Posted: 28-May-25
Location: Santa Monica, California
Type: Full Time
Salary: $85,000 to $115,000
Required Education:
ST. MATTHEW'S PARISH SCHOOL
POSITION: SCHOOL COUNSELOR
REPORTS TO: LOWER SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
St. Matthew’s, an independent Episcopal day school for students in Preschool through Grade 8. The school provides a challenging academic program and places a strong emphasis on building character and empathy as well as a focus on service learning. At. St. Matthew’s, we value diversity, equity, and inclusion and are seeking candidates for whom these are shared value.
To learn more about St. Matthew’s Parish School please visit our website: http://www.stmatthewsschool.com.
The School Counselor will bring a strengths-based approach to supporting students needing behavioral, learning, or social-emotional help. Working closely with the Division Heads, Learning Support Team, and teachers, the School Counselor will lead systems and programs to serve students in partnership with faculty and parents in our school community. They will also recommend a course of action to support such children and provide assistance to teachers in identifying and working with such students. The ideal candidate will have expertise in counseling, social-emotional learning, learning differences, and crisis intervention. Finally, the ideal candidate will bring a compassionate approach to collaborating with students, families, outside providers and colleagues to provide consistent academic and social-emotional support.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develops collaborative relationships with teachers, students, and families of students needing social-emotional, behavioral, and academic support
- Perform crisis intervention and short-term counseling (with referrals if further intervention is needed) to students and their families as needed
- Active member of the school’s Safety/Behavioral Threat Assessment team
- Attends and helps lead student support meetings and collaborates with the student support team including administration, teachers, learning specialist, and outside providers
- Collaborates with Learning Specialists to align learning support across Early Childhood, Lower School, and Middle School
- Develop time-limited small group interventions in collaboration with teachers to address specific and relevant topics (e.g. problem-solving interventions for conflict resolution between students; popularity; teasing; adolescent issues, etc)
- Conduct classroom observation/s when needed
- Consult with the student’s teachers and administration, and explore possible strategies and solutions to the problem/s. If necessary the parents will be contacted at this time to discuss possible interventions
- Implement appropriate interventions that may include the following:
- Assisting parents with outside referrals
- Implementing effective classroom strategies that foster learning
- Interpret psychoeducational evaluation results as needed
- Serve as liaison between outside resources and school staff
- Help to refine a Crisis Intervention Plan for the school and work to keep this plan updated and current
- Continue to stay current on research, theories, practices and available information that comes about in the field of psychology and its relationship to children in education
- Provide annual parent education for all grade-levels and help to arrange outside speakers on topics of interest
- Work in partnership with the Division Principals to develop and scope and sequence for the Health and Wellness program
- Continue to stay current on issues related to human development
- Participate in Wellness and Inclusion Board of Trustees Committee
- Integrates student and teacher use of technology meaningfully into instruction and effectively utilizes technology for planning and administrative functions
- And any other duties needed to help drive our Vision, fulfill our Mission and abide by our Organization’s Values
SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide in-services to faculty and administration as needed
- Participate in Open Houses and Retreats as needed, and perform supervision duties as assigned
- Attend day and overnight field trips as needed
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
This is an exempt full-time 10 month position
Start date 8-20-2025
Competitive compensation commensurate with experience. Benefits package includes, but is not limited to a national medical and dental insurance plan, life insurance, short term/long term disability, and life and retirement plan (up to a 9% match). In addition, St. Matthew’s has a nearly 70-year record of supporting teachers through a strong professional development program.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
All school personnel must successfully complete a fingerprint background check through Live Scan and provide current tuberculosis clearance.
The School is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Episcopal Schools, and is accredited by the California Association of Independent Schools and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree in related field; Master’s degree preferred
- California Teacher Credential preferred
- Proven success at working collaboratively in educational leadership and/or student support
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a great team player. A high level of confidentiality and discretion are required. Excellent communications skills are critical, including writing skills
- Solid understanding of the developmental and curricular needs of students
- Must be highly organized and a self-starter with good initiative, excellent attention to detail, and a creative approach to problem-solving. Able to multitask, prioritize, and remain level-headed in any situation
- Proficient in technology and adept to learning new skills