Rye Country Day School is seeking a Director of Counseling Support Services/Upper School Counselor beginning August 2021. Rye Country Day School is a coeducational, Prek-12, college preparatory school located in Westchester County, New York dedicated to providing students with an excellent education using both traditional and innovative approaches. We are actively committed to creating and sustaining a school community that is nurturing, supportive, diverse, and inclusive, one in which all students can participate fully and achieve their maximum potential through academic, athletic, creative, and social endeavors. We expect and promote moral responsibility and strive to develop strength of character within a respectful school community.

The Director of Counseling Support Services provides leadership and coordination of the school’s counseling support services through the supervision and support of the counselors in all three divisions. The Director’s specific responsibilities include

• Ensure department members’ adherence to policies and protocols for best practice
• Participate in the Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation (CFE) process with the Division Principals to provide consistent feedback, guidance, and support to department members
• Collaborate with counselors as needed to evolve policy and procedures
• Develop and engage with a network of counselors at other area independent schools
• Maintain a diverse list of outside referrals that meets the needs of the students and employees with regard to race, gender identity, socioeconomic needs, geographic location, and insurance panels
• Read and review all psychoeducational evaluations in all three divisions; consult with division learning specialists on accommodations involving social emotional needs
• Design and lead meaningful department meetings
• Work in close coordination with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team and the division administrators to strategize the most effective means of counseling support for the student body
• Serve on the Curriculum Council, Academic Affairs Committee, and Large Admin Team
• Assist in the hiring and mentoring of new counselors
• Demonstrate an interest in professional development, particularly to stay current and explore new ideas in the discipline; organize in-house and communicate external professional development experiences
• Keep abreast of all State requirements pertaining to student support services
• Collaborate seamlessly with the Director of Health and Wellness and the Director of Learning Support Services

The Director of Counseling Support Services also serves as one of the Upper School Counselors. The Upper School Counselors work closely with the Upper School Principal, Upper School Learning Specialists, Director of Learning Support Services, Director of Health and Wellness, grade-level deans, and Upper School faculty to support students. Included in the Upper School Counselor’s role are the following:

• Sees individual students on an as-needed, short-term basis
• Provides crisis intervention for individual students
• Assists students in developing advocacy, healthy coping skills, and developmentally appropriate problem-solving
• Provides group counseling support for Upper School students
• Consults and liaises with outside therapists and evaluators; makes appropriate referrals outside of school for ongoing care and support
• Supports the health and well-being of all learners, in collaboration with the Director of Health and Wellness, by creating a supportive environment that stimulates and promotes ethical, social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth
• Enthusiastically supports students and is a visible presence in the division
• Designs division-wide assembly time dedicated to discussing important health-related topics
• Provides opportunities to discuss child development issues with parents and guardians; holds individual parent and family meetings as needed
• Serves as a resource for teachers about the emotional development of adolescents; meets regularly with teachers about students in need of services and about any students of concern
• Assists with proofreading comments, with a lens to social-emotional learning, problem solving, and empowering students
• Assists with the transition of new students
• Works closely with the Upper School Learning Specialists to support students with combined emotional and learning differences
• Works in consultation with the Middle School Counselor for transitioning eighth grade students
• Develops and engages with a network of counselors at other area independent schools
• Designs and leads meaningful psychoeducation for Upper School faculty
• Conveys enthusiasm for intellectual inquiry and models lifelong learning as evidenced by professional learning and development
• Actively seeks education on and implements best clinical practices regarding trauma-informed counseling, assessment and treatment techniques for culturally- and racially-diverse populations, identifying avenues for prevention and intervention efforts, understanding racism-related stress and coping processes
• Maintains credentialing with New York State
• Keeps student, family, and employee information as confidential; maintains proper documentation in order to keep confidential records
• Participates as a full member of the Upper School faculty
• Supports the mission of the School and performs other related tasks as assigned by administration