Hong Kong International School is looking for a comprehensive school counselor to join our team for the 2022-23 school year. This is a great opportunity to join our eight-person team working in pairs and an individual caseload of approximately 80 students. 

HKIS school counselors provide a comprehensive, developmental guidance program that promotes students’ personal, social, spiritual and educational development in accordance with recognized standard of practice for international school counselors. 

It is understood in carrying out these responsibilities that the counselor supports the school mission which follows: Dedicating our minds to inquiry, our hearts to compassion, and our lives to service and global understanding.

The benefits are highly competitive that include annual flights home for the counselor and their family, provided housing, and a strong medical and retirement package. See this link to learn more about HKIS.

Other information about the position:

Responsibilities:

• Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team which includes classroom teachers, administrators, learning specialists, parents and outside providers 
• Responsive services, including child protection & trauma crisis support
• Individual and small group solution-focused brief counseling
• Parent education and partnership (coffee morning, parenting course)
• Faculty consultation
• Faculty professional development E.g. Child Protection and Mental Health 
• Partner with the administration to ensure smooth transitions for students joining and departing HKIS
• Delivery of SEL as well as mental health and wellbeing lessons

High School Team Specifics

The high school model is purposely built to meet the needs of students through a community structure. We have 4 communities with 2 counselors in each and each community has roughly 50 students per grade level. The 2 counselors work together to advise, advocate and support their community students through social/emotional, academic and college/career domains.

Specific experience relevant to requirements of the high school division:

• Experience working with US, UK, and international college representatives and/ or admissions
• Knowledge of global university admissions practices, experience working with families throughout the full application process, and familiarity with university application platforms
• Enthusiasm about teaching Counseling Seminars (grades 9-12), which is part a Wellbeing Block
• Comfort with identifying strengths in self and others, and utilizing own strengths in a shared leadership model

Experience:

• Masters or advanced degree in Counseling or equivalent (School Counseling preferred)
• Minimum of five years experience as a counselor in a school context at the relevant grade/age level.  
• Experience leading and facilitating parent and student groups within a culturally diverse setting

Requirements:

• Solid counseling knowledge and skills
• A growth mindset
• Excellent interpersonal skills to collaborate with faculty, parents, students, and administrators
• Have strong written and oral communication skills
• Have a working understanding of the ISCA and/ or ASCA counseling framework
• Have interest and experience in curriculum development and delivery, preferably in counseling curriculum
• Ability to collect and interpret individual and group data 
• Skilled in the use of technology for student planning, documentation, and the virtual delivery of counseling program
• Be enthusiastic about collaboration and professional development
• Commitment to child safeguarding