Middle School/Upper School Counselor

Middle School/Upper School Counselor

Wilmington Friends School, a preschool through grade twelve Quaker day school located in Wilmington, Delaware and enrolling 700 students, has an exciting employment opportunity for a full-time Middle School/Upper School Counselor beginning on August 15, 2021. The School Counselor will report to the Middle School and Upper School Division Heads and will develop a comprehensive school counseling program that focuses on the social-emotional wellness of middle school and upper school students, grades 6-12. In alignment with the School’s Statement on Diversity, the MS/US Counselor will work to advance the School’s commitment to intentional inclusion and anti-racism.

The Counselor will collaborate with admin, faculty, staff, and parents with identification and intervention of student’s social/emotional needs; serve as a resource for teachers and administrators in developing action plans for students needing support; provide leadership for the coordination of wellness programs; and ensure that each student has access to a school counseling program that advocates for all students in diverse cultural groups.

Responsibilities:

Implement a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes student well being, provides preventative services, and responds to student emotional, psychological, academic, and social needs.

Collaborate with admin, faculty, staff, and parents with identification and intervention of student’s social/emotional needs. 

Consult and collaborate with stakeholders to create a school climate that welcomes and appreciates the strengths and gifts of culturally diverse students.

Serve as a resource for teachers and administrators, developing action plans for students needing support, and broadly assisting the faculty's efforts to best serve students and to advance school-wide programming.

Advise students in making good decisions around social challenges, managing emotions, and applying interpersonal skills.

Provide assistance to individuals or/or groups of students during times of stress, transition, and change.

Ensure that students, families, and faculty members know the counselor is available to provide students effective and helpful emotional, psychological, and social support. 

Curate creative digital resources for students, parents and teachers.

Ensure that families of students with emotional and other needs are well-counseled and, when appropriate, connected with external expertise. 

Practice culturally sensitive advising and counseling.

Advance the school’s commitment to inclusion and anti-racism and to ensure every student is seen, heard, treated fairly, and protected across their multiple identities. Ensure that all students’ rights are respected and all students’ needs are met.

Execute student risk assessments based on best professional practices, and use data to identify student issues, needs, and challenges.

Develop strong relationships with external health professionals to ensure that students are connected with external resources when needed or appropriate, including referrals for long term support.

Clerk Wellness Committee.

Attend middle school Deans’ Committee meetings and upper school Student Support Group meetings.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and list of three references electronically to Ann Cole, Assistant to the Head of School ([email protected]) accepting applications until Friday, February 5, 2021.