School Counselor

School Counselor

Full-Time 12-Month Position

Maclay Schoolseeksa high-capacity mission-driven School Counselor who sets an energizing pace in helping students build the habits skills and mindsets needed to thrive. This role is designed for a charismatic forward-leaning educator who brings both discipline and warmth to student development and who in many ways serves as a School Coach for the personal and emerging professional lives of our students. The School Counselor is a magnetic skill-builder and catalyst for student growth coaching students in the foundational habits that support healthy development emotional regulation communication decision-making resilience and effective routines.

As a central leader in student development the School Counselor is deeply engaged in the daily life of the in this role move fluidly between one-on-one coaching classroom lessons small-group skill-building cycles and division programming making growth visible and actionable in real moments of the day. They collaborate closely with teachers administrators and families to strengthen school culture and ensure every student is equipped with durable transferable habits for life. The School Counselor serves as a visible relational leader in classrooms and common spaces modeling the proactive coaching-oriented approach that defines our program.

This individual leads by personal example and is one of the adults the school relies on to bring forward emerging research and proven practices that elevate our culture ofhigh expectationsand high support. This is a frontline role whose clarity presence and modeling influence all students not only those on a caseload. The ideal candidate is deeply relational solutions-oriented relentless in follow-through and committed to elevating student performance through proactive coaching strong relationships and disciplined essence theSchool Counselor embodies the qualities we hope to cultivate in students.

School counseling work occasionally extends beyond regular school hours. While crisis situations are infrequent the Counselor is expected to attend key after-school activities to connect with students and understand the lived experiences that shape their development.

Maclay School operates within a broader educational environment shaped by regional and state expectations as well as its own mission-driven Counselorwill sometimesencounterpoints where these policies intersect and must be able to support the schools expectations and the standards required by accrediting and governing bodies with confidence and clarity. Asstatedin our Statement of Community all members of Maclay are expected to respect support defend cooperate with and speak well of one another and the school and to place the best interests of the institution first.

Finally the School Counselor understands that meaningful work is neveraccomplishedalone and excels at engaging other adults including faculty families and community partners to advance student a strong internal network of faculty advocates is essential to the impact of the counseling program and the ability to energize and mobilize others toward shared goals is a vital part of the Counselor will be a part of the Student Coaching Team that includes peer School Counselors Deans of Students and others across campus. This team will be relied on to set the pace and standards of how behavioral expectations are articulated supported and celebrated. The leadership and voice from this team will be the standard for all who oversee child development on campus will measure policies procedures and practices against.

Primary Responsibilities

Student Support & Coaching

• Provide high-quality efficient short-term counseling and skill-based coaching that strengthens core student skills and supports healthy development.

• Help studentsestablishpersonal growth goals and build the habits routines and mindsets needed to achieve them.

• Maintain regular follow-up and progress monitoring for students receiving coaching or support.

• Facilitate reintegration plans for students returning from behavior incidents extended absences or emotional challenges.

• Respond effectively to crisis situations whenrequired following established protocols.

• Use developmentallyappropriate evidence-informed strategies to support student growth and capability.

Instruction & Skill-Building

• Design and deliver regular classroom lessons or advisory sessions that build students foundational skills and support their overall well-being and learning.

• Collaborate with teachers to embed skill-building routines andsharedlanguage into daily classroom practice.

• Maintain a consistent classroom presence to reinforce effective habits routines and learning behaviors.

• Plan andfacilitatesmall-groupcoaching cycles thatprovidestructured opportunities for discussion reflection and practice of key skill domains.

• Monitor progress andmaintaincommunication with teachers and families to reinforce skill development across settings.

Teacher Collaboration & Professional Support

• Partner with teachers on early intervention strategies and classroom routines that promote student success.

• Provide consultation modeling and resources that support effective student behavior communication and learning habits.

• Participate actively in grade-level meetings and Student Support Team (SST) discussions to ensure coordinated student-centered support.

• Partner with the Dean of Students during disciplinary processes to guide student reflection repair and goal setting.

• Model and reinforce shared expectations and consistent language across classrooms and grade levels.

• Lead or support professional learning aligned with student development and effective classroom practices.

Family Engagement

• Build warm trusting high-communication relationships with families.

• Offer guidance on home routines communication digital balance emotional well-being and developing independence.

• Serve as a knowledgeable and collaborative voice in parent meetings and conferences about student needs and progress.

• Help design and lead parent education workshops and community-facing events.

Schoolwide Culture & Program Support

• Lead schoolwide initiatives such as wellness programming transition supports advisory structures and student events that promote a positive and connected school culture.

• Contribute to a consistent PK12 counseling model that reflects shared expectations and aligned practices.

• Reinforce school values and expectations through daily student interactions.

• Serve as a visible approachable presence in hallways classroomscommon areas and at campus events.

Documentation & Professional Practice

• Maintaintimelyaccurate and confidential documentation of student interactions parent communication and internal referrals.

• Use data to inform early intervention student support decisions and program planning.

• Follow ethical guidelines confidentiality laws and professional standards of practice.

• Participate in ongoing professional development and contribute to counseling team alignment and growth.

Qualifications

• Masters degree in School Counseling Mental Health Counseling Social Work Psychology ora relatedfield with strong grounding in child and adolescent development.

• At least five years of school-based counseling experience with children or adolescents ideally with the age group associated with this role.

• Deep understanding of student development evidence-informed counseling practices and the skill-building approaches that strengthen healthy routines relationships and decision-making.

• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to partner effectively with students families teachers and administrators.

• A calm steady and professionalpresencewhobrings clarity warmth and sound judgment to complex situations.

• A reflective relational educator withhigh expectations disciplined follow-through and a commitment to modeling the healthy habits and mindsets weseekto cultivate in students.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Build trust quickly and be a visible energetic presence with students.

• Coachproactively teach skills clearly and respond to challenges with confidence.

• Communicate with precision warmth and professionalism.

• Collaborateeffectivelywith teachers deans and families.

• Operate with urgency steady judgment and strong follow-through.

• Think systemically and help strengthen a consistent PK12 counseling model.

• View student challenges asopportunities for growth and skill-building.

• Upholdhigh expectationswhile modeling the habits and mindsets we teach.

Physical Requirements and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodation Statement

This position requires frequent and sometimes rapid movement throughout the campus including walking or briskly walking between multiple buildings climbing and descending stairs repeatedly and regularly transitioning between indoor and outdoor environments in varying weather conditions. The school counselor must be able to stand and supervise students for prolonged periods quickly respond to student incidents or emergencies andmaintainhigh visibility during arrival dismissal class changes and school events. The role also requires the ability to sit talk hear and clearly communicate in person and by phone or radio; operate a computer and other school-related equipment; and perform frequent reaching bending and kneeling with the ability to lift carry or move up to 30 pounds. These physical requirements are representative of those needed to perform the essential functions of the job; reasonableaccommodationsmay be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Non-Discrimination & Equal Opportunity Employment (EEO) Statement

Maclay School is an Equal Opportunity Employer andcomplies withall applicable federal state and local employment laws. TheSchooldoes not discriminateon the basis ofrace color national origin age disability sex or actual or perceived gender identity consistent with the nondiscrimination standards outlined in our employee benefit and policy documents.