School Counselor

Job Description
The focus of Bay’s counseling office, consisting of two counselors, is to provide drop-in and short-term counseling for adolescents and to provide referrals for ongoing therapy outside of school. The school counselors work closely with the Dean of Students, Student Life office, and Associate Head of School, and serve on the school’s Student Support Team. The counselors can also expect to confer with parents/guardians and students’ outside therapists with a signed release of information (ROI).

The position is part-time and approximately 24 hours a week. The exact schedule of those hours will be made in consultation with the Associate Head. On-site hours will occur between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., three days a week Monday-Friday, as the counselor will be providing counseling services to students as well as collaborating and communicating with other members of the counseling office. In addition, there are approximately 2-3 hours of self-scheduled phone calls/conferencing per week. One day (Wednesday) is designated as an overlap day to coincide and for collaboration with the other part-time school counselor.

Required Qualifications
EDUCATION: Master’s degree in psychology or social work.

EXPERIENCE: Minimum of 4 years experience as a therapist working with adolescents in private practice or a school setting.

COMPUTER SKILLS: Proficient in Google Suite

CERTIFICATES & LICENSES: Current California state licensure (e.g. LMFT, LPCC, LCSW, Psy. D., Ph. D., etc.)

OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Job offers are contingent upon clear LiveScan fingerprinting and TB risk assessment. Other requirements include completing first aid/CPR training, mandated reporter training, anti-harassment training, workplace violence prevention training and bloodborne pathogen training. Access to these mandatory trainings are provided and paid for by the school.

Major Responsibilities
●      Provide limited counseling services to students and families seeking support;

●      Provide outside counseling and mental health referrals and resources to students and families as determined by the family’s needs and through counselor evaluation;

●      Collaborate and consult with class deans, the Dean of Students, and the Student Support Team (SST—including learning specialists, the Academic Office, and Athletics) to support student needs;

●      Facilitate and create social emotional, sexual health, and wellness workshops and curricula for students, staffulty, and families;

●      Maintain with the other counselor, the counseling office’s section in the school’s weekly community newsletter (”Counselor’s Corner”) with resources, articles, and updates;

●      Maintain student support for their mental health and well-being;

●      Maintain follow-up support, documentation, communication, and

record-keeping of students while maintaining the confidentiality of student records;

●      Manage a close working relationship with the student learning services department to support a diverse student population, including those with learning differences / disabilities;

●      Provide crisis intervention, assessment, and clinical support for students and families in crisis. This includes, but is not limited to: involuntary placement due to suicidal / homicidal intentions and Child Protective Service and mandated reporting status situations;

●      Serve as a consultant to faculty and administration as related to individual students and concerns;

●      Implement the school’s protocols and procedures for the school counseling office;

●      Consult with outside clinical and medical support personnel when approved by the family and student to provide on-campus support for students;

●      Provide ongoing trainings, resources, and consultation to staffulty.

Required Professional Qualities/Abilities
●      Maintain confidentiality of students, families, staffulty, and administration;

●      Maintain a growth mindset deepening professional knowledge of updated legal and ethical obligations and guidelines associated with the role of a counselor in a school setting (boundaries, confidentiality, and reporting);

●      Strong organizational skills and communication, both written and oral;

●      Strong cultural competency and commitment to equity and inclusion and understanding knowledge of gender identity and experience working with gender-fluid, nonbinary, and transitioning youth;

●      Strong collaborative and interpersonal skills to facilitate difficult conversations;

●      Proven ability to partner effectively in a two-person department.

●      Ability to see both the big picture and details;

●      Ability to work effectively with several constituencies (employees, colleagues, students, families, and community at large);

●      Ability to receive and incorporate feedback;

●      Ability to use and effectively employ technology to promote department efficiency, communication, and organization;

●      Preferred experience with or training in mindfulness;

●      Preferred bilingual or multilingual skills but not required.

The Ideal Candidate
●      Finds resonance with The Bay School mission, philosophy, and precepts;

●      Shows evidence of continued commitment to anti-bias and equity work, and understands the social justice dimension of education;

●      Commits to ongoing professional growth;

●      Welcomes and learns from feedback;

●      Enjoys being in a high school community and working with students;

●      Values and incorporates mindfulness as a practice.

●      Possesses communication skills with the ability to think quickly and manage multiple tasks in a fast paced work environment;

●      Has excellent oral, written, and cross-cultural communication skills;

●      Is able to maintain confidentiality, equanimity, and good humor with demands from multiple constituencies in a professional work environment;

●      Punctual, efficient, and organized; able to think ahead;