Guidance and Career Counseling
Our Mission:
The School District of Indian River County's Comprehensive School Counseling Program is a comprehensive plan addressing the academic, career, and personal/social development of our diverse student population. School counselors assist in facilitating program goals and objectives which contribute to the district's mission of all students meeting with success, the pursuit of life-long learning and becoming contributing members of our community.
The comprehensive plan outlines the Florida Sunshine State Standards which ensures accountability to meet all state mandates. School counselors in the School District of Indian River County adhere to Florida's School Counseling and Guidance Framework Program Standards and to the Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
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What Do School Counselors Do?
The school counselor is a certified professional through the Florida Department of Education and uses the three helping processes of counseling, consultation, and coordination in his/her work with students, staff, parents, and the community. The four program components of a comprehensive school counseling program provide the context for the school counselor's role responsibilities. They include the Guidance Curriculum, Individual Planning, Responsive Services, and System Support.
The school counselor implements the Guidance Curriculum through small and large group learning activities planned in conjunction with school staff and administration. The student competencies to be addressed through the scope and sequence and other program components are identified and prioritized based on needs assessment data at each school community. The counselor consults with staff to facilitate the infusion of scope and sequence learning activities into the regular curriculum.
Through Individual Planning the counselor assists students in monitoring and managing their educational and career plans. Students, in collaboration with parents/guardians, are assisted in developing educational and career plans through assessment, advisement, and identification of short and long-range goals. The individual planning system provides students in middle school and high school with the necessary forms and procedures that will enable them to record, monitor, and update their educational and career plans on a systematic basis as they move through the school system and anticipate their next steps as they leave school. Educational and vocational information resources are made available to students. Students are informed of options and opportunities available through Workforce Development. The counselor, staff and administration work together in addressing the placement needs of all students. Counselors assist students in making transitions.
The counselor provides Responsive Services through consultation, small group counseling, crisis interventions, individual counseling, and family counseling to meet the immediate needs and concerns of students. The counselor consults with teachers, staff, and parents regarding meeting the developmental needs of students. The counselor works with the school support team/core team; participates in staffings; conducts inservice programs for faculty; facilitates conferences with staff, students, and parents; presents or provides opportunities for parent education programs; and assists families with school related problems. The counselor may refer students, in consultation with their parents, to appropriate community resources.
Through System Support activities the counselor maintains, enhances, and evaluates the school counseling program. Guided by a professional development plan, the counselor updates professional knowledge and skills. He/she advocates for the counseling program through information provided to students, staff, families, community, and the school district. In regular consultation with staff, the counselor provides and receives information on the evolving needs of students. He/she networks with the community to establish links for support and involvement. Time is spent planning and managing the tasks needed to support the activities of the counseling program. Prior to each school year a master calendar is developed. Also included are responsibilities that need to be fulfilled as a member of the school staff. The quality of the counseling program is continuously improved through program assessment, planning, and evaluation. The counselor, as a human relations specialist, is able to facilitate systemic change within the school. School counselors, understandably, will spend different amounts of time at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in carrying out their responsibilities in each component area.
What Do Career Specialists Do?
The high school career specialist is a part of the guidance team and an integral part of the total education program. The career specialist is to implement a comprehensive counseling program to prepare students for the ever changing world of the 21st century. Counselors proactively implement a 9-12 guidance curriculum to enhance academic achievement, personal/social, and career development.
Job Responsibilities
- Participate in student recruitment, assessment, orientation, counseling, and participation in Career and technical programs
- Coordinate efforts to provide all students with job-seeking and job-retention skills
- Guide and counsel groups of individual students through the development of educational and career plans.
- Consult with teachers, parents, administrators, and appropriate staff to meet the career development needs of students.
- Maintain all materials and oversee all operations in the career center.
- Coordinate, conduct or participate in activities which contribute to the effective operation of the school:
- Maintain certification including ongoing professional development to stay current.
Take a moment to thank the student services staff and school counselors for their commitment to helping students!