Upper School Counselor

Friends School of Baltimore•Baltimore, MD

34d

About The Position

Friends School of Baltimore has an opening for an Upper School Counselor to begin in August 2026 (or earlier, depending on candidate's availability). The Counselor, as a member of the school's Health Team, is responsible for supporting the social and emotional needs of approximately 340 students in grades 9 through 12 in partnership and collaboration with the current Upper School Counselor. The Upper School Counselor provides direct mental health support to students and engages in prevention and intervention activities; offers mental health and wellness related support services to staff; and provides case consultation concerning students' mental health needs. The Counselor collaborates with and is supervised by the Director of Upper School Counseling (working under the direction of the Upper School Principal) and works with school administrators to support the social emotional needs of all students.

Requirements

A master's degree in social work, counseling, or psychology with a license to practice in the State of Maryland.
Relevant experience providing counseling/therapy services to adolescents, ideally within a school setting.
Knowledge of: current theories of development, trauma informed care, cognitive science, and social-emotional learning research and behavior change strategies; brief counseling techniques; crisis intervention; ability to assess and treat behavioral and education-based mental health needs of students, including mental health disorders and substance use disorders
Strategic, creative, and imaginative thinker who weaves social-emotional learning into all aspects of the school
Strong and effective communicator and team collaborator
Exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to organize and manage multiple priorities
Firm knowledge of the ethical and legal responsibilities related to one's counseling practices
Commitment to the school's mission, values, and vision
Commitment to the work of diversity, equity and inclusion
Candidates should demonstrate a willingness to understand and incorporate Quaker Principles and Quaker education into their work.

Responsibilities

Provide short term, evidence-based counseling to individual students, and facilitate groups as needed.
Serve as a resource and consultant on adolescent mental health for students and faculty.
Support and complement the work of the Grade Level Deans, clerked by the Assistant Principal for Student Life.
Plan and teach multiple sections of Friends Forum, our health curriculum in sexuality and healthy relationships for 9th grade and/or 10th grade students.
Coordinate with families, school administrators, and the Health Team to develop plans of support for students in need, and connect to community health resources.
Participate in and develop wellness education and prevention programs for: parents, students, and faculty.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals from varied educational and cultural backgrounds; participate effectively in meetings and conferences; demonstrate effective liaison relationships with parents and community providers; provide effective services within a limited timeframe; conduct assessments; crisis intervention; develop, coordinate, and deliver relevant training to students, parents, and staff.
Fulfill additional responsibilities as required by the Upper School.
Value and reflect the principles of Quaker education and the school's Teaching and Learning paradigm.
Participate in the co-curricular or extra-curricular life of the school including clubs, coaching, special event planning, field trips, seminars, etc.
Attend All-School Professional Days, Department meetings, and Upper School faculty meetings.
Collaborate with colleagues departmentally, divisionally, and cross-divisionally.
Help move the initiatives of the School forward by serving on committees and lending expertise and voice.
Commit to professional learning around school-wide goals and initiatives