Upper School Mental Health Counselor/Social Worker at Quad Preparatory School (2024)

At Quad Prep, we are on a mission — to transform the lives of neurodiverse, twice-exceptional people by redefining the experience of school. Through the collective, collaborative, and empathic work of our teachers and clinicians, we are empowering our students to engage with the exciting and wonderful diversity of this world.

As we enter our 12th year, we are excited to welcome fellow innovators and collaborative colleagues to our team to be a part of this inspiring and impactful mission. At Quad Prep, a New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Accredited School, we are eager to create challenging and engaging learning experiences for our students, to seek diverse perspectives, and to work together to continuously refine and redefine best practices in neurodiverse education. The Quad Preparatory School actively seeks to advance diversity through its programs and hiring.

Why work at Quad Prep?

• ACCREDITED SCHOOL: Quad Prep was recognized as an outstanding school when it received accreditation last year through NYSAIS.
• COMMUNITY: We are committed to building a joyful and inclusive culture where everybody is celebrated for who they are.
• COLLEAGUES: Our colleagues are inspiring, consummate innovators and are at their happiest collaborating to create personalized solutions for each student.
• STUDENTS We guarantee that you will learn something eye-opening every single day from our students — and have a lot of joy and laughter along the way!
• DEEP PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Quad Prep supports mission-driven educators and clinicians to grow their professional skills and influence in the neurodiversity educational space. Close collaboration with colleagues, coaching from supportive leaders, and thoughtful, in-depth professional learning programs keep us growing.
• GENEROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS
  • Health: Medical, Dental, Vision
  • Student Loan repayment
  • Retirement Plan contribution
  • Group Life Plan
  • Disability Insurance
  • Generous Parental Leave
• WORK LIFE BALANCE: In addition to a ten-month school year during which our staff are offered on average 33 days off (approximately 7 weeks) for scheduled holidays and school breaks, we provide generous preparation periods throughout each week, limiting the number of after work hours you will need to work — so that you can live the life you wish for — inside and outside of our school. Additionally, our students are dismissed midday each Friday in order for you to meet with your team and division, as well as plan, and prep.
• EXTRAS You can build a private practice or tutor onsite during after school hours at low-cost reduced rates, available only to our Quad Prep staff.

Who We Are

(If Quad Prep is for you, you'll read what's below and feel, "That's me!")

At Quad Prep, we are guided by values that we hold dear and we have developed an innovative set of practices to meet our mission. We are:

Groundbreaking: We ignite our students’ talents and are passionate about their futures. You are:

• Passionate about our work and our mission
• Creative and excited about reaching each and every learner in new ways
• Excited to help create new, evidence-based best practices in this rapidly evolving field
• Able to set high expectations of both students and yourself and discover ways to meet them

Collaborative: We function with an exceedingly deep degree of collaboration. You:

• Communicate effectively with colleagues
• Seek to understand yourself and others in order to welcome new perspectives
• Are generous of spirit and willing to give and receive feedback and input freely
• Are kind, welcoming, and inclusive

Trustworthy: We are steadfast and are accountable to our students and each other. You:

• Can be counted on to do what you say you will do
• Have a high level of ownership for personal and team results
• Can purposefully develop skills to find success in your work and our learning community
• Ask for support when you need it
• Project an unflappable, firm, and kind presence to our students

Constantly Learning and Growing: We value continued growth and learning. You:

• Seek opportunities to learn and grow in your professional practice
• Support colleagues by sharing best practices and nurturing their learning
• Help the organization grow and improve by developing and sharing new ideas and approaches

Resourceful: At Quad Prep, we dig deep to meet our mission. You:

• Are highly effective and dedicated
• Show initiative
• Display good judgment and sensibility
• Excellent at supporting students inside and outside the classroom

Flexible: At Quad Prep, we never give up on each other and are driven by the ethos of “not if, but how.” You are:

• Open to new ideas
• Nimble in fluid, changing environments
• Excited by growth, change, and innovation

The Quad Preparatory School is looking for mental health counselors or social workers to join our team of Upper School clinicians in the 2024-25 school year, providing effective, integrated school-based counseling. The counselor will carry a caseload of students in grades 6 through 12. The counselor’s role may include supervising psychosocial teachers and psychosocial interns and externs. The clinical team at Quad Prep is highly collaborative, a trait that the counselor must uphold to provide personalized support to each enrolled student. Clinical supervision will be provided by a licensed psychologist or mental health counselor.

