About this role
School Counselor
Full-Time, 12-Month Position
Supervisor: Director of Student Support
Maclay School seeks a high-capacity, mission-driven School Counselor who sets an energizing pace in helping students build the habits, skills, and mindsets needed to thrive. This role is designed for a charismatic, forward-leaning educator who brings both discipline and warmth to student development and who, in many ways, serves as a School Coach for the personal and emerging professional lives of our students. The School Counselor is a magnetic skill-builder and catalyst for student growth, coaching students in the foundational habits that support healthy development, emotional regulation, communication, decision-making, resilience, and effective routines.
As a central leader in student development, the School Counselor is deeply engaged in the daily life of the school. Counselors in this role move fluidly between one-on-one coaching, classroom lessons, small-group skill-building cycles, and division programming, making growth visible and actionable in real moments of the day. They collaborate closely with teachers, administrators, and families to strengthen school culture and ensure every student is equipped with durable, transferable habits for life. The School Counselor serves as a visible, relational leader in classrooms and common spaces, modeling the proactive, coaching-oriented approach that defines our program.
This individual leads by personal example and is one of the adults the school relies on to bring forward emerging research and proven practices that elevate our culture of high expectations and high support. This is a frontline role whose clarity, presence, and modeling influence all students, not only those on a caseload. The ideal candidate is deeply relational, solutions-oriented, relentless in follow-through, and committed to elevating student performance through proactive coaching, strong relationships, and disciplined habits. In essence, the School Counselor embodies the qualities we hope to cultivate in students.
School counseling work occasionally extends beyond regular school hours. While crisis situations are infrequent, the Counselor is expected to attend key after-school activities to connect with students and understand the lived experiences that shape their development.
Maclay School operates within a broader educational environment shaped by regional and state expectations, as well as its own mission-driven guidelines. The School Counselor will sometimes encounter points where these policies intersect and must be able to support the schools expectations and the standards required by accrediting and governing bodies with confidence and clarity. As stated in our Statement of Community, all members of Maclay are expected to respect, support, defend, cooperate with, and speak well of one another and the school, and to place the best interests of the institution first.
Finally, the School Counselor understands that meaningful work is never accomplished alone and excels at engaging other adults, including faculty, families, and community partners, to advance student growth. Building a strong internal network of faculty advocates is essential to the impact of the counseling program, and the ability to energize and mobilize others toward shared goals is a vital part of the role. The School Counselor will be a part of the Student Coaching Team that includes peer School Counselors, Deans of Students, and others across campus. This team will be relied on to set the pace and standards of how behavioral expectations are articulated, supported, and celebrated. The leadership and voice from this team will be the standard for all who oversee child development on campus will measure policies, procedures, and practices against.
Primary Responsibilities
Student Support & Coaching
- Provide high-quality, efficient short-term counseling and skill-based coaching that strengthens core student skills and supports healthy development.
- Help students establish personal growth goals and build the habits, routines, and mindsets needed to achieve them.
- Maintain regular follow-up and progress monitoring for students receiving coaching or support.
- Facilitate reintegration plans for students returning from behavior incidents, extended absences, or emotional challenges.
- Respond effectively to crisis situations when required, following established protocols.
- Use developmentally appropriate, evidence-informed strategies to support student growth and capability.
Instruction & Skill-Building
- Design and deliver regular classroom lessons or advisory sessions that build students foundational skills and support their overall well-being and learning.
- Collaborate with teachers to embed skill-building routines and shared language into daily classroom practice.
- Maintain a consistent classroom presence to reinforce effective habits, routines, and learning behaviors.
- Plan and facilitate small-group coaching cycles that provide structured opportunities for discussion, reflection, and practice of key skill domains.
- Monitor progress and maintain communication with teachers and families to reinforce skill development across settings.
Teacher Collaboration & Professional Support
- Partner with teachers on early intervention strategies and classroom routines that promote student success.
- Provide consultation, modeling, and resources that support effective student behavior, communication, and learning habits.
- Participate actively in grade-level meetings and Student Support Team (SST) discussions to ensure coordinated, student-centered support.
- Partner with the Dean of Students during disciplinary processes to guide student reflection, repair, and goal setting.
- Model and reinforce shared expectations and consistent language across classrooms and grade levels.
- Lead or support professional learning aligned with student development and effective classroom practices.
Family Engagement
- Build warm, trusting, high-communication relationships with families.
- Offer guidance on home routines, communication, digital balance, emotional well-being, and developing independence.
- Serve as a knowledgeable and collaborative voice in parent meetings and conferences about student needs and progress.
- Help design and lead parent education workshops and community-facing events.
Schoolwide Culture & Program Support
- Lead schoolwide initiatives such as wellness programming, transition supports, advisory structures, and student events that promote a positive and connected school culture.
- Contribute to a consistent PK–12 counseling model that reflects shared expectations and aligned practices.
- Reinforce school values and expectations through daily student interactions.
- Serve as a visible, approachable presence in hallways, classrooms, common areas, and at campus events.
Documentation & Professional Practice
- Maintain timely, accurate, and confidential documentation of student interactions, parent communication, and internal referrals.
- Use data to inform early intervention, student support decisions, and program planning.
- Follow ethical guidelines, confidentiality laws, and professional standards of practice.
- Participate in ongoing professional development and contribute to counseling team alignment and growth.
Qualifications
- Masters degree required in School Counseling, Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, School Psychology, or a related field, with a strong foundation in child and adolescent development.
- Professional certification or licensure in school counseling, mental health counseling, clinical social work, or a related field, required.
- At least five years of school-based counseling experience with children or adolescents, preferred
- Deep understanding of student development, evidence-informed counseling practices, and the skill-building approaches that strengthen healthy routines, relationships, and decision-making.
- Exceptional communication skills and the ability to partner effectively with students, families, teachers, and administrators.
- A calm, steady, and professional presence who brings clarity, warmth, and sound judgment to complex situations.
- A reflective, relational educator with high expectations, disciplined follow-through, and a commitment to modeling the healthy habits and mindsets we seek to cultivate in students.
The Successful Candidate Will
- Build trust quickly and be a visible, energetic presence with students.
- Coach proactively, teach skills clearly, and respond to challenges with confidence.
- Communicate with precision, warmth, and professionalism.
- Collaborate effectively with teachers, deans, and families.
- Operate with urgency, steady judgment, and strong follow-through.
- Think systemically and help strengthen a consistent PK–12 counseling model.
- View student challenges as opportunities for growth and skill-building.
- Uphold high expectations while modeling the habits and mindsets we teach.