Posted: 15-Jan-26
Location: Colorado
Type: Full Time
Salary: 70,000 - 85,000
Categories:
School Counselor
The Opportunity
As ECDS has grown, we have reached an important inflection point. The School Counselor position represents our commitment to being proactive, building capacity before we need it, strengthening our ability to support students and families through challenges that are increasingly complex.
This is a founding role. You will be creating ECDS's first comprehensive social-emotional learning framework, establishing referral systems that do not yet exist, and defining what student support looks like across all grade levels. You will have significant autonomy to shape the role based on what students, families, and faculty need.
Position Overview
We seek a licensed mental health professional to serve as our School Counselor. This is not a clinical therapy role; rather, it focuses on prevention, capacity-building, and creating structures that help students, teachers, and families navigate challenges effectively.
The School Counselor will work as a thought partner to the Head of School and Division Directors, supporting our 40+ faculty members, and creating a cohesive, developmentally appropriate SEL framework from toddlers through eighth grade.
Reports to: Head of School
Team: Student Support Team (Learning Specialists, Division Heads)
Schedule: Full-time, 9-month position (August–May)
Salary: $70,000–$85,000 depending on experience
Our Students & Community
Our students are curious, creative, and caring. They are navigating the same challenges facing kids everywhere. You will work with students who range from confident leaders to quiet observers, from kids who have been with us since Pre-K to new arrivals finding their place.
Common challenges you will address:
- Anxiety and stress management (increasingly prevalent)
- Learning differences and executive function support
- Social dynamics and peer relationships
- Developmental challenges around eating, nutrition, and body image
- Navigating cultural identity and building inclusive community
- Transitions (new students, division changes, family situations)
- Supporting students from stable backgrounds who still struggle
Core Responsibilities
Your work is organized around a tiered support model, with the majority of time dedicated to building systems and capacity (Tier 1) rather than individual crisis response.
Tier 1: Universal Support — Building Systems & Capacity (60% of time)
Develop SEL Curriculum & Programming:
- Partner with division directors to create a vertically aligned, evidence-based SEL curriculum for PK-8
- Partner with teachers to integrate SEL into classroom routines and outdoor education experiences
- Design age-appropriate lessons and resources faculty can use independently
Support Faculty:
- Lead professional development on SEL practices and developmental challenges across PK-8
- Provide coaching and consultation to teachers on student needs
- Build faculty capacity to recognize and respond to social-emotional challenges
Create Systems & Protocols:
- Establish clear referral pathways for students needing additional support
- Develop protocols for connecting families with external therapeutic resources
- Create toolkits for common challenges (anxiety, attention, peer conflict, transitions)
Engage Families:
- Lead parent education workshops on relevant topics (anxiety, screen time, social development, nutrition). This can include leading them yourself or bringing in outside speakers
- Provide guidance to families navigating challenges
- Coordinate referrals to external mental health providers when appropriate
Tier 2: Targeted Support — Small Groups & Consultation (30% of time)
- Lead small student groups focused on specific SEL skills (friendship, emotion regulation, executive function)
- Facilitate regular consultation meetings with faculty to problem-solve student needs
- Coordinate check-in systems for students needing monitoring
Tier 3: Intensive Individual Support — Crisis & Complex Cases (10% of time)
- Provide immediate support for acute student crises
- Offer brief, solution-focused individual check-ins (not ongoing therapy)
- Coordinate complex cases involving multiple stakeholders
- Facilitate restorative conversations and peer mediations
What Makes This Role Different
This role IS:
- Building school-wide systems from the ground up
- Short-term, solution-focused support for students
- Connecting families to external resources
- Integrated into daily school life as part of the educational team
This role IS NOT:
- Ongoing individual therapy or clinical treatment
- Primarily crisis response (though you will handle crises when they arise)
- Isolated work; you will collaborate daily with faculty and leadership
Why this role is unique:
- High impact: Your work will directly shape school culture
- Creative freedom: You will not be constrained by existing systems
- Collaborative environment: You will work alongside committed colleagues
- Beautiful setting: Outdoor education is part of our identity; you might find yourself problem-solving on the trail as often as in an office
Required Qualifications
Education & Licensure:
- Master's degree in school counseling, clinical psychology, social work, or related field
- Active Colorado licensure (LPC, LCSW, Licensed Psychologist), OR
- Eligibility for Colorado licensure with clear path to obtain within one year
- School counselor certification is helpful but not required
Experience:
- Minimum 3-5 years working with children and adolescents in schools or clinical settings
- Demonstrated understanding of child development across multiple age groups (early childhood through middle school)
Essential Skills:
- Strong knowledge of evidence-based SEL frameworks (CASEL, Second Step, Responsive Classroom, etc.)
- Systems-thinking orientation; the ability to build sustainable structures
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills
- Ability to work effectively with diverse learners and families
Personal Qualities:
- Warm and approachable, but able to set clear boundaries
- Proactive problem-solver who does not wait for crises
- Comfortable with ambiguity and building something new
- Natural teacher who loves building others' capacity
- Energized by collaboration
- Commitment to inclusive, equitable environments
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in both elementary and middle school settings
- Independent or small school background
- Training in specific intervention models (DBT skills, CBT, mindfulness)
- Understanding of learning differences (ADHD, dyslexia, executive function challenges)
What We Offer
Professional Support:
- Access to external clinical supervision/consultation
- Dedicated professional development budget
- Collaborative partnership with Learning Specialist and Student Support Team
- Opportunity to shape ECDS's school-wide SEL program
Benefits:
- Competitive salary
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement plan with employer contribution
- Generous paid time off
- Tuition remission for children attending ECDS
- Professional development support
Community:
- Work in a school where relationships matter and every voice is valued
- Join a faculty committed to innovation and continuous improvement
- Beautiful mountain setting with easy access to Denver
- Small-town community feel with big-city proximity
Evergreen Country Day School is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.