Middle School Counselor

Educational Talent Search (ETS) is a federal TRIO Program funded through the U. S. Department of Education to provide academic, career, and financial counseling to eligible middle and high school students and to encourage them to graduate from high school and pursue their post-secondary education. ETS consists of a Middle School Component that serves 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in five Hampton City schools. The Middle School Advisor plans and facilitates workshops for students, parents, and occasionally school administrators. The Middle School Adviser provides vital college access resources for Talent Search participants and their families. In addition to workshops, Advisers are responsible for ensuring the success of a cohort of 270 students through academic advising, outreach, program recruitment, and assisting in program planning/management of program including free tutoring, annual college tours, Financial Aid and Financial Literacy seminars, and career and academic workshops.

Duties and Responsibilities
The Middle School Counselor is a full time employee who reports to the Program Director and performs the following duties:

• Recruit eligible students into the TS program and develop and implement targeted academic interventions for eligible students.
• Develop and maintain relationships with school sites and administration to effectively administer programs and establish ETS presence at designated schools.

• Educate students and parents about colleges, the college admissions process, trends, procedures, and testing; advise students on course selection, goal setting; and helping students and families aspire to successfully complete school and transition to high school.

• Make presentations to student/parent groups and help students apply for admission and secure financial aid for postsecondary education, to include providing information on scholarships, loans, grants, work study, and other financial assistance programs.

• Coordinates and implement counseling services and activities that assist students in their adjustment to the high school and college environment.

• Administer assessments and help students with course selection.

• Assist Academic Coordinator with planning and coordinating college tours and cultural excursions geared toward Middle School students.

• Maintain & update ETS social media site: including Twitter & Facebook. Assist program with developing and maintaining consistent and professional communication and social media presence.

• Advise students on effective study skills, time management strategies, test-taking techniques, and financial aid policies and deadlines.

• Regularly monitors students’ academic progress and make appropriate interventions and referrals.

• Collaborates with the Program Director to maintain reports on students’ semester and annual academic performance, and conducts exit interviews with graduates.

• Accurately enter student and parent activity data through a web-based, password-protected, and encrypted system linked to the main Blumen database. Update records with notes, milestones, parent records, or other data.

• Regularly review grades, course-taking patterns, and attendance to ensure progress in meeting targets for each performance measure.
• Occasional evening and weekend work required.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in guidance and counseling or a related discipline.

• A minimum of one year of experience in counseling and/or education experience.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills and demonstrated ability to work with students from low-income, first-generation college backgrounds and students with disabilities.
• Ability to perform multiple responsibilities simultaneously, to work in a self-directed environment, and to plan and organize on both a daily and long-term basis.

• Demonstrated commitment to the goals and objectives of the Talent Search program.

Job Type: Full-time