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SalaryCharles Wright Academy
School Counselor
Start Date: August 15, 2024
Position:School Counselor
Reports to: Division Director(s)
Additional Terms: Exempt, 10-month faculty position, occasional travel and ability to drive required for attendance at community events, professional development and the occasional chaperoning of student activities.
Charles Wright Academy (CWA) is a co-educational, non-religious, independent school located in University Place, WA. Charles Wright Academy is located on a beautiful, green, and sprawling 107-acre campus that includes athletic fields and more than 60 acres of gorgeous pacific northwest forests that also serve as an extension of our proper academic campus. Our educational philosophy of experiential learning includes unique daily opportunities for wilderness exploration, hiking, birding, wildlife observations, gardening, nature habitat sketch subjects for art studies, local biological science exploration, conservation work, farming, and more.
The only completely co-educational, independent, and non-religious school serving students in preschool through grade 12 in the South Sound area, CWA provides a challenging and nurturing environment with college preparatory academics and robust programming that prepare students to thrive and successfully launch into college and beyond. A wide array of experiential education, artistic, athletic, travel, and service opportunities promote students’ social-emotional development and provide students avenues to discover and pursue their passions. A culture that values self-expression, appropriate autonomy, and exploration of their authentic selves, students are nurtured, encouraged, mentored, and supported by a highly qualified and experienced faculty that share collective institutional values and provide engaging, active, and joyful experiences for students each and every day.
Charles Wright Mission Statement
To inspire active, joyful learning while nurturing and challenging our students to develop the character, creativity, and skills to successfully navigate the future with confidence.
Position Description
The School Counselor serves a diverse body of students and families, supports faculty and staff in their work with students, coordinates appropriately with outside services in the community, builds and implements programming focused on developmental, social-emotional, and mental health topics as appropriate. The School Counselor in conjunction with the Director of Counseling and Wellness, will create, provide, and support programming and services to ensure best outcomes in academic, social, and community success and growth for students. The School Counselor will ensure that students’ developmental, social-emotional, and mental health needs are identified, documented, supported, and accommodated using and recommending resources both within and outside the school as appropriate. The School Counselor will ensure students have the ability and support to develop a sense of belonging in the community, and the ability to fully access and thrive within the academic program.
Responsibilities
The School Counselor, in partnership with Division Director(s) and other school administrators, will oversee their assigned divisions’ student support needs by providing:
- Responsive services for student check-ins, skill-building opportunities and ongoing support
- Family support and referrals for services as needed.
- Faculty and Staff support to build capacity for working with students who have developmental, social-emotional, and mental health needs.
- Serve as a member of appropriate Student Support Teams
- Support Bullying Prevention & Response program implementation.
- Create, implement and support SEL efforts.
- Crisis response and support as needed.
- Administrative oversight in creating, implementing, and maintaining needed support plans and documentation for students.
- Exceptional communication skills, written and verbal.
- Strong support for diversity and inclusion and be a constant champion for student belonging.
- Maintaining confidential information as appropriate
- Communicating and exchanging information with students, other teachers, and families with appropriately sensitive and accurate communication skills
- Other duties as assigned by the Head of School
Qualifications
The School Counselor will possess appropriate expertise and experience for an applicant able to perform the duties as outlined in this posting and deliver consistent and excellent outcomes.
Qualified candidates will hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field and have some experience working in counseling, social work, or as a mental health professional with school-aged children. Preferred candidates will hold or be seeking a master’s degree in counseling or a related field, possess relevant licensure, and hold significant experience working as a counselor for school-aged children in school setting.
Qualified candidates will possess a strong commitment to experiential education, serve as a champion of diversity and inclusion and cultural competency, possess the ability to inspire and challenge young people, the capacity to work cooperatively with peers, a keenness for working with school-aged children, a strong work ethic, and a joyful sense of humor. Candidates should be able to work flexibly with various educational technologies and an ability to navigate Google G-Suite for education and Mac hardware/systems is preferred.
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to move easily around a classroom, accessing materials and assisting students as needed.
- Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.
Must be able to traverse school facilities and lead students to safety in the event of an emergency.
Salary & Benefits
This position has a salary range between $60,000 and $80,000, depending on qualifications and experience. Benefits available subject to plan and candidate eligibility.
Insurance: Medical, Vision, Dental; Basic Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, and Long-Term Disability; Health Care FSA; and Dependent Care FSA may be available to employees, subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plan.
Retirement Plan: CWA offers an employer and employee contributed 403(b) plan, subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plan.
Paid Sick Leave: Employees receive 80 hours of paid sick/wellness leave per year.
Personal Leave: Employees will receive 3 days of personal leave per year.
Paid Holidays: CWA offers 12 paid holidays per year.
Other Benefits: EAP (Employee Assistance Program), Tuition Assistance for employees seeking advanced degrees, Professional Development opportunities, Child Tuition Remission of 50% for those choosing to enroll eligible students at CWA, 50% discount of Extended Day childcare services and Summer Camp programming for eligible enrolled students.
Application process
To apply, submit a cover letter addressing why you feel you are the right fit for this role at Charles Wright Academy and how that aligns with both our Mission and Inclusion Statements (both included in this posting). Please provide an updated resume, and email and telephone contact information for 3-5 professional references (which must include your most recent supervisor) via Paylocity where this posting occurs.
Applications for this position will be accepted until filled. No phone calls or inquiries, please.
Inclusion Statement
Charles Wright Academy best exemplifies its mission and values when everyone knows they belong in our school community.
We embrace an intentional culture that champions everyone’s full participation as their authentic selves in all of the opportunities that comprise the Charles Wright experience. This includes supporting each community member’s understanding of their own identities and acceptance of the identities of others. By doing so, we empower everyone at Charles Wright to connect, learn, grow, and achieve.
The inclusive culture we strive for requires us to make both institutional and individual commitments. Institutionally, we will align policies, curriculum, and decision-making to this goal, and we commit to ongoing self-examination, learning, and action. We also encourage and support individuals to initiate and engage in candid, courageous conversations as this work are the responsibility of every member of our community. (adopted by the CWA Board of Trustees, March 2020)
Employment is contingent on the successful completion of a national background screening and fingerprinting process. Charles Wright Academy is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/V/D.
