Career Center

Restorative Response Coordinator / Counselor

Northwest Academy is seeking a Restorative Response Coordinator / Counselor for the 2023-2024 academic year.

ABOUT OUR SCHOOL:

Northwest Academy is a progressive, independent middle school and high school (grades 6-12) located in downtown Portland.  We emphasize proficiency-based curriculum and assessment, high expectations, creativity, and student-centered classrooms. We value an inclusive, caring culture that supports and challenges students, that is sensitive to their developmental needs, and that ultimately guides students to celebrate their emerging independence and individual spirit.

Northwest Academy staff members recognize that participating in a professional community and contributing to the school’s wellbeing is an important element of their relationship to our school. As a result, staff are expected to take active roles in the school’s professional and student culture in a variety of ways in addition to their primary roles and responsibilities.

Position Title:      Restorative Response Coordinator/Counselor

Department:        Student Services 

Reports To:         Head of High School and Head of Middle School

FTE:                    .50 - 0.75

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Restorative Response Coordinator/School Counselor is an exciting new role within the Northwest Academy Student Support Services Team (“SST” -- consisting of the counseling department chair, head of middle school, head of high school, learning support specialist, and director of student services). The restorative response coordinator/counselor will work with members of the SST to create and support systems that strengthen relationships and student mental health, reduce conflicts, and increase belonging and community. They will serve as the primary counselor of a small subset of students between 6th - 12th grade with individual counseling needs, and will support the larger student body in both large and small group contexts with their emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs. 

BENEFITS:

Full-time employees receive several different healthcare plans to choose from, a dental and vision plan, Flex Spending options, identity theft protection, and a 3% matching 401K pension account after completing one year of employment.  Northwest Academy also offers opportunities for Creative Production Grants to support individual artistic endeavors and a 6-week Sabbatical.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as point person for counseling services for subset of student body; this includes assessing the mental health needs of individual students for referral to professional resources in the community, providing short-term counseling, and consulting with teaching faculty, administration, and families about the emotional and mental health of students;
• Coordinate restorative conferences and circles (between students, teachers, staff, admin, and/or family members when appropriate) to address chronic social-emotional, relational, and/or behavioral challenges;
• Help students navigate conflict and provide interventions rooted in restorative practices; follow up with parents and/or faculty and staff when needed;
• Collaborate with the Learning Specialist to track students with learning plans, advocate for appropriate accommodations, and support teachers’ work with students;
• Provide in-classroom observations and support for students with behavioral challenges that are impacting classroom dynamics;
• Assist in creation and implementation of health curricula for middle school through high school aged students;
• Follow consistently implemented procedures around student challenges, with effective communication and record-keeping;
• Provide educational and other programming aimed at enhancing parents’ understanding of adolescents;
• Serve as advisor to a group of mixed level high school students;
• Uphold legal and ethical obligations, including, but not limited to, mandatory reporting and confidentiality, as determined by best practices of professional and legal responsibilities of a school counselor;
• Help manage school crises that relate to the emotional health of our students and;
• Other duties as assigned. 

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Be present in student common spaces and community events; have a strong desire to build close relationships with middle and high schoolers;
• Comply with and help to maintain school policies, regulations, and expectations as set forth in the school’s handbooks and policy manuals;
• Develop and maintain professional, collaborative, and collegial relationships with faculty, staff, and partners/friends of the school;
• Exhibit a growth mindset about best practices and work toward professional goals and development;
• Participate in required non-classroom activities as needed; 
• Provide effective supervision of students to promote a safe and healthy environment and school experience;
• Timely and professional completion of required reports and forms; and
• Support the work of the Head of School and as directed and in service of the school’s leadership and administrative teams.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced counseling degree and current OR licensure (e.g., LMFT, LCSW, Masters in Counseling, MEd in School Counseling) and minimum of 4 years successful experience working with adolescents ages 11-18 and their families;
• Excellent verbal, written, and digital communication skills; ability to effectively communicate around sensitive and confidential issues;
• Ability to quickly connect and build trusting relationships with diverse group of students, families, administrators, faculty and staff;
• Sense of humor and humility;
• Passion for working with young people and creating optimal environments for their growth and success;
• Knowledge of and demonstrated commitment to utilizing restorative framework to respond to challenging behaviors and conflict;
• Knowledge of and demonstrated commitment to the professional, ethical, and legal responsibilities of a school counselor;
• Demonstrated passion for and success working with young adolescent and adolescent students;
• Direct teaching experience preferred;
• Proficiency in a Mac environment, as well as with Google Drive, Google Docs and Apps, word processing, database, electronic grading software, and other classroom and teaching technologies, including audio/visual equipment;
• The ability to create an effective learning environment and interact effectively with people from different cultures and experiences; ability to lead and work with cross-cultural environments;
• An awareness about difference and how it can expand teaching practices and student success; and
• An ability to learn from and build on varying cultural and community norms of students and their families.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  None

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Physical requirements are consistent with light physical duties required of teachers generally. The school is spread out across five buildings, covering multiple blocks in downtown Portland, so teachers may have to move between buildings during five-minute passing periods or attend meetings around campus. The school does not provide parking for all staff members, so metered street or lot parking might be required.

Interested candidates can find instructions for applying for this position on the Careers at Northwest Academy and reply to Careers@nwacademy.org.

Northwest Academy is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to welcoming and celebrating a diverse student and faculty population. We believe every employee has the right to work in an environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination. It is the policy of the school that employment decisions for all applicants and employees will be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other characteristics protected under local, state, or federal law. No employee will be retaliated against for raising concerns under this policy. We seek each employee’s contribution and assistance in helping us maintain equal employment opportunity.