Job Description:

The Blake School seeks a Lower School counselor to serve as a student advocate who works cooperatively with other individuals and organizations to promote the healthy development of children and families in our community.  

This position is beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Blake is particularly interested in candidates who will enrich the diversity of identity and lived experience that makes a community strong and empowers students to engage across differences. Blake provides substantial resources for professional learning in areas including adolescent development, learning differences and intercultural competence. Blake will cover the travel and lodging costs for finalist candidates visiting from out of town.

The committee will begin reviewing applications in early December.

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Provides short-term individual and small-group counseling pertaining to behavioral, emotional, social and mental health issues
• Offers classroom developmental guidance and social/emotional learning lessons
• Consults with parents/guardians, teachers, support staff, administrators, medical professionals and community mental health personnel
• Maintains relationships with qualified therapists and/or community agencies and provides referrals to families as appropriate
• Serves as a liaison between the school and outside agencies or mental health personnel
• Acts as a resource for understanding child and early adolescent development
• Provides guidance and professional development opportunities to faculty and staff on topics such as behavior management, recognizing mental health or learning challenges in the classroom, building classroom community and growing resilience in children
• Provides robust parent/guardian education on a range of relevant topics
• Responds to crises, including separation and loss or acute mental health needs
• Plays a leadership role on the Lower School student support team by crafting meaningful interventions and serving as a point person for implementing support services
• Works collaboratively with Lower School learning specialists and PK-12 counseling department 
• Maintains documentation and appropriate communication in accordance with professional standards pertaining to licensed school counselors
• Consults with the administration and PK-12 school nurse on other matters of school community health
• Attends all appropriate school meetings and events

Experience and Skills:

Minimum Qualifications :

• Previous lower school counseling experience
• Must be a licensed school counselor or hold an advanced degree in counseling psychology
• Must be able to develop high levels of trust and rapport with students, parents/guardians and colleagues with diverse lived experiences and identities
• Knowledgeable about the developmental stages of elementary-age children and early adolescents, as well as positive identity formation frameworks
• Familiarity with recognizing and supporting students who demonstrate signs of learning differences 
• Experience conducting classroom observations and implementing behavioral intervention strategies
• Demonstrate a strong professional commitment to pluralism and growing intercultural competence

Disclaimer:

The information contained herein is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of the duties and responsibilities of the job, nor are they intended to be an all-inclusive list of the skills and abilities required to do the job. The duties and responsibilities in this job description may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.