Jobs

Overview 

Since its founding more than 100 years ago, Charles River School students have learned to use both inquiry and creativity to build practical skills, discover new interests, and take responsibility for themselves, their communities, and the future.  With a deep history and commitment to social justice, the school offers students in PreKindergarten through eighth-grade a global curriculum grounded in thematic, hands-on teaching and learning. CRS classes are small, learning is personalized, and teachers are accessible. The faculty and staff at Charles River School are exceptionally talented, diverse, active individuals concerned with the development and education of the whole child.

The Opportunity

Charles River School is seeking a highly skilled mental health practitioner to join a diverse and collaborative team of professionals to support the social and emotional wellbeing of our students and families from PreK to eighth grade.

Charles River School’s school counselor will play a central role in attending to the mental health needs of children by working collaboratively with students’ families and student support teams to advocate for students’ mental health and educational needs. The school counselor will provide a safe, accepting, non-judgmental space for students to discuss personal and academic issues, support student and family access to treatment, work across the school community to foster a culture of wellness, and help to maintain an emotionally healthy, productive and safe school environment.

The school counselor is a member of the Charles River School faculty and reports to the Associate Head of School. The person in this role would work closely with the Leadership Team, the Health and Wellness team, learning specialists, teachers, cluster coordinators, and classroom teachers.

A day in the life of Charles River School’s school counselor

The school counselor position presents an exciting opportunity for a passionate and compassionate health professional to touch and impact every aspect of school life.

On any given day you might find the school counselor…

• Greeting students, parents, and caregivers at arrival and dismissal.
• Helping an early childhood student who is having trouble separating from their caregiver in the morning.
• Leading an “Ages and Stages” meeting for grade level parents on the physical, social-emotional, and academic development of that developmental stage.
• Connecting with students and teachers at recess or at an afterschool athletic game or performance.
• Supporting a classroom teacher with an acute, in-the-moment student situation.
• Leading a grade level team meeting to follow-up on student support plans and ensure appropriate implementation.

Key responsibilities

Work with students

• Lead one-on-one, small group or whole group sessions for students in Prek to eighth grade on topics such as peer relationships, coping and soothing strategies, effective social and problem-solving skills, and conflict resolution, to name a few.

• Observe students in the classroom and develop behavioral plans in partnership with teachers, administrators, and other members of the student support teams.

• Commit significant time to building relationships with students when there is not a crisis, both in the classroom as well as in less-structured environments such as recess and lunchtime.

• Develop and deliver Growth Education curriculum on topics such as substance use, social media, human sexuality, and emotion regulation
• Help students develop their understanding of ‘self’ as it relates to ‘others.’

Work with colleagues

• Meet regularly and work collaboratively with the Associate Head of School, Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity, and Learning Services Coordinator, on issues related to the mental health of the community.

• Work with classroom teachers to develop students’ social skills and peer relationships; develop and support behavioral plans for individual students.
• Work collaboratively with Leadership Team members to develop and lead professional workshops for Charles River School faculty and staff on relevant topics and best practices in the field.

Work with families

• Design parent education workshops in consultation with the Associate Head of School and the Community Association.

• Consult with families and provide referrals, when needed, to outside mental health services.

• Participate in meetings with families and caregivers at the request of the Associate Head of School, classroom teachers, or advisors.
• Partner with families to develop and implement behavior plans and offer support and resources as needed.

Administrative

• Develop collaborative professional relationships with outside therapists, social and emotional learning experts, and other health and wellness professionals.

• Create and maintain a diverse list of clinical referrals and serve as a liaison between the school and outside providers.
• In collaboration with the Assistant Head of School for Teaching, Learning, and Equity support the development of a Prek to eighth grade social and emotional learning curriculum’s scope and sequence.

• Maintain records of all counseling sessions and family communications.
• Collaborate with the Leadership Team, teaching teams, and learning specialists to develop a consistent and comprehensive system for the student transition process each year.

Desired leadership qualities

The successful candidate will demonstrate 

• An enthusiastic commitment to Charles River School’s progressive, thematic curriculum and a recognition of the significance of social and emotional learning and mental wellbeing to the development of an excellent academic program and the development of compassionate, well-adjusted human beings.
• High cultural competency and racial literacy, and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• A professional, collaborative, team-oriented style characterized by empathy, flexibility, and patience.
• An ability to build trusting relationships with children and adults alike.
• A genuine appreciation of and respect for children; joy and enthusiasm for all aspects of school life.
• Warmth and a good sense of humor; patience and persistence; sense of curiosity and a love of learning.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and oral communication skills and proficiency in communicating and engaging effectively with a wide range of constituencies.
• The potential to be a thought leader on the cutting edge of preventative mental health care; the desire to model lifelong learning by actively seeking professional growth opportunities.
• Comfort and experience presenting in front of small and large groups.
• The desire to have fun!

Professional qualifications

Charles River School is seeking candidates who have…

At a minimum, a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work or related field.  A LICSW or comparable license is preferred but not required.

• Preferably at least three to five years of experience in a similar role.
• Experience working in diverse and culturally responsive elementary and middle schools or with children in this age group, and knowledge of best practices in anti-bias and inclusive education.
• Knowledge of or commitment to developing capacity in trauma-informed care and racial stress interventions.
• Experience with families and an understanding of family systems
• Understanding the impact of social media and technology on young people and their families and the importance of cultivating ethical digital citizens.
• Expertise in the ethical, legal and confidentiality considerations related to counseling practices.

Charles River School actively seeks candidates who will contribute and are committed to a diverse school community and inclusive educational practices. Interested individuals should send a resume and letter of interest to crsjobs@charlesriverschool.org (please use school counselor as the subject line) and fill out the CRS Employment Application by clicking this link: https://forms.gle/KuQLJ6nF8ctLecLG7.