Expectations:

• Provide individual and group counseling to students, and provide psychosocial support in integrated contexts throughout the school day.
• Respond to student needs as they arise; in collaboration with psychosocial teachers and Dean of Students, address student crisis moments and follow up plans/communication with families.
• Provide psychosocial guidance in classrooms (integrated session approach) in order to support students’ skill development across contexts.
• Co-teach lessons with academic teachers according to the school’s integration model (with the counselor’s role being provision of integrated psychosocial concepts/lessons that fits with academic content or context; academic content is provided by the teacher).
• In collaboration with speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, ensure students’ development of executive functioning skills.
• Provide risk assessments with necessary supervision.
• Before the start of the school year, along with students’ teams, identify goals for each student to begin tracking immediately upon commencement of the school year; develop a Daily Report Card as necessary to allow for student-facing tracking of goals.
• Collaboratively revise individual student goals as needed.
• Supervise psychosocial teachers and/or interns as assigned; ensure supervisees’ responsibilities and data tracking of students.
• Keep progress notes of sessions with students and contact with parents/outside providers; track quantitative data of student progress.
• Schedule monthly collaborative calls with each student’s outside providers and student’s parents (all parties on the same call) and coordinate with students’ outside providers and parents outside of monthly calls as needed.
• Collaborate with students’ academic advisors on program adjustments and parent communication.
• Actively participate in weekly supervision meetings.
• Participate in, and, as assigned, co-lead faculty meetings to discuss student progress, challenges, and plans.
• Advise and coach teachers and staff in regards to each child's individual therapeutic needs, the psychosocial curriculum and psychosocial clinical best practices; collaborate with other clinicians on students’ teams to determine the best approach for each student.
• Competently utilize GSuite, specifically Google Drive.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

1. Passion for working with children
2. Desire and ability to work with students with special needs
3. Ability to connect with elementary school- age children
4. Knowledge of various clinical interventions and use of a collaborative approach to meet the unique needs of each child
5. Effective oral and written communication skills
6. A solid understanding of adolescent-age children’s academic, social, and emotional development
7. Attention to detail
8. Maintaining confidentiality and privacy
9. Ethical conduct
10. Time management and the ability to multitask
11. Teamwork and collaboration
12. Patience and flexibility

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in mental health counseling or social work
• New York State license in professional field, or qualifications to work toward licensure and New York State limited permit to practice professional field
• School-based experience with middle school/high school population
• One year of paid experience with students who have emotional/social/learning differences
• Knowledge of evidence-based treatment, particularly CBT and DBT
• Interpersonal style that builds consensus and compels constructive problem solving

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Experience working with twice-exceptional youth

Work Environment:

This job operates in a school setting. The school is located on the ground, fifth, and sixth floors of a building with an elevator. This role requires working in various locations around the school and occasional travel to the Lower School campus approximately two blocks away.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and listen. This position is active and involves continuous standing, walking, and climbing stairs. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items under 20 pounds. Typing is required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time exempt position in an educational facility that is open eight hours a day. Teachers, psychosocial teachers, and staff clinicians work ten months out of the year according to the academic calendar (late August to late June). Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required, anticipate at least three of these events throughout the year. In general, though, hours are Monday-Friday 8am - 4pm.

Compensation and Benefits:

Compensation is dependent upon experience and degree obtained.

At Quad Prep full-time (or over 30 hours per week) employees will have access to a full range of benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), pre-tax transit, and dependent care (DC FSA) accounts; a 401K match, and student loan repayment contributions (after one year of employment); and a range of professional development opportunities, including our First Year Support Program for all new facility and staff; our Leadership Development Institute for those wishing to gain supervisory experience; and a full tuition waiver for candidates wishing to participate in our annual Certificate Program in Meeting the Needs of Twice-Exceptional Students.

All staff will engage with colleagues in our ongoing staff wellness groups, relax at our social events, and collaborate in meaningful work as a valued member of our voluntary groups, including our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce; our Staff Ambassador Program; and our Peer Mentorship Program.

Resume and Cover Letter