Middle School Counselor

Title: Middle School Counselor

Reports to: Division Head

Supervises: N/A

Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt (Faculty; 10-Month Position)

Work Location: 5 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004

The IDEAL School of Manhattan is an inclusion school dedicated to creating a diverse community that affirms and accepts the full identities of all people, while inspiring academic excellence, creative leadership, and a desire to build a more just and equitable world. 

Position Description

The IDEAL Middle School Counselor is a professional educator who serves the 6-12 school communities, working with students and partnering with families, staff, and school leadership. This is a full-time, 10-month position. 

With a primary focus on Middle Schoolers’ academic and personal development within the school setting, the Middle School Counselor works with the Head of School, division heads, Director of Related Services, and other school administrators in advocating for, developing, and implementing programs and services that positively impact students' personal and academic growth and social-emotional well-being in alignment with the needs and mission of the school. Candidates must have the appropriate valid licensure/certification and possess a genuine passion and skill for working with diverse, neuroinclusive student populations. 

Beyond 1:1 and group sessions, counselors will participate fully in the life of the school and will be called to contribute in significant ways to the broader life of the school, including designing and/or implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) programming such as advisory, health, and life skills, as needed.  

Counselors at IDEAL do the following:

School Climate

• Foster a positive and inclusive school climate through all of their work

• Provide students with knowledge and skills to be effective learners and contributing members of the school community

• Support the general development, resiliency, and social-emotional growth of all students

• Work to reduce disruptive behaviors within the classroom and school community

• Collaborate with teachers and therapists to ensure goals and interventions are developed and carried over into the classroom and curriculum

• Willingness and ability to manage crisis assessment and intervention

1:1 and Small Group Meetings on Behalf of Students

• Ensure students receive appropriate intervention services, in accordance with IEP and ILP 

• Meet as required by a student's Individual Learning Plan (ILP) with students in IDEAL’s Zenith and Dylan Programs, and also, on a short-term, as-needed, or less formal basis, with students in IDEAL’s Standard Program

• Provide informal, ongoing assessments of students

• Attend CSE team meetings as requested

• Meet with parents and students’ outside providers

• Attend parent-teacher conferences, team meetings, faculty meetings, and student support team meetings

Student Social Emotional Development

• Teach mediation and conflict resolution

• Develop, support, and implement social-emotional aspects of our School program, such as advisory, health, and life skills. 

Teacher and Parent Education

• Partner with administrators to contribute to relevant teacher trainings and teams

• Design and provide parent programming on adolescent development

• Support teachers in their work with students

General

• Participate in other ways in the life of the school, as appropriate for their role, expertise, and responsibilities

• Seek ongoing professional development

• Work closely with supervisors and administrators to ensure school programming is consistent with the mission and conducive to our growth as the only inclusive K-12 independent school in NYC

• Share equitably in the duties and responsibilities of faculty and staff at IDEAL (i.e., chaperoning, lunch duty, morning duty, etc)

Required Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work (MSW), School Counseling, or a related mental health field.

• Valid NYS Licensure or Certification (LCSW, LMSW, or NYS Certified School Counselor).

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of experience preferred 

• Experience in a school-based setting preferred

Essential Qualities 

• An appreciation for the school’s mission, in particular its inclusive learning environment and commitment to social justice 

• A desire and eagerness to make a difference in the school--to contribute time and talent outside of therapy sessions to the growth of students and to the broader work and life of the school 

• The ability to collaborate as a part of a team, flexibility, and a sense of humor 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Experience working with a variety of students with different profiles

Other duties: Please note that this job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits Include: Paid time off, comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending program, health reimbursement account, commuter benefits program, income protection via short and long-term disability benefits, paid family leave, employer provided lunch options, professional development opportunities, 403(b) plan with employer contribution(waiting period applies).

Salary Range: $80,000-100,000 (this represents the expected salary range for this position. Salary will be determined based on education, experience, and other job-related factors)

Equal Opportunity Employer 

The IDEAL School of Manhattan is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities for all qualified employees and job applicants and to making all employment decisions without unlawful discrimination as to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, familial status, actual or perceived status as a victim of domestic violence, caregiver status, gender identity or expression, military status, veteran status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or any other status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.This policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all policies and procedures.

This policy of Equal Employment Opportunity applies to all policies and procedures relating to recruitment, hiring, compensation, benefits, training and development, promotion, demotion, discipline, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. demotion, discipline, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment.