Description:

School Counselor

University Preparatory Academy is seeking a talented, dynamic, compassionate and licensed Counselor to help us advance our vision of being an inclusive community of learners that provides an outstanding education for each individual in a diverse student population.  We are looking for someone who can work independently as well as part of a team.  We are looking for staff and faculty who share our belief that a culturally rich and inclusive school community provides students with the best possible environment for a quality education.  If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you.  Salary is competitive with public and independent schools.  U Prep offers an excellent benefits package, opportunities for professional development, and an extraordinary work environment.  Position is open immediately.

Who We Are:

University Preparatory Academy is an independent 6-12 school located in an urban residential section of Seattle, WA, one of the country’s most diverse and dynamic cities.  We are a strong and vibrant community of students, families, faculty, staff, and alumni who collaboratively create an exceptional educational experience for every student. The School is a place of great teaching and joyful learning; a community that joins together to raise up our children to be caring and productive adults; a place where all students and families have equitable access to all the school has to offer, and a place where every family and student feels equally enfranchised and at home. To us, diversity and inclusivity are not addenda, they are embodied in all facets of our school culture.  University Prep believes that our shared values of integrity, respect, and responsibility are essential to accomplish our mission of developing each student’s potential to become an intellectually courageous, socially responsible citizen of the world.

Job Summary:

Under minimal supervision, maintains and improves the overall social-emotional health of the school community. Works with individual students and their families in times of emotional need, and also assumes a leadership role relating to developing and implementing programs designed to sustain a healthy emotional climate in the school community.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Accurately and actively assesses the emotional climate within the school community on a continuous basis, proactively works to monitor and improve that climate, and responds to any acute or chronic issues as they become apparent
• Proactively identifies students in emotional need and provides support by intervention, ongoing individual or small group counseling, crisis counseling, and referral when appropriate
• In consultation with the Director of College Counseling/Student Services and the Upper and Middle School Division Directors, establishes and maintains psychological/emotional/social counseling protocols for students and their families, with clearly defined and consistently applied parameters for intervention, messaging, communication and record keeping
• In collaboration with the student services teams, is active in the development, coordination, and delivery of effective educational programs for students, faculty, staff, and families relating to issues of adolescent development, and emotional and behavioral health; examples might include developing a peer counseling program, designing a program for students and families relating to transition from Middle School to Upper School, and working closely with parent groups (Parent Council and Parent Education Committee, in particular), so that the practices and messaging at school are reinforced at home
• Increases counselor visibility, familiarity, and trust with students; gets to know the students and their families; becomes a presence in the school community
• Is an active and engaged member of the Student Services Team, and attends student review meetings to provide a psycho-educational perspective which can further the refinement of a student’s program
• Develops and maintains a network of community mental health professionals appropriate for referrals, consultation or crisis counseling
• Provides a supportive presence for students, faculty and staff, and parents in conversations or situations where it might prove beneficial
• In conjunction with the students services team, develops methods to assess the social-emotional health of the school and leads this endeavor
• Maintains a web presence for the counseling office and implements an appropriate communication plan with all constituents
• Establishes and cultivates community relations by maintaining open dialogue with all of the school’s constituencies
• Actively participates in the full life of the school
• Vigorously engages in his/her own professional development; is a life-long learner who enhances his/her skills, using state-of-the-art technologies to maintain high standards of performance to efficiently and effectively produce work products
• Is familiar with and complies with all policies and regulations as put forth in the school’s documents and state and federal guidelines for counseling professionals
• Since safety and security are everyone’s responsibility, takes all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, faculty, staff, equipment, materials and facilities
• Serves on the home base emergency contact team during cultural immersion program travel periods
• Performs other duties as assigned

Required Education & Experience:

• Advanced counseling degree (e.g., MSW, LMHC, PhD)
• 5+ years’ successful experience working with adolescents ages 12-18 and their families in a clinical setting
• 3+ years’ experience in an educational setting preferred

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Demonstrated leadership capability
• Extensive knowledge of adolescent development
• Excellent verbal and written communication skillsS
• trong attention to detail
• Ability to work and communicate well with all levels of faculty and staff
• Ability to work and communicate well with students and their parents
• Ability to maintain confidential information
• Flexibility, maturity and a sense of humor
• Proficient at working in a Microsoft Windows environment (Windows 7 or higher), using Office (version 2010 or higher), including Outlook; ability to master common automated systems for record keeping, and confidently learn new technology; Experience with school-focused technology is a plus
• Ability to talk on the phone
• Ability to sit and keyboard up to 8 hours per day

If this sounds like you, please submit a staff application for employment, your résumé, and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position via email to careers@universityprep.org.  Thank you for your interest in this position and in University Prep.

Position open until filled.  No phone calls or drop-ins please.

www.universityprep.org