Lower School Counselor

Ravenscroft is an independent, coeducational day school in Raleigh, NC, with approximately 1,250 students in grades PreK-12.

We are looking to welcome a Lower School Counselor into our community of educators that actively strive to be diverse, equitable and inclusive. Our candidates should demonstrate empathy, knowledge and an understanding for the diverse backgrounds in our community; place an importance on genuine and authentic connections with students, faculty, staff and parents; be able to work collaboratively with team members of diverse backgrounds; and have the capacity to model an attitude of unyielding curiosity and a growth mindset.

Responsibilities : The Lower School Counselor will join a well-established team of educators at Ravenscroft. The Lower School Counselor is responsible for the oversight of the emotional, social, and psychological health of Lower School students.

Essential duties include :

• Individual and Group Counseling : The primary responsibility of the counselor is to provide social and emotional support to Lower School students utilizing individual and group treatment modalities. The counselor is responsible for the provision of these services with the highest degree of ethical standards.
• Member of the Counseling and Health Team : The counselor will report to the Associate Head of School for Student Affairs and is a member of the Counseling and Health Department. Responsibilities and initiatives will be carried out in close collaboration with the Counseling and Health team. The counselor will participate in weekly team meetings engaging in student case consultation and program planning.
• Member of the Lower School Leadership Team : The counselor will be a key member of the Lower School Leadership team. The counselor will participate in regular LS Leadership team meetings, Grade Level Faculty meetings, and lead Student Assistance Team meetings. As a member of the LS Leadership Team, the counselor should be present and visible in student spaces whenever possible. The LS counselor will partner frequently with the Assistant Head of Lower School for Student Life to determine appropriate support and accountability to LS students.
• Assistance with Psychoeducational Testing Interpretation and Academic Accommodations : The counselor partners with divisional Academic Skills faculty in providing psychoeducational test interpretation, and works with faculty and parents in implementing academic accommodations and support as part of the Learning Enrichment and Advancement Program (LEAP). The counselor also assists students, teachers, and parents in understanding educational, personal, or social factors which may be affecting a student's academic progress. Responsibilities also include chairing the Lower School Student Assistance Team (SAT).
• Resource for Lower School Faculty and Staff : The counselor will be an objective, available resource to the adults in the community, even though students are the counselor's primary responsibility. The counselor will be available for consultation and provide faculty / staff with information on topics such as child development, standardized test interpretation, peer / adult relationships, group dynamics, and will offer in-service trainings as needed.
• Coordination of the Advisory Program and Lead From Here : The counselor will help with providing developmentally appropriate, regular programming to enhance students' social and emotional learning. The counselor will offer structure and support for the overall program and offer assistance to individual teachers regarding specific topics and / or specific students. The person in this position may also be expected to assist in training classroom teachers in facilitative teaching techniques, especially the competencies associated with our Lead from Here initiative and the Citizen Leader Framework which can be viewed here. Of high importance in this appointment is the ability to work in a complementary fashion with the Lower School leadership team and our colleagues from the Center for Creative Leadership (www.ccl.org) with whom Ravenscroft has an ongoing partnership.
• Maintaining Confidential Records : The counselor will be considered a professional resource in the Lower School. As such, the counselor shall exhibit professionalism through care in communicating, maintenance of objectivity, and discretion with regard to requirements for confidentiality. The counselor will adhere to established Ethical Standards of practice. The Counselor will also be expected to be able to maintain appropriate documentation and electronic records for students using the school database management software.
• Resource for Parents and Families : The counselor will work with the Counseling and Health Team, as well as the Lower School Leadership Team, on the development and implementation of parent / family education programs. The counselor will continue to develop our health education program, and continue our commitment to offer educational opportunities around interpersonal relationships (including social media use), child development, identity development, and puberty education. The counselor will also serve as a resource for parents and families to support student well-being.
• Liaison for Outside Providers : The Counselor will maintain a robust referral network of providers and be prepared to recommend local resources (educational, psychological, crisis response) that might be helpful to families. The counselor will also follow-up on referrals, as appropriate, and function as a liaison between the professional or agency and the school community, particularly in the event of a student needing to take a medical leave of absence. The Counselor shall be familiar with mandated reporting and public law regarding child abuse and with appropriate procedures to be followed by the school should such cases come to the School's attention.

Qualifications : A minimum of a Master's Degree in School Counseling, Clinical / Counseling Psychology, School Psychology, or Clinical Social Work is required. Eligibility for (or already obtained) licensure in the state of North Carolina is preferred. Successful applicants will possess excellent computer and organizational skills. The candidate should have experience in a school setting working with children and their parents - including teaching, counseling, and developing student and parent education programs. The candidate should possess a high degree of interpersonal warmth and skill across a wide range of stakeholders in negotiating the nuances, complexities, and demands of a high-profile, fast-paced academic institution. Applicants must meet the physical requirements of the position.