Forest Hills, New York
Tampa, Florida
Whippany, New Jersey
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted: 13-May-25
Location: Forest Hills, New York
Type: Full Time
Salary: $21,500 - $35,000
Categories:
Salary Details:
Overview
The Kew-Forest School, a PS-12 co-educational day school founded in 1918 in Forest Hills, NY, seeks an experienced and dynamic individual to serve as the Temporary Director of College Counseling to cover maternity leave during a critical period for our seniors. Kew-Forest is proud to enroll an astonishingly diverse student body representative of Queens and New York City, including approximately nine percent of whom are international students. The Kew-Forest School promotes diversity in its hiring process and is committed to supporting its inclusive community by hiring culturally diverse faculty and staff to work with our equally diverse students, families, and employees.
The Temporary Director of College Counseling will report to the Head of School and be an integral member of the School’s eleven-member senior leadership team. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills and a collaborative spirit to work closely with the Head and Assistant Heads of Middle & Upper School, the Director of Learning Support, and the Middle & Upper School teaching team. The individual will ensure continuity in college counseling services, providing expert guidance to students and families while upholding ethical standards of the profession. Strong organizational skills, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to manage high-stakes timelines are essential.
We seek an energetic, creative, imaginative, and thoughtful professional who will support our students through the college application process with care and expertise, and prepare them for future success.
Essential Functions
- Collaborate with current Director of College Counseling and Head of Middle & Upper School
- Meet the ethical standards of the college admission profession as articulated by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC);
- Advise and guide a caseload of approximately 20-25 students per grade through the college application and selection process;
- Work closely with the Middle/Upper School administration to guide students through all aspects of the college exploration and application process;
- Possibly teach one section of ELL;
- Help students self-assess and research higher education and other post secondary opportunities;
- Counsel students and parents about college options; disseminate college information to parents through scheduled presentations and individual conferences;
- Maintain a professional level of sensitivity to different family cultures and dynamics;
- Display a commitment to diversity and creating a culture of equity, inclusion, and belonging in approach to teaching and learning, as recognized and valued by Kew-Forest;
- Guide students in selecting the most appropriate standardized tests for college entrance;
- Review college applications and transcripts;
- Develop and write official school letters of recommendation for all seniors and communicate with college admission officials;
- Assist with all aspects of the college financial aid process;
- Host college representatives who visit Kew-Forest and serve as a liaison with college admissions offices throughout the academic year, helping them to understand and appreciate Kew-Forest students;
- Visit colleges and universities throughout the academic year;
- Share in the day-to-day life of the school community and furthering the school’s mission;
- Serve as on-campus standardized testing coordinator (PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP);
- Coordinates team that plans and executes graduation;
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School.
Desired Experience and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree
- 3+ years of successful experience working with students and their families in the college admissions process in either a secondary school college counseling office or in a college admissions office; experience working in an independent school preferred;
- In-depth knowledge of colleges and universities as well as a contextual grasp of the current college admissions landscape;
- A desire to work intensively and collaboratively with each grade of approximately 25 families, eagerly welcoming conversations and encouraging interaction among students, parents, and the college counseling office;
- Experience counseling a range of learners;
- Intimate knowledge of the college financial aid process;
- Strong analytical writing skills;
- Strong public speaking skills and the ability to lead in events for students, parents, and colleagues;
- Active participation in local and national associations relevant to the college counseling profession, including NACAC, College Board, and Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS);
- Outstanding attention to detail and accuracy;
- Willingness to engage with and learn from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences;
- Eagerness to contribute positively to the Kew-Forest community and uphold its Mission;
- Ability to bring joy, kindness, maturity, and flexibility to the school environment.
Salary Range
$21,500 - $35,000 (commensurate with years and depth of experience).
This temporary position is pivotal to ensuring our seniors meet early application deadlines and receive uninterrupted support during a transformative time. The ideal candidate will bring energy, warmth, and expertise to sustain Kew-Forest’s highly respected college counseling program.
To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references to the Director of College Counseling Hiring Committee at adminopening@kewforest.org.
To learn more about The Kew-Forest School, please visit our website: www.kewforest.org.
MISSION
We are The Kew-Forest School.
Our community nurtures lifelong learners from around the world.
Our educators inspire young people to think boldly and find their voices.
Our students support each other and explore thoughtfully as they shape the future.
NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION
The Kew-Forest School believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity. The School prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, culture, background, physical or mental disability, or any other legally protected classes or classifications. No employee or job applicant will be discriminated against in recruitment, compensation, promotion, or termination practices.