Capistrano Unified School District

Support Line

We empathize moving to a new community and school may be a big transition in the lives of your child. Military families move or PCS (Permanent Change of Station), a few times throughout their lives. As children grow into young adults, moving and or PCSing become increasingly difficult. Adolescents create relationships and participate in a variety of groups within the community and school they recently left behind. Whether the move or PCS was sudden or one that was planned over a period of time, its never easy to say goodbye to friends, fellow students, teachers, teammates, and loved ones. Some children handle the separation better than others. That is why we are ready to provide care for our new students.

We urge you to visit our school counselors to receive one on one support as your child becomes allocated in their new school environment.

It is important to note, we have full-time academic advisors and school counselors here in Capistrano Unified School District.

ACADEMIC ADVISOR

DEFINITION Under direction performs a variety of duties associated with academic planning, career guidance, and testing for students at various grade levels within the District or for community education programs; and performs related work as required. EXAMPLES OF DUTIES The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. The following representative duties may be performed as an Academic Advisor at all levels:

Provides information regarding academic planning, post-secondary education opportunities, college entrance requirements, scholarship and, financial aid resources.
Coordinates and administers standardized academic tests.
Interprets test results.
Conducts parent/student conferences.
Assists students with study skills.
Responds to inquiries regarding educational programs.
Plans awards and special programs.
Assists with the coordination of a variety of available resources such as ROP, vocational education classes, community colleges, adult learning centers, and College and Career Planning Center.
Works closely with counseling staff for making referrals to community resources.
Promotes positive school, parent, and community relationships.
Inputs data and performs a variety of clerical work to fulfill duties as required.
Reviews cumulative records to ensure accuracy and completeness and compliance with State regulations and District policies and guidelines.

The following representative duties may be performed as an Academic Advisor at a high school:

Monitors student progress toward graduation.
With input from credentialed staff, writes letters of recommendation and complete documentation of secondary school reports for college applications.
Assists students and parents with college admission appeals.
Plans, attends and assists with the presentation of parent orientations.
Coordinates home teaching assignments.
Participates in the development of the master schedule.
Enrolls, schedules and orients new students.
Makes routine program changes based on consultation with parents and students, reviewing future goals and objectives for future college graduation and career.
Prepares notifications for students and parents related to academic progress.
Attends and participates in various meetings such as Student Study Team meetings, Individual Education Plans and leadership meetings.
Monitors progress of high risk students through parent/student/teacher consultations.
Coordinates and presents orientations for students at various schools.
Monitors progress towards college matriculation.
Conducts 4-year planning sessions with parents and students.
Monitors progress of students towards completion of high school exit examination.

The following representative duties may be performed as an Academic Advisor at a middle school:

Assists in the development of the master schedule.
Coordinates and presents orientations for students at elementary schools.
Plans and participates in parent orientations.
Assists with the revision of curriculum guides.
Monitors student progress towards completion of middle school.
Ensures grade reporting is completed and progress reports and report cards prepared.
Prepares notifications for students and parents related to academic progress.
Attends and participates in various meetings such as Student Study Team meetings, Individual Education Plans, and leadership meetings.
Monitors progress of high-risk students

SCHOOL COUNSELOR

The Capistrano Unified School District School Counseling Program strives to provide opportunities so that every student will acquire the social-emotional, academic, and career skills to reach their fullest educational potential and successfully manage their lives as healthy, responsible, competent, and productive citizens who respect themselves and others.

DEFINITION:
Under direction, provide behavioral and educational counseling to individuals and small groups of students; assist students in understanding and seeking solutions to social, emotional, or academic problems and issues; serve as a resource pertaining to student behavior management strategies, and welfare and attendance problems and concerns; and other related functions as required.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:

Perform individual and group counseling and guidance functions and activities, including career and vocational, and social and emotional adjustment counseling.
Collect, organize, and analyze student information through the use of educational historical data, test results, and interview techniques.
Appraise student interests, aptitudes, and attitudes utilizing a variety of assessment strategies and techniques.
Serve as a resource to site and District personnel, and members of the school community.
Meet, confer, and counsel with parents, school personnel, and members of various youth serving agencies in developing alternative solutions to student educational, social, and emotional problems and concerns.
Assist in the development and monitoring of individual education plans for students with exceptional needs.
Maintain a liaison with social and youth service agencies in pursuing referral follow up activities.
Pursue evaluation and research activities to determine counseling and guidance effectiveness.
Assist in the planning, development, and implementation of master student program calendars.
Assist in identifying school program needs, and participate in developing school instructional programs geared to meet individual pupil needs.
Assist in the planning, development, and conduct of programs that enhance student educational opportunities, including speaker programs, student visitation programs, and other similarly related activities.
Establish, maintain, and monitor the maintenance of a variety of files and records pertaining to student counseling, guidance, and related matters.
Assist in dealing with student behavior management programs, and in resolving welfare and attendance problems and concerns.
Plan, develop, and present, as requested, a variety of management related reports pertaining to site counseling and guidance functions and activities.