Full-time, Exempt
Immediate Opening - April 2023
ABOUT NEW ROADS SCHOOL
In an authentically diverse community reflective of Los Angeles, New Roads prepares young people for life by developing in them a personal dedication to learning, a respect for independent thinking, an expanding curiosity about the world and its people, and a commitment to the common good.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Elementary and Middle School (K-8) Counselor and Parent Education Coordinator is a full-time position and includes responsibilities as the coordinator for the Parent Education Program, bringing in outside resources/presenters for students and parents and supporting the development of a life-long foundation for wellbeing and educating parents about the developmental milestones of their children. The Counselor reports directly to the K-8 Division Directors and Director of Student Wellness and Human Development. The Counselor works in collaboration with the Middle School Director, the Academic Dean, the MS Dean of Students, the Elementary School Director, and the Directors of Learning of the Elementary and Middle School to support students. The Counselor, who works directly with the Elementary and Middle School staff, students, parents, and teachers, is the contact to outside resources for the emotional health and well-being of the students K-8. The Counselor is expected to model ethical and professional practices.
The Counselor plays a significant role in providing culturally responsive support for the social and emotional needs and challenges of the students, parents, and, at times, faculty and is often called on to meet with individual students and parents as well as with groups of students in order to provide social/emotional support, assess needs, advise on challenges, and deliver referrals for professional therapeutic support.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
COUNSELING
- Work with individual students and their families on social, emotional, and behavioral issues that may affect their school experience.
- Support teachers, students and families with crisis interventions and referrals.
- Advise faculty regarding individual student issues, classroom behavior management ideas, and interventions, etc. Collaborate with outside professionals as needed to support students and families.
- Serve as a resource for parents, students, teachers and administrators for referrals and community resources.
ADMINISTRATIVE
Collaborate with the Division Directors and the Director of Student Wellness to build and sustain a culture of wellbeing through each of the following responsibilities:
- Attend weekly Elementary and Middle School Leadership Team Meetings
- Participate in Elementary and Middle School Staff Meetings monthly at minimum, and as needed in addition
- Attend and Represent Elementary and Middle Schools at Independent School Counselor Meetings
- Participate in Elementary School student support team meetings and in Middle School student support meetings, strategizing supportive interventions for students
- Serve as coordinator and facilitator for the Parent Education Program, which includes bringing in outside resources/presenters for students and parents
- Provide feedback and support to teachers with regard to social-emotional environment, climate and culture in classroom
- Provide professional development for faculty and staff on appropriate boundaries and building healthy relationships with students as well as supporting the healthy development of various areas of student identity.
- Serve as a resource for supporting the work of the Director of Student Wellness and Human Development for the support of mental health and SEL.
- Additional duties as assigned
ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL (K-8) HUMAN DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
- Serve as a consultant on the development of the social and emotional dimensions of wellness at the K-8 level as well as the developmental appropriateness of the Human Development Curriculum.
- Facilitate student support groups as well as teacher professional development addressing aspects of student social-emotional wellness,self-regulation, and identity.
- Collaborate and consult with Connections teachers and Human Development team as well as Division Directors on mental health and SEL programming, in line with agreed-upon school priorities Develop and coordinate workshops and discussion groups for parents, parallel to student seminars in regards to mental health.
