Website The Nueva School
THE NUEVA SCHOOL
UPPER SCHOOL COUNSELOR
Position Summary
The Nueva School is seeking an experienced trained mental health professional to join our expanding upper school counseling team and serve as a School Counselor for grades 9-12. The School Counselor will play a major role in coordinating student support to promote and ensure the social, emotional, academic and physical wellness of Nueva students. The School Counselor will provide individual student counseling and develop programming, faculty and staff professional development and parent education. They will work in tandem with our Learning Specialist to ensure that students with mental health challenges receive the appropriate educational accommodations. Additionally, the School Counselor will serve as a trusted resource for the community and liaise with outside professionals and agencies when necessary.
We are seeking applicants who represent the full diversity of our community in the Bay Area. Our ideal candidate will possess an understanding of the diverse socioeconomic, racial, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, academic, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. In joining our team at Nueva, you will become a part of an inclusive, iterative and equity-minded community that recognizes that social justice is a lens with which we examine all aspects of our school community in order to ensure an educational experience where all students can thrive. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Nueva, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with Nueva’s Mission, Vision, and Values.
The Counselor primary responsibilities include:
· Provide individual and group counseling to students in order to foster student resilience, coping skills development, and positive engagement across all aspects of student life.
· Working collaboratively with school faculty and staff to identify students in need of counseling services.
· Managing student crisis situations and facilitating crisis response work with students, faculty, and families.
· Collaborating with faculty, deans, learning support specialists, and administration regarding students of concern and ensuring that appropriate support is provided.
· Make referrals to outside professionals and liaise with students’ current providers for students needing ongoing counseling, therapy, psychological testing, etc.
· Clinical practice should be grounded in an understanding of the ways in which intersecting identities impact student behavior and mental health.
· Acting as a proactive and responsive resource for students, parents, colleagues, and outside partners on emerging issues of emotional well-being and adolescent growth and development in the community.
· Leading and/or attending weekly student wellness meetings and student support team meetings as scheduled.
· Being an all-around “school person” by chaperoning overnight trips and retreats, participating in all aspects of student life (dances, clubs, affinity groups, etc.), and partnering with students and deans to foster a positive school climate.
· Facilitating professional learning for faculty/staff and parent education.
· Act as a member of the expanded social-emotional learning team, with the opportunity to potentially teach SEL classes.
· Other duties as assigned by the Division Head or Head of School.
Qualifications
· Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or clinical psychology and corresponding licensure/certification required.
· At least 3 years of direct service experience working with adolescents and families and/or previous experience as a mental health counselor at the high school level preferred.
· Experience with the gifted population or desire to learn about giftedness.
· Excellent listening, speaking and written communication skills.
· Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, as part of a team
· Aligned with the school’s mission and committed to supporting the academic, extracurricular, social, and emotional success of gifted students
· Strong time management and flexibility skills, as well as the ability to manage competing demands, and adapt to frequent or unexpected changes.
· Demonstrate appropriate ethical behavior and professional conduct in the fulfillment of roles and responsibilities to include outstanding judgment, sensitivity, discretion, and confidentiality.
· Detail oriented with excellent organizational skills and ability to manage and prioritize multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
· A deep knowledge and commitment to further learning about current research and best practices in the field of adolescent mental health and development.
Successful candidates will have a minimum of 3 years of experience working in this capacity at the high school level, and a deep knowledge of current research and best practices in the field. In addition, the successful candidate will be an all-around “school person” who wants to participate in and contribute to our vibrant learning community.
Compensation
The full-time salary range for this faculty position is from $70,000 – $135,000. The starting salary is based upon, but not limited to, several factors that include type and years of creditable experience, education level, and expertise.
We offer a full benefits package that includes fully paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance for employees, employer contribution toward dependent insurance premium, a generous match on our 403(b) retirement plan, long-term and short-term disability insurance, employer match into flexible spending account, and free lunch. Eligibility rules apply.
To Apply
Please submit a cover letter, résumé, and the contact information and job title for at least three professional references at https://nuevaschool.applytojob.com/apply. If you have questions about this position, please contact Scott Bowers, Director of Human Resources, at (sbowers@nuevaschool.org).
The Nueva School is an Equal Opportunity Employer – we do not discriminate against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability or sex. We welcome applications from people of color and those with experience outside the education field.
About The Nueva School
The Nueva School, an internationally recognized, nonprofit, independent day school, has served gifted learners since 1967. Today, Nueva serves nearly 1000 students in grades PreK–12. Nueva is located in the neighboring towns of Hillsborough and San Mateo, equidistant between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, serving six counties throughout the Bay Area of Northern California.
A constructivist school, Nueva is known for its distinctive inquiry-based interdisciplinary studies, project-based learning, and pioneering work in social-emotional learning and design thinking. The Nueva community instills a passion for lifelong learning, fosters social and emotional acuity, and develops the imaginative mind. Our school has received the US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Award and the American Institute of Architects Award for School Design and Sustainability, has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished Program and appointed an Ashoka Changemaker School, co-founded the Common Ground Speaker Series, hosts the biennial Innovative Learning Conference, and was highlighted by the Pulitzer Prize–winning and New York Times best-selling author Thomas Friedman in his book That Used to Be Us in the chapter “Average Is Over.”
For more information about The Nueva School, visit our website: www.nuevaschool.org
