GOVERNMENT OF THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES

POSITION: ADULT EDUCATION COUNSELOR

DESCRIPTION

This position consists in utilizing leadership, advocacy and collaboration. The Adult Education counselor promotes adult learning or out-of-school youth success, provides preventive services, and responds to identify the target group needs by implementing a comprehensive counseling program that addresses academic, career, and personal/ social development.

An employee in this class is responsible for receiving adult learners or out-of-school youth related confidential concerns from all school employees, following up such reports with home conferences or appropriate authority. Work also includes liaison with the Department of Social Welfare so as to obtain available assistance, which would aid the family economy and thus permit better school performance. Work is performed under the general supervision of the principal, but an employee is allowed considerable latitude in the use of training and experience towards working with adult learners and out-of-school youth. Work is reviewed primarily through conferences and review of reports submitted and completion of school programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (NOT ALL INCLUSIVE)

• Informs staff, adults, and  out-of-school youth of services provided by the Adult Education program and how to access those services;
• Provides leadership and collaborates with other educators in the school-wide integration;
• Provides applicable materials and resources to teachers for doing guidance activities in their classrooms;
• Provides staff with resources to accommodate individual differences and needs of adult learners or out-of- school youth;
• Conducts small and large group activities based on courses designed to meet the particular needs of the local community;
• Assists all adult learners or out-of-school youth, individually or in groups, with developing academic, career and personal/social skills, goals and plans;
• Accurately and appropriately uses assessment procedures for determining and structuring individual and group counseling services;
• Manages and communicates a clear means for counseling referrals and other access to counseling services;
• Appropriately guides adult learners or out-of-school youth in developing goals based on individual data and other relevant information;
• Monitors adult learners or out-of-school youth’s academic performance, behavior and attendance assisting with appropriate interventions;
• Accurately and appropriately interprets and utilizes adult learners or out-of-school youth data;
• Consults  and  collaborates  effectively  with  teachers,  administrators,  and  other  educational/community resources regarding adult learners or out-of-school youth with identified concerns and needs;
• Collaborates with adult learners or out-of-school youth with educational and career planning;
• Apprises teachers of adaptive materials and services that exist and are available to adult learners or out-of- school youth;
• Participates in professional development activities relevant to counseling, to improve knowledge and skills;
• Uses available technology resources to enhance the school counseling program;
• Adheres to laws, policies, procedures and ethical standards of the school counseling profession;
• Performs other related work as required.

FACTOR I: KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES REQUIRED

• Knowledge of V. I. Code Titles 17 and 34, particularly as they relate to adult and out-of-school youth;
• Knowledge of the theory, techniques, and procedures of counseling;
• Knowledge of the community facilities and services available for use by adults and out of school youth with economic and child guidance problems;

Adult Education Counselor                                                                                                                Page 2

• Ability to act as liaison between teachers, parents and administrators;
• Ability to deal tactfully with adult learners or out-of-school youth, and to gain the cooperation of persons being interviewed;
• Ability to conduct adult vocational programs and trainings as appropriate;
• Ability to take part in crisis team involvements to any school site as needed;
• Ability to give orders while remaining calm in crisis situations;
• Ability to plan and coordinate programs such as short courses, lectures, workshops, seminars, conferences, film series, demonstrations or group presentations to assist with future educational plans;
• Ability to express oneself clearly and concisely, orally and in writing;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers and all other persons contacted during the course of the work;
• Ability to work as an empowering team member.

FACTOR II: SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

• Works under the direct supervision of a Principal and Assistant Principal or activity center head;
• Work is controlled by routine review and reporting to or in consultation with supervisor through on-site visits, reports and achievement of objectives.

FACTOR III: GUIDELINES

• Federal laws including HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) and Departmental guidelines and procedures must be followed. Employee is expected to use knowledge acquired through professional training and experience to make independent decisions.

FACTOR IV: COMPLEXITY

• Requires a combination of job functions using serious judgment to perform a variety of job responsibilities;
• Requires long hours of concentration, patience and flexibility for unplanned events/situations.

FACTOR V: SCOPE AND EFFECT

• Utilizing leadership, advocacy, and collaboration, school counselors promote adult learners or out of school youth success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified adult learners or out of school youth needs by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic, career, and personal/social development for all adult learners or out of school youths;
• Requires responsibility for the completion of assigned tasks by supporting, and performing routine work activities;
• Errors at this level will have major repercussions that will be counterproductive to efficient school safety and class room management.

FACTOR VI, VII: PERSONAL CONTACTS AND PUROPSE OF CONTACTS

• Personal  contacts  are  with  adult  learners,  out  of  school  youth,  parents,  colleagues,  supervisors, administrators, and the general public.
• Purpose of contacts is to obtain, clarify, or give facts or information to aid in the production of accomplishing objectives of the Adult Education program.

FACTOR VIII: PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to:

• Sit, and talk or hear within normal range;
• Reach with hands and arms;
• Read fine print, and review information on a PC monitor, as well as, hard copy output;
• Manipulate objects with fingers. For example, using a keyboard;
• Use the spoken word;
• Move about and exert some physical dexterity.