Position Description:

The Counseling Department Chair plays a key role in stewarding mental health needs for students. In addition to serving as a divisional counselor, the department chair is responsible for overseeing the school counselors and the educational programs, professional development, assessment, and evaluation in his/her department. The department chair will assist and monitor the counseling staff in the handling of day-to-day school counseling, assessment of students, and act as a resource-support person for them while providing appropriate consultation services for the department.

The Counseling Department Chair works with the counselors to develop and execute a vision for the department and facilitates department meetings to achieve that vision. The department chair will use meetings to set goals, discuss progress, and to engage in meaningful conversation about programming and student health. The department chair seeks out innovative ideas and initiatives and introduces them to the department. During meetings, the department chair serves as an advocate for the counseling department while at the same time supporting the wider mission of the school. The department chair supports a culture of healthy and open discussion about student health, while also showing active support for the school’s decisions.

Essential Functions:

Program Overview and Counseling Support:

• Serve as a divisional counselor in either Lower, Middle or Upper School. 
• Demonstrate exceptional knowledge of the content area and the related areas of the School’s curriculum
• Oversee the scope and sequence of the program, PK – 12
• Lead efforts to review and revise curriculum and programming on an ongoing basis
• Set departmental goals, programs, and policies in collaboration with members of the department to secure excellence within the department
• Support the strategic plan envisioned by the school with respect to this department
• Guide conversations within the department about teaching, learning, and programming
• Create opportunities for members to share new pedagogies, programs, and best practices

Hiring Processes/Faculty and Staff Growth:

• Assist in the search, recruitment, and evaluation of candidates for departmental openings
• Collaborate with administration to find the most qualified candidates for the department

• Facilitate the development of measurable and meaningful goals within the department that support both the goals of the division and the School
• Work with the counseling staff to set goals for growth and professional development             
• Support development in areas where there is a clear deficit or in areas where there is a clear desire for growth by a faculty or staff member
• Visit programs across all three divisions throughout the year

Leadership:

• Participate in formal and informal efforts to strengthen his or her leadership skills
• Serve as a role model and coach counseling staff to encourage their self-evaluation, professional development, and scholarship
• Represent the school at relevant conferences and in professional associations, as appropriate

Other Duties:

• Prepare and oversee an annual departmental budget
• Order departmental supplies and supplemental materials as needed
• Participate in and collaborate on School events throughout the year as needed
• Other duties as assigned

 Divisional Counseling Duties:

• Build deep relationships with students, families, and staff to foster a culture of community
• Maintain accurate records of counseling interactions, including meetings with parents and teachers, and ensure all documentation adheres to confidentiality standards
• Work closely with assigned Division Head, Learning Specialists and other relevant personnel to support student growth and development
• Partner with counselors across divisions to ensure consistency in counseling practices and resources available to students
• Provide ongoing communication with faculty and parents regarding students' social and emotional well-being, addressing concerns promptly and collaboratively
• Provide crisis intervention and emotional support during emergencies or difficult situations
• Be knowledgeable about external mental health resources, providing referrals and support for students needing specialized assistance
• Act as a liaison between the school and external mental health providers to facilitate comprehensive care when necessary
• Meet regularly with students for short-term counseling and intervention and with parents as appropriate
• Maintain accurate records of counseling interactions, including meetings with students, parents and teachers, and ensure all documentation adheres to confidentiality standards
• Design and implement programming focused on the social, emotional, and age-appropriate development of the students (including short-term initiatives and long-term programs to support students)
• Teaches social emotional learning (SEL) classes and small-group SEL lessons to students as applicable
• Serve as an expert on various SEL topics and present as needed at student, faculty, parents' events
• Monitor and support students in various settings (e.g. recess, lunch, carpool)
• Attend class trips, regular Guidance Team meetings, Grade-Level Meetings, and Faculty meetings

Qualifications/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in school counseling, social work, or related field required 
• Master’s degree in school counseling, social work, or related field preferred 
• Counseling license required 
• Experience working with children and adolescents in a counseling setting, preferably, of diverse backgrounds 
• Experience working in a school setting preferred 
• Experience developing and implementing student programs 
• Outstanding leadership skills
• Exceptionally capable in both written and oral communication
• Excellent organizational and presentation skills
• Proven success at working collaboratively in educational leadership
• Passionate about the chosen field of study
• Commitment to being a supportive, respectful, and energetic colleague and mentor 
• Must have the ability to work in a school environment through satisfactory completion of all legally required and School-required background and screening checks and verifications, including criminal and sex offender background checks.  

Training:

• Participate in all requisite School trainings prior to the start of the school, and throughout the School year. 
• Attend required staff development and training sessions throughout the year
• Attend periodic in-service meetings
• Acknowledge receipt of the current Employee Handbook and are responsible for reviewing the contents and abiding by rules, policies and procedures stated in the Handbook or otherwise by the School
• Abide by Hockaday’s Code of Ethics and Conduct
• Commit to the ideals expressed in Hockaday’s Tenets of Staff Excellence

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

• Regularly works in standard office or classroom conditions and climate  
• Regularly uses close and distance vision, including working at a computer screen for extended periods of time; ability to observe students from various distances  
• Frequently required to move around the office/classroom; works at a desk for extended periods of time  
• Ability to occasionally move items weighing up to 30lbs. across the campus/classroom/office  
• Ability to periodically support before and after-school or weekend events 
• Ability to maintain appropriate boundaries with students, fellow staff and community members

About The Hockaday School:

The Hockaday School is an independent, college preparatory school for girls of strong potential and diverse backgrounds who may be expected to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in a rapidly changing world. With an enrollment of more than 1,100 students, The Hockaday School is the nation’s largest prekindergarten through grade 12 independent girls’ school. Ranked among the country’s finest college preparatory schools, it was founded over a century ago and continues today to build on its original Four Cornerstones: Character, Courtesy, Scholarship, and Athletics.

Hockaday’s faculty are recognized as experienced leaders in their field and students in every grade benefit from outstanding faculty and access to unmatched resources.  Families who choose Hockaday care deeply about providing their daughters with a comprehensive and rigorous education, both inside and outside the classroom. Hockaday’s student body reflects the diversity that is deeply valued by the School.

Limitations and Disclaimer:

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position.  This job description reflects administration’s assignment of essential functions; and nothing in this herein restricts administration’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.  Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.

Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities.  To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.  Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.

The Hockaday School is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy not to discriminate, and to comply with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, veteran status, or other applicable protected classification.