The Spence School: Upper School Counselor and Health Teacher (NY, NY)

The Spence School seeks an accomplished clinician to serve as Upper School Counselor and Health Teacher to foster the social-emotional health and well-being of our students in Grades 9 - 12. The Upper School Counselor is integral to the daily life and functioning of the Upper School and builds on the school’s valued history of supporting student wellness as an integral part of their academic success. As a health teacher, the person in this role will teach required health classes in collaboration with other health teachers in the Upper School. This 10-month position, reporting to the Head of Upper School and Director of K-12 Student Support, is an opportunity to work closely with a team of passionate educators. We are committed to an environment where each child and family can thrive, knowing that they belong and their voices are heard.

Responsibilities
■ Provide short-term counseling and consultation for students
■ Provide consultation for families in a culturally responsive manner
■ Lead small-group sessions to support students with identified needs
■ Implement a consistent social-emotional learning program for each grade level
■ Offer parent workshops and faculty trainings on topics related to child development and social-emotional learning
■ Serve as a consultant and liaison among students, parents, faculty and administrators
■ Anticipate challenges to belonging and identify structures to strengthen equity and inclusion
■ Identify developmental, psychological, cognitive and behavioral needs of students in Grades 9-12, and assist with planning to meet these needs
■ Serve as part of the Health Education Team to teach and design curriculum within the School’s health program.
■ Assume a leadership role in collaborations supporting positive mental health and designing programs to meet the needs of students, families and faculty
■ Work closely day-to-day with the Upper School Student Support Teams, Nurse and Teachers to monitor the climate of the school and respond as needed by individuals and groups
■ Consult and collaborate with other divisional counselors, Resource Department, Head of Upper School, Upper School Dean of Students, and Director of Institutional Equity
■ Participate fully in the life of the Upper School and serve as an advisor or equivalent student support role.
■ Serve on committees as needed

Qualifications
Skills and Experience
■ Appreciation for the value and joy of full participation in the life of a school
■ Ability to apply a developmental and clinical frame for understanding student needs, while collaborating within a larger community of caring educators
■ Eagerness to be flexible in the delivery of support with students, embracing the notion that therapeutic
encounters often reside outside of the counseling room
■ Appreciation for, curiosity about and celebration of the diversity of student life experiences, family structures, and human temperaments
■ Skills for constructive communication and collaboration with faculty and administrators
■ Enjoys a working commitment that extends beyond the classroom, including contributions to the larger school community.

■ Ability to organize, plan, and implement tasks independently

Qualifications
■ Master’s Degree or higher in psychology or social work, with appropriate certification or licensure by the State of New York
■ Demonstrates pedagogical skill and sustained experience teaching in Health Education.
■ Sustained counseling experience with young children and families
■ Appreciation for the craft of counseling, along with passion for and knowledge of upper school life
■ Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively within and across multiple constituencies
■ Cultural competency and skills for engaging with and learning from people of diverse backgrounds and life experiences
■ Commitment to equity, inclusion and doing the work to maintain a strong, joyful and diverse community
■ Commitment to sharing clinical knowledge and perspective with faculty, administrators, families and students
■ Ability to lead with energy, kindness and a sense of humor
■ Finds joy in working with young people and in school life.

Spence is committed to an equitable program and a diverse faculty and student body. We therefore actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Interested candidates should apply through the website at https://www.spenceschool.org/about-spence/employment

** Prospective candidates should indicate Prep for Prep as the referral source when applying. **

Please note that the School has a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which requires that all employees be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination.