Counselor Wellness Middle School Pool (Restart)

Counselor Wellness

JOB TITLE: Counselor Wellness FLSA STATUS: Exempt

PAY GRADE: PRF 5 DUTY DAYS: 197 DATE REVISED: 02/11/2025 HC

FUNDING THIS POSITION IS LOCALLY FUNDED.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Master's degree in an education or health-related field from an accredited college or university is required. A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPC-A), Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP), Licensed Marriage Family Therapy (LMFT), Licensed Master Social Work (LMSW) or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensure is required. Incumbent is responsible for maintaining active licensure throughout employment. Three (3) years of counseling, employee assistance, or health education experience is preferred. Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

SKILL REQUIREMENTS: The incumbent must be able to plan, organize, and implement curriculum programs for students and staff. This position requires excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing. The position required experience and skill in classroom behavioral management techniques and methods. This position will identify and analyze complex problems and recommend viable solutions. Ability to work with groups. Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion.

JOB PURPOSE AND RESPONSIBILITY: The Wellness Counselor will collaborate to prioritize site level wellness and prevention needs. The Wellness Counselor will provide direct services to students, teachers, and other support staff to deliver and evaluate wellness. The primary role of this position is to identify and assist students, teachers, families, and school systems in overcoming barriers that interfere with learning through the use of assessment, counseling, consultation, and coordination of resources. This position will provide a prevention model that will provide knowledge of overall good health in which counseling integrates physical and social health strategies. The purpose of a Wellness Counselor is to assist individuals to maximize their quality of life and longevity, by discarding poor health habits and adopting healthy day to day practices. It encompasses a variety of good health practices, exercise, fitness, nutrition, smoking cessation, sleep, rest, journal writing and connection to others. The primary goal of wellness counseling is the prevention and management of factors that are influenced by diet, physical activity level, and other lifestyle factors. This position emphasizes good health practices, strength, endurance, motivation, positive outlook on life, happiness, satisfaction and healthy relations, with the goal of improving quality of life. Wellness counselors develop programs that inspire students to make healthy lifestyle changes through a hand on approach.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Have knowledge of current mental health issues, assess student needs following Austin ISD policy and protocol, and make appropriate referrals, as needed.
• Design programs and events that provide education on a variety of health-related topics and wellness activities and provide guidance and advice.
• Provide resources to students and staff, such as health-related posters, pamphlets and/or other educational materials, to reach personal goals.
• Conduct reliable and valid assessments of students, families, and campus needs to prioritize service delivery. Provide interventions to remove barriers to learning.
• Provide consultation to school personnel, parents/guardians, and community partners for the purpose of enhancing their understanding of student needs, developing effective interventions, and building school capacity.
• Work with individuals and groups to help achieve health goals.
• Work with students and coordinate with the administrative staff to ensures that students and their families are provided services within the context of multicultural understanding and competence.
• Utilize evidence-informed practices, skills, and techniques that reflect the understanding of the role of culture in the helping process.
• Empower students and families to gain access to and effectively utilize school and community resources that creates a plan that meets student needs.
• Perform initial evaluations of student needs and develop customized wellness plans. Monitor student progress and modify their treatment plans as needed.
• Collect and analyze program data. Assess programs effectiveness.
• Assist teachers with the wellness and social emotional integration within a lesson and content learning. Act as resource for teachers, recommend appropriate health and wellness standard-based instruction
• Collaborate with partner agencies to support the implementation of health and safety programs.
• Support and provide professional learning opportunities to teachers in a multi-grade.
• Support teachers in the application of evidenced-based trauma-informed practices, focused on increasing climate, culture and overall student achievement.
• Educate staff and students on stress and trauma coping mechanisms.
• Maintain professional development by such activities as attending conferences or workshops and belonging to professional organizations.
• Maintain and organize student records for assigned caseload.
• Provide an exceptional customer experience for all AISD stakeholders with intentional and professional practices that promote a culture of respect and focus on achieving equitable outcomes.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED: Perform other related duties as assigned; however, all employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.

PHYSICAL EFFORT AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: Services are performed in a standard office or classroom environment. Computer use is required, and prolonged use may result in repetitive hand motion. It is expected that occasional field trips, District wide, and statewide travel may be made.

Incumbent should be willing to contribute directly or indirectly to the development of children both inside and outside school, which may include working hours in addition to the regular school day. This position may involve rare exposure to blood or body fluids. Regular attendance is required for this position. On rare occasions, the incumbent may be at a slight risk of personal harm when counseling a violent student.

PERSONAL WORK RELATIONSHIPS: This position reports directly to and is supervised by the Principal or administrative designee. Supervisor periodically reviews final work. More detailed instruction may be given in unusual cases or as directed by laws and regulations. The incumbent works collaboratively and independently with multiple stakeholder groups including students, parents/families, school staff, school/District based decision making teams, and a variety of community representatives (e.g., employers, social services agencies) to help students identify opportunities and solve problems. More detailed instruction may be given in unusual cases or as directed by laws and regulations.

The Austin Independent School District provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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