Career Center

Georgetown Day School,  a PreK-12 independent day school dedicated to cultivating a just, inclusive, and diverse school community, is seeking an experienced School Counselor to join our community as a long term substitute. This person will contribute to an energetic and creative team of professionals focused on mental health and wellness. The Counselor should have an understanding of the complex developmental needs of early adolescent learners and be prepared to work collaboratively with teachers, administrators, and families in service to all of our students, particularly helping to cultivate healthy identity development and overall well-being. The Counselor will report directly to the Principal of the Middle School and School Counseling Department Chair and work primarily with 5th and 6th graders. 

Primary Responsibilities Include:

• Cultivating relationships with students and faculty that promote general wellness among 5th and 6th graders.
• Providing counseling support and “case management” for individual 5th and 6th graders as needed.
• Providing counseling for small groups when/if specific topics are identified and a need can be met for multiple students.
• Providing crisis intervention and follow up that includes initial assessments of safety, developing safety plans, and consulting with private providers to ensure that a student is safe.
• Teaching skill-based health classes to 5th and 6th graders.
• Engaging with teachers, administrators, parents, and private mental health providers as part of a comprehensive support team.
• Attending grade level and division Student Support Team meetings and working as part of the Student Support Team.
• Collaborating with other counselors and team members when intervening to address individual student needs. This includes developing, implementing, and monitoring intervention plans. 
• Attending weekly meetings of school counselors.
• Communicating with parents and guardians and private mental health service providers, in collaboration with other Student Support Team members as needed, for referrals and to ensure coordinated service delivery in and outside of school.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Available to start as soon as possible
• Master’s degree or higher in school counseling, school psychology, social work, or a related field
• Three or more years of professional experience working with early adolescents
• Demonstrated success in collaborative work with parents, teachers, and school leadership in addressing social and emotional needs of early adolescent learners through an anti-racist, equity and inclusion lens
• Training in culturally responsive, strengths-based counseling and other intervention

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references using our online application system. To apply and to find out more about the school, candidates should visit our website at www.gds.org.

About Georgetown Day School

Georgetown Day School opened its doors in 1945 as the first integrated school in a segregated city. Governed by a Board of Trustees elected by the parent body and administered by an appointed Head of School, it was founded by seven families who wanted to create a school committed not only to academic excellence and educational innovation but also to a value system emphasizing appreciation and respect for others. Believing that diversity was the ground out of which all deep and rich learning occurs, they established a school where all children would be welcome, celebrated, and challenged to be their best selves. Today, the School's philosophy, programs, and position in the national educational landscape strongly reflect its roots. Having grown from 12 children in 1945 to 1075 students in PK-12 today, GDS is recognized as one of Washington, D.C.’s and the nation’s most dynamic educational institutions. Since the school’s founding, GDS has called eight different locations home. In the fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were all joined on one extraordinary campus.

Connections working at Georgetown Day School