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The Director of Counseling oversees counseling programming and services for grades JK-12. Alongside a team of two other counselors, the Director works to design and execute a vision that will support students’ social and emotional health and development throughout their educational experience. The Director of Counseling reports to the Head of School and is a member of the school’s Senior Administrative Team.
Major Duties and Responsibilities
Director of Counseling
- Design and implement long-term vision and short-term goals for Counseling Department alongside a cross-divisional team that includes two other counselors.
- Consult closely with Head of School, Division Heads, Divisional Leadership teams, faculty, and nurses in support of student mental health.
- Coordinate weekly departmental meetings to staff cases, consult, and plan programming in all divisions.
- Oversee counseling services across divisions from Junior Kindergarten through 12th grade
- Develop and maintain policy and procedures for the Counseling Department that are consistent with ASCA ethical standards and best clinical practice.
- Manage the counseling budget.
- Provide psychoeducation to parents around student wellness.
- Offer professional development to faculty and staff around issues of student support, including training faculty in the school’s Mandated Reporting procedures.
- Lead Student Health and Wellbeing Committee of Senior Administrators.
- Maintain and revise annually the department’s list of counseling referrals; develop and maintain relationships with community mental health care providers.
Upper School Counselor
- Serve as the counselor for students in grades 9-12; develop and maintain relationships with students and be a visible and accessible resource on campus for students, families, and faculty.
- Provide short-term individual, family, and group counseling services.
- Provide crisis intervention when needed.
- Maintain records in accordance with departmental policies.
- Offer referrals to outside providers; coordinate with outside providers in support of student health.
- Serve on the Upper School leadership team, attend student of concern meetings and Upper School Leadership meetings.
- Provide ongoing assessment of students referred for counseling; maintain a caseload of Upper School students and track student progress.
- Serve as the lead school contact for students who are receiving inpatient or residential treatment for a period of time while enrolled in school; maintain appropriate confidentiality while communicating relevant information to necessary parties (Division Head, faculty, Class Dean).
- Provide professional development for faculty around issues of student development and mental health.
- In collaboration with Upper School leadership, research and implement advisory programs; train and offer support to advisors.
- Serve as a member of the Admissions Committee for Upper School.
- Chaperone annual Freshman Weekend.
- Lead HEART (Health, Education, And Resource Team), the Upper School’s Early Intervention Team for issues around substance use and abuse.
- Teach sections of Freshman Foundations, a ninth-grade seminar class that is a hybrid health and life skills course.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Counseling, School Counseling, or related field
- Licensed or seeking licensure in the state of Georgia as an LPC, LCSW, or LMFT
- At least five years of experience working as a counselor, with experience in a school setting preferred
Savannah Country Day traces its origins back to the 1905 founding of The Pape School, an institution long recognized for its academic excellence and college preparatory curriculum. Led by a group of visionary parents who saw the continued need for a first-rate college preparatory school in Savannah, the founders of Savannah Country Day built upon the assets of the Pape School and created a school with a recognized tradition of academic excellence across the southeast. Today, Savannah Country Day School is Savannah's preeminent college preparatory school providing a rigorous, yet supportive learning environment for a wide variety of motivated learners. Enrolling over 1000 students ranging from 4 month olds to 12th grade, SCDS is truly a family school. Situated on a beautiful, 65-acre campus on the south side of historic Savannah, Georgia, SCDS has a 6:1 student to teacher ratio, an unparalleled arts program, and a full range of athletic and extracurricular opportunities. Significant funds are available for faculty professional development and our faculty average 21 years of experience with 85% of Upper School faculty holding advanced degrees.
