State of Maryland

A Student Life Counselor Trainee School for the Deaf is the entry level of work providing guidance to deaf and hard of hearing students by serving as a mentor and role model, offering advice and assistance with everyday life skills and providing referrals as appropriate to other staff at the Maryland School for the Deaf.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Student Life Counselor Supervisor School for the Deaf or from a designated administrator.  Employees may be required to travel to various locations for events such as field trips, workshops, seminars and recreational activities.  Employees may be assigned to work evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.  Employees may be subject to call-in based on staffing needs.  Some positions in this classification may require residence on campus.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Student Life Counselor Trainee, Student Life Counselor I and Student Life Counselor II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Student Life Counselor Trainee learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The Student Life Counselor I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The Student Life Counselor II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Learns to communicate with students to discuss their problems and offer them guidance;

Learns to serve as a mentor and role model by attending workshops and receiving on-the-job training from higher-level Student Life Counselors;

Learns to monitor students and assists them in complying with daily and weekly schedules of attending classes, completing homework, sleeping, eating and performing personal hygiene;

Learns to observe and interact with students to prevent conflicts and minimize disturbances; Learns to implement student Individual Education Plans (IEPs) in proper etiquette, interpersonal relations, and behavioral modification plans;

Learns to devise and dispense rewards and punishments within specified guidelines to ensure students comply with Maryland School for the Deaf rules and policies;

Learns to document and report student problems to the Student Life Counselor Supervisor or a Student Life Counselor II;

Learns to conduct informational updates with parents regarding student development through telephone calls, letters and meetings of the Parent, Teacher, Counselor Association;

Learns to assess emergency and crisis situations, make appropriate contacts and referrals and provide interim emergency medical and other assistance as necessary until specialized assistance is available;

May learn to supplement classroom instruction by helping students with homework assignments;

May learn to serve as an assistant coach for extra-curricular activities such as football, basketball, wrestling and cheerleading;

May learn to make periodic safety checks of doors and windows of an assigned student residence;

May transport students to off-campus activities under the supervision of a higher-level Student Life Counselor;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the human developmental process;

Knowledge of the physical, emotional and social aspects of deafness;

Skill in American Sign Language sufficient to permit communication with students and parents;

Skill in written English sufficient to permit accurate communication with students and parents who are not proficient in American Sign Language;

Ability to learn emergency medical procedures;

Ability to implement student behavior modification and education plans;

Ability to maintain a dormitory environment conducive to positive student development;

Ability to oversee educational and recreational student activities;

Ability to work harmoniously with students and with other employees.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: None.

1. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle.  Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

2. Employees in this classification will be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first-aid training leading to certification.  These certifications must be kept current as a requirement of residential child care licensure by the Maryland State Department of Education.     

1. Employees in this classification are required to be able to communicate in American Sign Language and in written English.

2. Employees in this classification will be required to pass a medical examination and annual screening for tuberculosis as a requirement of residential child care licensure by the Maryland State Department of Education.

3. Employees in this classification who reside on campus will be required to sign a leasing agreement which specifies that the residence/lodging being furnished by the employer is being provided as a condition of employment in accordance with Internal Revenue Service and Department of General Services regulations.

4. Employees in this classification will be required to apply for a criminal background check as a requirement of the Family Law Article, Section 5-561, of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.