activities for teachers and school staff members;
• Assume teaching and grading duties as necessary including teaching middle school elective courses;
• Coordinate high school graduation ceremonies;
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Must reside within the state of Alabama
• Alabama certification in School Counseling
• Strong technology skills (especially with Microsoft Office products)
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
• Customer focused approach
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational skills
• High degree of flexibility
• Team player with demonstrated leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to work well in fast-paced environment
• Willingness to travel on occasion for marketing and state testing events (may require occasional overnight travel)

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