Middle School Counselor

Middle School Counselor

10 month, 1.0 FTE 

The Wellington School, a PreK-12 independent school in Columbus, Ohio, is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive education where foundational skills are developed, and learning is applied through innovative, experiential approaches. At Wellington, every member of our community plays a critical role in upholding our values as we help students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow’s world. Wellington is committed to providing its faculty and staff with professional development opportunities, competitive compensation/benefits package, and a supportive work environment. Diversity and belonging are central to our work, and we invite you to explore our website to learn more about our unique approach to teaching and learning.  

Mission
We help students find their purpose and realize their potential for tomorrow's world. 

Wellington's Core Values:

• Be Curious   
• Be Yourself
• Be Ambitious   
• Be Empathetic  
• Be Responsible

Wellington is seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking counselor to work with students in grades 5 through 8. The successful candidate will have a love and passion for working with middle schoolers and supporting their social and emotional development. The ideal candidate will have experience and expertise in cultivating positive relationships with students and families, collaborating effectively with colleagues, and providing culturally affirming support to young people. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to operate effectively in diverse environments and interact successfully with people from widely varying backgrounds, contributing to an inclusive and equitable community. The counselor will collaborate with the head of middle school, assistant head of middle school, and members of the leadership and student success teams to impact all areas of student wellbeing and belonging.

• Develop, lead, and deliver an engaging, forward-thinking, research-based social-emotional learning and health curriculum to students in grades 5-8.
• Provide culturally affirming support to a diverse student body. These cultural identifiers include, but are not limited to, ethnicity, family status, gender identity and expression, neurodiversity, race, sexuality, and socioeconomic status.
• Support students in developing skills including, but not limited to, healthy peer relationships, social problem solving, and stress management.
• Provide individual and group counseling to students.
• Advise and train faculty and staff on individual student therapeutic needs and best practices to support student needs.
• Identify and use clear protocols for assessing and supporting students in need, students in transition, and safety concerns.
• Refer students and families to behavioral health specialists and collaborate with them to develop support plans for students.
• Offer faculty and staff training and support in social-emotional learning and wellbeing for children.
• Consult with assistant head of middle school and grade-level lead advisors on student behavior and social-emotional needs.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation, including records on all counseling work.
• Partner with counseling staff, health staff, and Chief Operating Officer to ensure institutional alignment and compliance with Ohio state standards for health and wellbeing curriculum and programming.
• Teach in the middle school dive (elective) program and advise a middle school club.
• Facilitate affinity and belonging groups, as needed, for middle school students.
• Eagerly participate in and actively pursue professional development opportunities based on best practices as well as our school mission and goals.
• Actively embrace, demonstrate, and model equity, inclusivity, and cultural competency in all aspects of practice.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

• A bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, or school counseling (master’s degree preferred).
• Ohio Department of Education Pupil Services License required.
• Experience working with middle-school students (grades 5 - 8).
• Knowledge of child development and how to support social-emotional growth.
• Understanding of learning differences and how to support neurodiverse learners.
• Demonstrated cultural competency in all aspects of practice.
• Communication with parents through forward-thinking use of technology complemented by proactive communication in other formats.

• Actively engage in ongoing professional learning.

Send your materials as soon as possible to Jamie Fencl, middle school administrative assistant, fencl@wellington.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis starting June 20. All candidates should include:

• Letter of interest
• Resume
• Completed application

We believe every person plays a role in making Wellington a diverse, equitable, and inclusive place to learn, teach, and work. We seek to attract culturally and academically diverse faculty and staff who thrive on being engaged participants in our vibrant, innovative educational community. We embrace diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of our admission policies, financial aid, or employment.