Job Title: School Counselor
Reports to: Director of Student Services
Terms and Conditions: Full-time; 10 months, 193 days
(teacher work year of 183 days plus ten additional days)
Salary: Per Faculty Senate collective bargaining agreement.
Please click here for more information regarding salary and benefits.
FLSA Status: Exempt

OPRF – WHO WE ARE…
Oak Park and River Forest High School, or OPRFHS, is a comprehensive public high school located in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb eight miles due west of downtown Chicago. We are a one-school district, with the majority of our students coming from two sender districts, River Forest Public Schools District 90 and Oak Park Elementary School District 97. We offer more than 200 courses, a variety of programs for students with special needs, over 75 clubs and activities, and 29 competitive sports. We prepare our students well for post-secondary success, with an average ACT composite score of 24 and a 94% graduation rate.

Oak Park and River Forest are communities that highly value diversity. OPRFHS is a founding member of the national Minority Student Achievement Network, and our school is racially and economically diverse, with about 44% of our 3,300 students identifying as African-American, Hispanic, multiracial, or Asian. Our villages have long embraced the LGBTQ community, and we have a significant mix of homeowners and renters.

We seek faculty and staff who have high expectations for all students, and who value student voice in education. As a school, we are particularly focused on closing opportunity gaps for our students of color.

OPRFHS is an equal opportunity employer that provides equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. OPRF's goal is to increase its representation of people of color.

Background:
Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is a progressive district that is focused not only on our tradition of excellence but our future. The District prides itself in offering our students a comprehensive 9-12 college and career readiness curriculum and a rich and diverse education program. Our students are curious, creative, and they come ready to learn. More than 90 percent of our students go on to a two- or four-year college experience.

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 believes that we can "become an ever-improving model of equity and excellence that will enable all students to achieve their full potential." We can accomplish this through dedicated teachers, staff, and administration who build relationships with students and have high expectations for themselves and their students. We believe in planning for and providing the academic and developmental support students need to meet those expectations. We further believe that every student can learn through exposure to academically challenging content, feedback during learning, and the educator's knowledge and skill.

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is a great place for those who are interested in an environment that supports creativity, leadership at all levels, innovation, a focus on professional and curriculum development, and the best practices of instruction. We are currently seeking individuals to join our team where we enable all students to achieve their full potential every day.

Position Summary:
The Counselor at Oak Park and River Forest High School demonstrates leadership, advocacy, and collaboration while working with faculty, staff, parents, and students to provide services that promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs. The Counselor develops, implements, and evaluates services provided by a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, post-secondary, and personal and social development for all students.

Qualifications and Skills

The Ideal Candidate will:

Possess a School Support Personnel License with a School Counselor endorsement;
Will demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong organizational ability, engaging interpersonal skills, and the ability to meet deadlines;
Has experience in college admissions or high school college counseling, teaching experience, strong presentation skills, and excellent computer skills;
Have the ability to respond effectively to the needs of a diverse and demanding student and parent population;
Possess a broad knowledge of the school’s academic programs, college admission and financial aid policies and procedures for an array of colleges;
Have knowledge and understanding of school-based interventions determined through the weekly MTSS team process;
Understand and implement counseling theory and practice;
Meet the needs of high school age students and their families;
Innovation, enthusiasm, energy, and flexibility in the school environment the ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary Student Support Team;
Have strong organizational / time management skills, the ability to be adaptable to changing situations and priorities, and;
Be able to meet tight deadlines; a collaborative working style and strong work ethic; and a commitment to professional growth.

Position Responsibilities:

Possess an ability to build strong rapport with students of all backgrounds and foster a safe environment for them to discuss academic, personal, and social-emotional issues.
Demonstrate an understanding of the learning process and the academic environment while developing programs, courses of study, and interventions that promote the achievement of all students.
Appropriately address issues of diversity, cultural difference, and equity.
As part of a grade-level team, plan and design developmental grade-level counseling curriculum based upon knowledge of the students, the community, and the overall educational program that develops academic, personal and social, and career competencies of all students.
Develop and schedule students' 4-year course of study and will track graduation requirements for all students on their caseload.
Provide direct counseling to individual students and small groups and provide appropriate referral services.
Complete the assessments, referrals, and counseling of students and families.
Will meet with students as needed and as a part of larger department goals, and will track contact with student, family, and school personnel in Skyward (or other SIS), including both direct and indirect services.
Consult with other professional staff, outside agencies, and other organizations.
Serve as a member of the Student Support Services Team, grade-level TCT (Teacher Collaborative Teams), and other school based committees, working collaboratively to plan and problem-solve. Will be knowledgeable in MTSS practices and tier-based intervention tools and will be able to analyze and interpret school-wide data to help identify and assign students with appropriate academic or social-emotional interventions.
Operate as the case manager for students with a Section 504 Education Plan.
Provide information to support special education students.
Meet with students and parents (individually and in groups) to provide information and assistance about post-secondary options, including the college application process, individual college choices, trade and career exploration, and financial aid.
Develop and demonstrate an understanding of the overall educational system within the Oak Park and River Forest communities. Engage in planning and management tasks needed to support district and department / division goals and objectives.
Maintain and share information with other counselors related to colleges, trade and career information, gap year programs, military options, summer opportunities, scholarships (both post-secondary and summer), and financial aid.
Meet with college admissions representatives and military recruiters who visit our campus, and facilitate meetings between college representatives and students.
Work with the Registrar to enroll students, determine graduation eligibility, and maintain records, including GPAs and transcripts.
Write official recommendation letters for students by gathering information from the student, parents and guardians, teachers, and school records.
Develop and attend informational presentations to parents and community members, such as the presentations to parents of 8th graders, parents of juniors and seniors, new parents, Community Council, and other school-based organizations.
Keep abreast of issues and trends in school counseling, trade and career information, college admissions, higher education, testing, specific colleges and maintain membership in professional organizations such as the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Maintain awareness of current legal issues and ethical guidelines of various professions and act accordingly.
Utilize SchooLinks in your work with students, including the college application process, career and post-secondary planning, and the Four-Year Plan. Counselors should be knowledgeable of the surveys and assessments in SchooLinks and work with their TCT to incorporate these items into grade-level curriculum.
Demonstrate a working knowledge of the ASCA National Model and maintain an awareness of the standards outlined by ASCA; uphold the standards and obligations outlined in NACAC’s Code of Ethics and Professional Practices.
Maintain and disseminate information about standardized tests such as SAT, ACT, AP, PSAT, Pre-ACT, etc.
Maintain awareness of current legal and ethical guidelines
Other duties as assigned within the typical scope of School Counselor responsibilities.

Physical/Visual Demands:
No unusual physical or visual demands.

Environmental Conditions:
Responsibilities are conducted in a single high school district with standard office conditions. Offices may be with or without windows.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive listing of the duties performed in this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.

Oak Park & River Forest High School District 200 (OPRF) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This position description should not be considered to contain every function/responsibility that an individual may be asked to perform by his/her supervisor. Employees are expected to perform other related functions as assigned.