Psychologist or Counselor - St. John's Episcopal School

Position Purpose 

 The School Psychologist or Counselor plays a pivotal role in fostering the social and emotional well-being of Primary, Lower, and Middle School students, ensuring a thriving, supportive School environment. The Counselor is a vital member of the Student Formation Team, which collaborates with faculty and administrators to champion St. John’s commitment to whole-child development by integrating social, emotional, spiritual, and academic growth into the fabric of school life. They serve as a thought leader in the PK-8 education sector by identifying and implementing social and emotional learning (SEL) and wellness best practices, staying at the forefront of related research, and contributing to the field through presentations, workshops, and other mediums.

This individual is instrumental in designing and implementing dynamic student and parent engagement programs to better equip families in actively supporting their children’s social and emotional growth. Their work extends beyond individual student support, focusing on proactive initiatives that cultivate a resilient, empathetic, and inclusive School community.

Key Accountabilities

Counseling Intervention

• Provide crisis intervention and individual support for students. Observe students in the classroom as needed. Please note that individual, on-campus student support does not take the place of long-term psychological counseling.
• Maintain and keep current an active referral list and working relationships with local service providers, including but not limited to psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, and hospital emergency services.
• Oversee and assist with the coordination, sequencing, and delivery of SEL programming and initiatives to foster a healthy and positive learning environment for students. Identify opportunities to reinforce SEL through everyday experiences.
• Provide consultation and referrals for students needing outpatient counseling or other outside professional services due to interpersonal difficulties, behavioral and/or family experiences.
• With parent consent and release, serve as confidential liaison between professionals in the community (who are working with students) and the School to maintain continuity of care.

Student Support

• Consult with parents, faculty, staff, administration, and leadership to support students’ academic, social, and emotional needs. Maintain up-to-date records so support and progress can be confidentially monitored.
• Provide faculty support for identification, referral, curricular, and family conversations surrounding student mental health wellness and needs within a school setting.
• Provide case management, coordination, and follow-up support for students or families requiring ongoing mental health support, including facilitating advocacy and communication among students, families, teachers, administrators, and leadership for the support of each student’s unique needs.
• In partnership with the Dean of Student Formation and Dean of Students for Primary and Lower School, develop, implement, and monitor support and management plans for students (sometimes in partnership with outside providers).

Programs and Engagement 

• Coordinate Parent University initiatives related to social and emotional health.
• Participate in regular Student Formation Team meetings and case conferences to address students' academic, social, emotional, behavioral, physical, and spiritual needs. Attend division-specific and grade-level faculty meetings and other departmental meetings as assigned to represent the Student Formation Team. 
• Participate fully in the life of the School, which may include assisting with the planning of and participation in day and overnight trips and retreats as needed, sitting at lunch tables, assisting with carpool, recess, and other duties, and attending related meetings and assisting with afternoon or evening programming, some of which may occur outside of the school day. 
• Pursue continuous professional development in accordance with degree and licensure requirements. 

Opportunities and Challenges

The Counselor must:

 Model the St. John’s Code of respect, responsibility, honesty, and care.

• Demonstrate clarity in verbal and written communication.
• Embrace the School’s Episcopal identity, ethos, and commitment to respecting the dignity of each individual.
• Collaborate with colleagues.
• Leverage the Student Formation Team's knowledge, skills, and abilities in support of students’ academic, social, and emotional needs.
• Network with peers at other local and national independent and Episcopal schools.
• Demonstrate commitment to personal and professional growth. Able to meaningfully receive, reflect on, and apply feedback to one’s professional growth.
• Attend conferences and professional meetings to remain current with best practices in the field, including culturally responsive counseling practices, social and emotional learning, and curriculum.
• A Master’s or Doctorate degree in the field of Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, or related field.
• Current clinical licensure in Texas, which may include LPC, LPC-Associate, LSSP, or LCSW.
• At least two years of clinical experience or experience in schools, experience providing care consistent with best practices in the field, and experience with trauma-informed care.
• Demonstrated knowledge, experience, and ability to provide culturally responsive treatment.
• Proven experience with child development and specific needs across pre-kindergarten through eighth grades.
• Proven ability to connect joyfully with pre-kindergarten through eighth grade students and faculty.
• Demonstrated capacity for implementing programming and teaching around social-emotional health and wellness.
• Strong knowledge of the ethical and legal considerations related to counseling practices.
• A passion for working with all types of students and families, a sense of humor, and a highly collaborative nature with a desire to work with other dedicated and team-oriented educators, administrators, and leadership.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, internal motivation, and the capacity to establish and manage multiple priorities within a complex and fast-paced environment.
• Must meet minimum technology proficiency standards, including working in online Student Information and Learning Management Systems, scheduling, and conducting classes via Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and using the Microsoft 365 suite.
• Maintain emotional regulation in challenging situations.
• Ability to lift approximately 30 lbs.
• Ability to work for extended periods of time, including weeknights and weekends when required.
• Demonstrate strong listening skills.