Website Lick Wilmerding High School
About Lick-Wilmerding High School
A private school with a public purpose, Lick-Wilmerding High School develops the head, heart, and hands of highly motivated students from all walks of life, inspiring them to become lifelong learners who contribute to the world with confidence and compassion.
At Lick, our treasures are our students, faculty, staff, and families—our people. Collegiality and camaraderie are rich in our community and we pride ourselves in providing opportunities for our community members to lead and be led by each other. We offer highly competitive compensation packages, complete with comprehensive benefits and robust professional development opportunities.
We are a community that values student-centeredness, inclusivity, and lifelong learning. We are actively committed to Equity, Belonging & Justice, which we acknowledge is iterative and imperative work for a predominantly white institution like ours. As a community we are constantly learning and applying lessons learnt to improve the quality of the student experience and the well-being of all our community members. We welcome all interested persons to apply.
To Apply
In addition to posting an applicaiton at url provided, please also send a cover letter, resume, an example of a recommendation letter you have written (names redacted), and the names and contact information of three references, one of whom should be a direct supervisor to dfleming@lwhs.org. Should you have any clarifying questions or comments, please email Davion Fleming at dfleming@lwhs.org.
LWHS prohibits in all its programs, including hiring and employment practices, discrimination or harassment against any member or group based upon age, gender, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, gender identity or expression, veteran status, and any other category protected under California or federal law, except in the case of a bona fide occupational qualification.
Reports to: Dean of Faculty
Serves On: All Administrative Team and TLLT
Status: 100%, Exempt
Application Deadline: January 15, 2024
Start Date: July 1, 2024
Salary Range: $180,000 – $190,000
Position Description:
Lick-Wilmerding High School (LWHS) seeks a Director of College Counseling to begin in the Summer of 2024. Currently, the College Counseling office has three Co-Directors and a part-time Assistant and is restructuring to have one Director. The model of college counseling is designed to be an organic, mission-aligned extension of a student’s overall education at LWHS. As students reflect and prepare for life beyond high school, the program continues to develop their head, heart and hands while also imparting meaningful lessons that are applicable beyond the college process. The process is designed to help students grow and learn more about themselves through the guidance and support of the college counseling team. Additional information about LWHS and college matriculation is in our School Profile. The Director of College Counseling will take the helm of an experienced team, with an average tenure of 16 years, and continue the important work of building relationships with students and their families. The following are the primary responsibilities:
Institutional
Formulate and articulate the philosophical, strategic, and practical approach of the college search process at LWHS that aligns to our mission
Lead, support, and build the talented college counseling team, with a continued focus on providing growth opportunities and improving the office and individual practices
Continue to build partnerships between parents and the College Counseling Office that center students’ journeys through the process
Ensure effective and timely communication to all stakeholders (students, parents/guardians, faculty and administration)
Plan and deliver programming in collaboration with the college counseling team to families and students to help them better understand and navigate the intricacies of the college process
Keep current on changes in the college application, admission procedures, and financial aid programs through research, association memberships, participating in campus visits and tours, and networking with college admissions and college counseling professionals
Build and sustain strong partnerships with the faculty, including keeping abreast of current curricular offerings for each department
Student-facing
Advise and support 30% of the junior and senior class through all phases of the college process with warmth and compassion
Partner with the grade level Deans and counselors in assigning each junior/senior a college counselor
Be responsive and available for students and families throughout the college process
Continue to promote a culture of inclusivity in the college process, including setting expectations for students and families on acting equitably throughout the process
Write effective letters of recommendation that highlight each students’ academic strengths and their journey through Lick
Create programming for juniors and seniors to prepare and support them through the application process
Provide information on available scholarships and the financial aid process
Oversee the administration of standardized testing for sophomores and juniors
Administrative
Manage the College Counselors and a part-time assistant
Serve on both the All Administrative and the Teaching and Learning Leadership teams
Host and visit colleges and universities to promote the understanding of LWHS’s unique academic program, student life, and extracurricular opportunities – all with the goal of a collaborative information exchange
Publish the school profile
Present to the Board of Trustees each spring on the results of the college process
Track and analyze matriculation and testing data
Manage the college counseling budget
Requirements
A minimum of ten years of college counseling experience.
Prior experience working with a diverse student population and demonstrated personal and professional commitment to utilizing an equity and inclusion mindset when working with people who have different cultural frameworks than their own and in examining the college counseling office’s systems, programs, and processes
Commitment to building strong, individualized relationships with students and their families
Excellent communication skills, especially strong writing skills and engaging public speaking skills
A strong professional network amongst the college admission and college counseling community
Excellent familiarity with standardized testing and financial aid
A broad knowledge of the programs and requirements at a wide range of colleges and universities
Familiarity with spreadsheets and databases, and the ability to learn and understand various types of of software used by the school in addition to some familiarity with systems used by college and university admissions offices
Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred
Skills
A willingness to engage across difference with empathy, understanding and humility
Social and emotional acuity
Strong relational skills that leads to communication that is approachable, responsive, transparent, and intentional
An understanding of your own identity and related positionalities and the ways those may show up in conversations with students and families
A profound openness to feedback and improvement, modeling lifelong learning and a willingness to grow
A ready sense of humor and collaborative spirit
