POSITION SUMMARY

 The role of the Upper and Middle School Counselor is to educate and promote student well-being. This individual needs to be proactive in establishing positive student relationships and social-emotional strategies as well as reactive in responding quickly and effectively to areas of student concern. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

•  Collaborate with Upper and Middle School Division Heads, Learning Specialists, and the entire Middle and Upper School faculty/staff to ensure the academic success and social and emotional well-being of all students.
• Develop an ongoing working knowledge of each individual student’s educational and emotional needs.
• Teach Social Emotional Learning classes to students in grades 7-12.
• Provide support to students with identified needs/concerns individually and in small group settings.
• Develop and maintain genuine, positive and consistent communication with families.
• Provide referrals and serve as liaison with outside professionals who may serve our students.
• Serve on the Middle School and Upper School Admissions Committee and support the admissions process including assessing prospective students.
• Contribute to the campus community.
• Practice professionalism through ongoing professional development, reflection and continuous improvement.
• With division heads and other colleagues to develop crisis plans for specific students and specific eventualities common in adolescent populations
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Master’s Degree or Ph.D. in Psychology, Social Work, School Counseling, or related field; current Elementary School Counselor certification in Pennsylvania.
• Three or more years of relevant experience providing counseling services to children, ideally within an independent school setting.
• Extensive knowledge of current developmental, cognitive science, and social and emotional learning research and strategies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate and work in a team environment.
• Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities.
• Strong knowledge of the ethical and legal considerations related to counseling practices.
• Commitment to the school’s mission, values, and vision.

COMPETENCIES DESIRED

• Understand learning differences and emotional difficulties.
• Experience utilizing the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching.
• Commitment to continuous improvement.
• Self-directed, proactive, intelligent, knowledge of curriculum and assessment, multi-tasker, problem solving skills, professional written and verbal communication skills, ability to connect with students with patience and compassion.
• Ability to manage stress, and self-regulate with a consistently positive attitude, strong teamwork, passionate, genuine, organized, internally motivated, service orientation, ability to reserve judgment and respond with curiosity and compassion.

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to Pamela Lasco, Executive Assistant to the Head of School, at lascop@woodlynde.org.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, or sex.

MISSION STATEMENT

Woodlynde School welcomes and serves students who learn differently and empowers them to become strategic thinkers and self-advocates in a challenging and supportive college preparatory environment. An independent, coeducational school for students in kindergarten through grade 12, Woodlynde School is located in suburban Philadelphia. Founded in 1976, the school is nationally recognized for its expertise in serving students with language- or math-based learning differences, executive function challenges, ADHD, auditory processing disorder, or a need for a small classroom environment.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

Woodlynde School is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion in order that its students and employees achieve their full potential. 

We believe that everyone’s unique life experience and background adds valuable perspective to our community and that our community is stronger because of the differences represented by our students, colleagues, and families.  We embrace community members of different backgrounds and do not discriminate against employees or students?on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, religion,?or disability. 

About Woodlynde School

ABOUT WOODLYNDE SCHOOL Woodlynde School welcomes and serves students who learn differently and empowers them to become strategic thinkers and self-advocates in a challenging and supportive college preparatory environment. An independent, coeducational school for students in kindergarten through grade 12, Woodlynde School is located in suburban Philadelphia. Founded in 1976, the school is nationally recognized for its expertise in serving students with language- or math-based learning differences, executive function challenges, ADHD, auditory processing disorder, or a need for a small classroom environment.DIVERSITY STATEMENTWoodlynde School is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion in order that its students and employees achieve their full potential. We believe that everyone’s unique life experience and background adds valuable perspective to our community and that our community is stronger because of the differences represented by our students, colleagues, and families. We embrace community members of different backgrounds and do not discriminate against employees or students?on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, religion, or disability.

Connections working at Woodlynde School