Details
Posted: 26-Apr-22
Location: Seattle, Washington
Type: Full Time
Open Position: Counselor
Reports to: Director of College Counseling & Student Services
FTE: Full-Time, Regular (1 week before faculty arrive; 1 week after school ends)
When Needed: 2022-2023 Academic Year
University Prep is seeking a talented, engaging, compassionate Counselor to help us advance our vision of being an inclusive community of learners that provides an outstanding education for each individual in a diverse student population. We are looking for someone who can work independently as well as part of a team. We are looking for staff and faculty who share our belief that a culturally rich and inclusive school community provides students with the best possible environment for a quality education. If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you. Salary is competitive with public and independent schools. University Prep offers an excellent benefits package, opportunities for professional development, and an extraordinary work environment. Position is open immediately.
Who We Are:
University Prep is an independent 6-12 school located in an urban residential section of Seattle, WA, one of the country’s most diverse and dynamic cities. We are a strong and vibrant community of students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni who collaboratively create an exceptional educational experience for every student. The School is a place of great teaching and joyful learning; a community that joins together to raise up our children to be caring and productive adults; a place where all students and families have equitable access to all the school has to offer, and a place where we aspire for every family and student to feel equally enfranchised and at home. To us, diversity and inclusivity are not addenda, they are embodied in all facets of our school culture. University Prep believes that our shared values of integrity, respect, and responsibility are essential to accomplish our mission of developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.
Job Summary:
Under minimal supervision, works closely with two other School Counselors, Director of College Counseling & Student Services, the school’s SEL Director, Division and Assistant Division Directors, Grade Level Deans, Community and Diversity Office, and all faculty/staff. Responsibilities include maintaining and improving the overall social-emotional health of the school community. Works with individual students and their families in times of emotional need, and also assumes a leadership role relating to developing and implementing programs designed to sustain a healthy emotional climate in the school community. This position requires occasional evening and weekend commitments (for example: admissions events, Parent/Guardian Education Programs, Grade Level Retreats and Back to School Night).
Specific Responsibilities:
- Accurately and actively assesses the emotional climate within the school community on a continuous basis, proactively works to monitor and improve that climate, and responds to any acute or chronic issues as they become apparent
- Proactively identifies students in emotional need and provides support by intervention, ongoing individual or small group counseling, crisis counseling, and referral when appropriate
- In consultation with the Director of College Counseling/Student Services, establishes and maintains psychological/emotional/social counseling protocols for students and their families, with clearly defined and consistently applied parameters for intervention, messaging, communication and record keeping.
- In collaboration with the student services teams, is active in the development, coordination, and delivery of effective educational programs for students, faculty, staff, and families relating to issues of adolescent development, emotional, and behavioral health; examples might include leading a student advisory board or club, designing a program for students and families relating to transition from Middle School to Upper School, and working closely with parent groups (Parent/Guardian Association and Parent Education Committee, in particular), so that the practices and messaging at school are reinforced at home
- Maintains counselor visibility, familiarity, and trust with students; gets to know the students and their families; becomes a presence in the school community
- Is an active and engaged member of the Student Services Team, and attends student review meetings to provide a psycho-educational perspective which can further the refinement of a student’s program
- Develops and maintains a network of community mental health professionals appropriate for referrals, consultation or crisis counseling
- Provides a supportive presence for students, faculty and staff, and parents in conversations or situations where it might prove beneficial
- In conjunction with the student services team, develops methods to assess the social-emotional health of the school and leads this endeavor
- Maintains a web presence for the counseling office and implements an appropriate communication plan with all constituents
- Establishes and cultivates community relations by maintaining open dialogue with all of the school’s constituencies
- Actively participates in the full life of the school
- Vigorously engages in their own professional development; is a life-long learner who enhances their skills, using state-of-the-art technologies to maintain high standards of performance to efficiently and effectively produce work products
- Is familiar with and complies with all policies and regulations as put forth in the school’s documents and state and federal guidelines for counseling professionals
- Works collaboratively with the Director of Social Emotional Learning to inform, design, and implement developmentally appropriate programming
- Since safety and security are everyone’s responsibility, takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, faculty, staff, equipment, materials and facilities
- Performs other duties as assigned
Education & Experience:
- Advanced counseling degree (e.g., MSW, LMHC, PhD) required
- 5+ years’ successful experience working with adolescents ages 12-18 and their families in a clinical setting preferred
- 3+ years’ experience in an educational setting preferred
- Experience with middle school students preferred
- Proficiency or fluency in another language, especially Spanish or Mandarin, preferred
- Experience with writing blogs and leading parent education preferred
- Training or experience in assessing and managing suicide risk preferred
- Training in Project Adventure or a similar modality preferred
Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Demonstrated leadership capability
- Extensive knowledge of adolescent development
- Ability to competently and enthusiastically work with a diverse student population in a culturally responsive manner
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to work and communicate well with all levels of faculty and staff
- Ability to work and communicate well with students and their parents
- Ability to maintain confidential information and uphold professional boundaries with students, families, and staff
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity
- Ability to deliver and facilitate activities
- Comfort speaking in front of groups of students, staff, and families
- Ability to work with or adapt already created curriculum
- Understands developmental life of a student
- Is responsive to any emergent community needs
- Ability to work independently and comfortable with some self-directed work
- Frameworks of cultural responsiveness in counseling
- Flexibility, maturity and a sense of humor
- Proficient at working in a Microsoft Windows environment; ability to master common automated systems for record keeping, and confidently learn new technology; Experience with school-focused technology is a plus
- Ability to produce blogs and articles and understanding of the importance of a communication presence would be a plus
- Desire to be involved in the life of the school by running a club, coaching a sport, leading outdoor activities would be a plus
- Ability to talk on the phone
- Ability to sit and keyboard up to 8 hours per day
- Ability to work occasional evenings and/or weekends
- Ability to travel locally
If this sounds like you, please click here, complete our online employment application and upload your résumé and a cover letter indicating why you are interested in this position.
Thank you for your interest in this position and in University Prep.
Position open until filled. No phone calls or drop-ins please.
University Prep does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran’s status, disability, use of a trained service animal, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to admissions and administration of all its programs, as well as to all areas of employment.
www.universityprep.org
This description is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this position.
It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.
