Academic Counselors K-12
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) acknowledges the value of and is committed to supporting strong, productive school counseling programs. This is reflected in the School Counselors’ framework, developed by the MDE, which is aligned with the American School Counselors National Model. School counselors have a tremendous responsibility in addressing the personal/social, academic, and career needs of every Mississippi student in prekindergarten through grade 12 and career and technical education. As student advocates, counselors provide support and foster student development as children learn to live, learn to learn, and learn to work.
School Counselors' activities are all designed to keep students in school and to help them be successful. Their primary objective is to promote and enhance student learning. Counselors play a valuable role in all aspect of K-12 education. They provide consultation in defining and identifying at-risk students. Counselors work as members of a team with other school personnel to provide essential services. The goal is to identify and intervene before students move through a continuum of self-destructive behavior.
School counselors coordinate programs that provide the following comprehensive counseling services:
- Academic and personal/social counseling;
- Use Multiple student data sources to help students make informed academic and career choices;
- Career and educational counseling;
- Individual and group counseling (large/small);
- Crisis intervention and preventive counseling;
- Community resources awareness and referrals;
- Educational consultations and collaboration with teachers, administrators, parents and community leaders;
- Educational and career placement services;
- Follow‐up counseling services;
- Conflict resolution
Professional school counselors should spend a minimum of eighty percent (80%) of their time delivering the aforementioned services to students as outlined by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Thus, provide direct services to students, parents, school staff and the community stakeholders to ensure college or career readiness.
Career Center Managers
Career Center Managers are professional or paraprofessional school staff who maintain and organize the career education materials accessible to students, counselors, teachers and administrators at the high school level. Responsibilities include overall management of the career center lab, assisting students with career exploration and educational information. They work directly with professional school counselors and teachers. Career Center Managers build public relation activities into their curriculum, which includes business in the classroom events, career awareness events, and Reality Fairs. In addition they assist students in working through a well-defined sequential curriculum to avail students of appropriate information in their planning in careers and education.