School Counselor

The Girls’ Middle School

Imagine a school where each day is alive with learning and the spirit of adventure. Since its founding in 1998, The Girls’ Middle School (GMS) has been committed to progressive education and innovative programming, meeting the needs of a wide range of middle school students who make up our vibrant, inclusive community. Our project-based curriculum encourages creative problem-solving, collaborative teamwork, and independent thought. GMS educates girls* during a pivotal time in their lives. Students develop self-knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills supported by a staff highly attuned to their changing emotional and social needs. GMS encourages girls to find their voices, take risks, and become self-reliant. Learn more about GMS: www.girlsms.org and https://youtu.be/SatUBcjwkxA?feature=shared

*At GMS, “girls” refers to cis girls, trans girls, non-binary youth, gender non-conforming youth, gender queer youth, and any girl-identified youth.

Mission

The Girls’ Middle School educates girls at a crucial time in life. We create an inclusive environment where academic growth is nourished. A GMS girl discovers her strengths and expresses her voice while respecting the contributions of others.

Position Summary

The School Counselor at The Girls’ Middle school leads social-emotional learning programs. As a licensed practitioner in the mental health field, the Counselor is trusted to guide classroom practices, intervention strategies, crisis response, and SEL curriculum design. The Counselor will serve on the Student Support Team and on the Academic Council to ensure that each grade level has a school experience that is developmentally appropriate, trauma informed, and culturally responsive. The counselor also plans and delivers professional development to strengthen school-wide SEL practices and family education events to promote home-school partnerships and alignment on behalf of student development.

Teaching at GMS

At the core of GMS is our extraordinary faculty. Every teacher at GMS has a passion for working with middle school girls and believes in the fundamental value of the middle school experience. They are attentive to, value, and support every student in the school. The GMS teachers are middle school specialists and subject matter experts, bringing passion to their work and sharing it with the students. Whatever interests a GMS student – from physics to programming, sculpture to skateboarding, musical theatre to metal shop – there is an adult ready to help them advance that interest as far as they can go.

The School Counselor, like the members of the GMS Faculty, participates in a joyful, inclusive, and respectful community of students and adults. You will be surrounded by enthusiastic, dedicated, and mission-driven faculty who appreciate autonomy in creating learning experiences while thriving in a collaborative environment. Our teachers enjoy opportunities to create multi-faceted, interdisciplinary projects and participate in engaging field trips and travel experiences.

Primary Responsibilities

Direct Services to Students:

• Instruction: teach the school’s social-emotional learning curriculum to students through the lens of middle school development
• Relationship building – assess student abilities, interests and goals to help them make decisions about their activities and future planning
• Counseling- provide professional assistance and support to a student or small group of students during times of transition, conflict, heightened stress, critical change or other situations impeding student success. The counselor does not provide therapy or long-term counseling at school but is prepared to recognize and respond to student mental health needs and to assist students and families seeking resources
• Social/Emotional Intervention: Partner with Dean of Student Support and Belonging and other administrators to address behavioral problems, bullying, and mental health issues via individual or group sessions
• Crisis Intervention: Provide support for urgent issues like safety concerns, abuse, or neglect

Indirect Services to Students:

• Consultation: share strategies supporting student achievement with families, teachers, and staff
• Collaboration: work with other educators, families, and community-based organizations to support student growth and wellness. Support referrals for students and families to external resources and the community to support student growth. Facilitate learning from external experts and integrating knowledge gained by families through private assessments and consultations with mental or physical health care providers.
• Curriculum Design and Evaluation: Review and assess socio-emotional learning curriculum, designing and implementing new or revised content as needed to stay at the forefront of adolescent learning needs and address any emergent trends in the community. Consult with department chairs to identify opportunities to integrate SEL learning goals across content areas and to plan supportive instruction before and after sensitive or triggering topics.
• Data Analysis: Reviewing attendance, behavior, and academic records to identify and address barriers to learning.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience working with children/adolescents and families
• Active associate number (ASW, AMFT, APCC) or full clinical license (LCSW, LMFT, LPCC) in California.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and documentation skills
• Experience in school-based or youth mental health settings preferred
• Bilingualism in English and a language spoken in our school community such as Spanish, Mandarin, or Hindi a plus