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Upper School Counselor
Fairfield Country Day School
Grades 6-9 Part-Time School Counselor
The Position
The Grades 6–9 School Counselor supports and strengthens the social, emotional, and academic development of boys in the Upper School. This role is central to helping students understand how they learn, build self-awareness, and develop the skills necessary to thrive academically and socially.
The ideal candidate brings specialized knowledge of ADHD, executive function development, and adolescent brain science, and understands how these intersect with motivation, behavior, and identity formation in middle school boys. The counselor partners closely with students, faculty, and families to implement strengths-based strategies that foster resilience, independence, and growth.
Responsibilities include:
- Academic Support: Collaborate with teachers, learning specialists, and parents to address academic challenges and develop strategies to support student success. Coordinate the development, implementation, and monitoring of academic accommodations and support plans.
- Behavioral Support: Work with students who are experiencing behavioral issues and help develop appropriate intervention strategies.
- Crisis Intervention: Respond to emergency situations involving students' emotional well-being, providing immediate support and referrals as needed.
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): In collaboration with the Director of Inclusive Excellence, this role includes teaching SEL lessons and partnering with the Advisory committee.
- Individual Counseling: Provide periodic one-on-one counseling sessions with students as needed to address personal, social, emotional, and academic concerns.
- Parent and Teacher Collaboration: Maintain open communication with parents and teachers to ensure student well-being and academic progress. Provide guidance and resources to families regarding student mental health and behavior.
- Team Approach: The school counselor is a member of the Student Success Team (SST), and collaborates with our Lower Division Counselor, learning specialists, and division head to strategize support.
- Referral Services: Identify students who may need additional support or services (e.g., special education, outside therapy) and make appropriate referrals.
- Learning Profiles: The school counselor supports the writing and implementation of Learning Plans based on neuropsychological testing, IEPs, and 504s.
- Professional Development: Participate in ongoing professional development to stay current with best practices in school counseling and student mental health. As needed, lead professional development for faculty and staff.
Qualifications
- 2-5 years of experience working with middle school-aged children (6-9) in a counseling role, in a school setting.
- Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, School Psychology, or a related field.
- Proficiency in assessing student needs and developing and implementing appropriate interventions.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret and synthesize neuropsychological evaluations, educational testing, IEPs, and 504 Plans, and translate findings into clear, actionable Learning Profiles and support plans for faculty and families.
- Knowledge and facility with the integration of children's executive function, social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development.
- Experience in facilitating curriculum and programs designed to teach and reinforce wellness-based developmental skills at appropriate age levels.
To Apply
- Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact Liz Carr, School Counselor liz.carr@fairfieldcountryday.org
- Please provide:
- A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position
- A current résumé
- A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission)
Fairfield Country Day School prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.
Fairfield Country Day School (FCDS) is a private, all-boys day school in Fairfield, Connecticut.
FCDS admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
FCDS admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
FCDS is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other legally protected status.