Social Emotional Learning Specialist Pt/Ft (2024-25)

Madison Country Day School, a Pre-K through grade 12 International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, seeks an experienced, engaging, and compassionate Social Emotional Learning Specialist to join our Student Services Team. We need an individual who understands best practices in supporting student mental health and who is passionate about their work. We are looking for individuals who share our belief that a culturally rich and inclusive school community provides students with the best possible environment for a quality education.

The ideal candidate is flexible and adaptive and will enjoy collaborating with our current school counselor and dedicated educators who are instructing Pre-K through twelfth-grade students through an intellectually stimulating, personally enriching, and academically challenging program.

Applicants will be excited to be an active member of the MCDS Student Services team. Applicants must have successful experience working with culturally diverse students, teachers, families, and communities. Additionally, applicants must be innovative, creative, collaborative, hold a growth mindset, and be passionate about working with children of all ages.

The successful candidate will

• Be intellectually curious and have the desire to spark a love of learning in students.
• Have an understanding of the impact of mental health and learning disabilities on students’ daily academic performance and mood.
• Have a warm and friendly personality.
• Preserve confidentiality (conversational information, documentation, etc.)
• Work closely with colleagues in mentoring and collaborative relationships.
• Have an in-depth understanding of child/adolescent mental health issues including (but not limited to) anxiety, depression, eating disorders, grief, ADHD, ASD, and behavior problems.
• Have an understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to provide culturally sensitive counseling and intervention.
• Have an understanding of local and national resources for the support of students and families
• Have the ability to coordinate well with psychiatric and psychotherapeutic providers in the community.
• Have knowledge of all stages of childhood development.
• Have crisis intervention skills including suicide assessment skills.
• Work efficiently in a Microsoft Windows or Mac environment using Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Blackbaud K-12; and can confidently learn new technology.
• Have a working knowledge of social media platforms.
• Have the ability to work in a moderately noisy environment.
• Work collaboratively in a hands-on team environment.
• Have experience designing and/or leading SEL lessons to students.
• Have experience in facilitating support groups for students.
• Be a visible member of the student, parent, and faculty community, actively participating in the life of the school. Through participation, become aware of issues general to the student body or specific to an individual student who could make use of counseling resources.
• Have a genuine appreciation of students of all ages, a sense of humor, and the ability to work well within a collaborative environment.

Primary duties include, but are not limited to:

• Build and maintain effective relationships with parents to create an effective school-parent partnership for the benefit of the student.
• Work collaboratively with family members, specialist teachers, and other staff to achieve positive outcomes for all students.
• Have difficult conversations with parents, peers, and students with respect and professionalism.
• Create learning support plans for students with mental health concerns.
• Teach classes related to Social Emotional topics.
• Maintain student records in compliance with school policy, state and federal regulations.
• Meet with students on an as needed or on-going basis for emotional wellbeing, crisis management, and student mediation.
• Provide restorative work between students.
• Lead support groups in small cohorts for students (lunch bunch, etc.).
• Conduct observations of behavior (academic and social) within the classroom, playground, and during social time.
• Collaborate with teachers to provide social-Emotional Learning curriculum.
• Provide direct support to teachers for the academic and emotional needs of students who require more than the regular standards of good teaching practice. Help build accountability with check-ins and plan reviews.
• Join in Student Support Meetings to provide support, advice, and expertise for supporting students of concern.
• Provide support for parents regarding the mental health and well-being of their children
• Perform crisis interventions as needed, and coordinate critical incident intervention and best practices in coordination with other area schools.
• Attend faculty meetings on a regular basis and parent education evenings when relevant topics present themselves.
• Keep Division Heads and Head of School apprised of sensitive and escalated issues, meetings, and conversations with parents, teachers, and students.
• Refer families to psychologists and other mental health resources for their child.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Experience as a school counselor, school psychologist or social worker a plus but not required;
• Experience working with SEL tools
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent listening skills;
• Dedication to meeting the needs of diverse student learners;
• A bachelor's degree or above in education, counseling or a related field;

ABOUT MCDS

MCDS is an independent Pre-K through 12 International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering the IB Diploma Programme, the IB Middle Years Programme, and the IB Primary Years Programme. At MCDS, all Faculty and Staff expect to feel welcome, safe, and heard. Meaningful relationships with community members are nurtured and keep us looking forward to coming to work each day. Tradition matters at MCDS, but moving forward with an eye to the new and different matters just as much. We are self-motivated professionals who take pride in and responsibility for the work we do.

At MCDS, our mission is grounded in two key beliefs about children and learning:

• Every child possesses an extraordinary capacity to learn.
• Effort is generally more important than ability.

These beliefs drive our decisions, inform our curriculum, and inspire our teaching and learning.

LOCATION OF MCDS

Diverse is a key term when describing MCDS’s location.

• Ecologically Diverse | Our campus is located on 40 beautiful acres of prairie, woodland, and marshlands, and lies adjacent to the Yahara River.
• Diverse Locals | Located within the Madison Metropolitan area, the MCDS campus is minutes away from the Madison city limits and close to a number of suburban communities. This offers a diverse opportunity to choose the right community to call home. Madison is consistently selected as one of the best places to live in the United States.
• Diverse Entertainment and Cultural Events | Madison Metropolitan area is home to a number of great museums, arts & music venues and festivals, unique local shopping, award-winning restaurants, sporting events, and so much more. Larger metropolitan areas of Milwaukee, Chicago, and Minneapolis are easily accessible by bus.
• Educationally Diverse