| Giddens School offers preschool through 5th-grade students an education grounded in the belief that critical thinking and social responsibility form the basis of an academically excellent curriculum. Giddens School is one of the most ethnically, economically, and socially diverse independent schools in the Northwest. Students graduate as curious, socially responsive, creative young people who are well-prepared for a lifetime of learning. Giddens School is explicitly committed to building a diverse community and actively seeks candidates that are often underrepresented in schools. Please visit our website for more information. Giddens School seeks a creative, positive, and dynamic Counselor to provide coaching and support in social-emotional learning for our faculty, community, and students. Our ideal candidate will: Essential Duties and Responsibilities - Assess classroom needs for guidance class topics; schedule, plan, and teach age-appropriate Social-Emotional guidance lessons and coach classroom teachers to facilitate their own
- Form small playgroups to teach, guide, and monitor social interactions
- Communicate regularly and consistently with parents and teachers, when needed, while allowing appropriate levels of confidentiality; provide regular communication via email
- Create, when needed, and oversee behavior management plans for students who need additional social/emotional/behavioral support
- Serve as a guiding participant in the Student Support Team meetings and follow through with determined plans
- Meet with teaching teams to assist with student needs/concerns
- Conduct parent meetings regarding student needs/concerns
- Provide insights to the admission team regarding new student applicants
- Assist during Admission visits and some after school parent events (Open Houses, Observation Days, parent education opportunities, etc.) if time avails
- Provide scheduled/regular individual support for students
- Participate in required school committees working toward school-wide goals, when time allows
- Additional responsibilities as assigned by the Associate Head of School
The role of the Giddens School Counselor is to: Assist students, faculty, and parents with intervention in emotional and academic situations by: - Providing short-term counseling and making referrals for outside support
- Participating in student life by actively engaging in the community
- Providing insight during anecdotal sessions and maintaining detailed records
- Offering guidance and strategies to teachers and parents
- Engaging in classroom observations and providing feedback to parents/teachers
- Learning and practicing Positive Discipline, mindfulness, and Second Step models
- Provide responsive services to students’ immediate and future needs necessitated by events and conditions in students’ lives and the school climate and culture by:
- Small group and individual counseling on “as-needed basis”
- Individual/family/school crisis intervention
- Consultation with parents, teachers, and administrators
- Collaboration with Learning Services specialist
- Serve as a resource and source of expertise in the community (regarding childhood development of the primary school-aged child), and in the process:
- Work with faculty to promote a positive emotional and academic climate
- Strengthen effective advocacy for student needs throughout the school
- Promote constructive communication among all members of the community
- Provide parent education focused on the developmental issues of young children
- Advocate for the school community by understanding and supporting efforts of equity and inclusion
- Value our school mission and enrich their instruction with a commitment to diversity through respect for all children and cultures
- Have deep knowledge of elementary education and pedagogy
- Be committed to learning about the different cultures and traditions of our families and look toward celebrating these when relevant
- Be an advocate for social responsibility through a strong commitment to appropriate academic preparedness and social-emotional growth for all students
Salary/Benefits: The Giddens School’s salary scale and benefits reflect our value of early childhood educators and are competitive with our peer schools in the Northwest Association of Independent Schools Application Process: Applicants should email the following materials to employment@giddensschool.org - A cover letter indicating why they would like to join the Giddens School community
- A brief description of their educational philosophy and how it relates to our mission and this position
- A résumé
Giddens School actively seeks to diversify its workplace and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, disability, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other status protected by law. |
