Upper School - Counselor

THE NUEVA SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL COUNSELOR

Position Summary

The Nueva School seeks an experienced and trained mental health professional to join our Upper School Wellness Team and serve as a School Counselor for grades 9-12. In collaboration with the Lead Upper School Counselor, the School Counselor plays a key role in ensuring the social, emotional, academic, and physical wellness of Nueva students. Counselors are full-time faculty members who participate in all aspects of student life and work with families and members of the Upper School community to help provide a positive school climate and programming tailored to meet the social-emotional needs of gifted learners.

The School Counselor will provide individual student and group counseling, develop school-wide mental health and wellness programming, and offer faculty and staff professional development and educational opportunities for Nueva families to learn more about adolescent mental health and development. The School Counselor will serve as a trusted resource for the entire Nueva community and will liaise with outside professionals and agencies as needed. Additionally, the School Counselor will be an active member of the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Department and may teach one section of SEL each semester.

We are seeking applicants who represent the full diversity of our Bay Area community. Our ideal candidate will possess a deep appreciation for the diverse socioeconomic, racial, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, academic, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. In joining our team at Nueva, you will become a part of an inclusive, iterative, and equity-minded community that recognizes that social justice is a lens with which we examine all aspects of our school community in order to ensure an educational experience where all students can thrive. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Nueva, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with Nueva’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Responsibilities

Student and Family Support

• Provide short-term individual counseling to students to foster resilience, develop coping skills, and promote positive engagement across all aspects of student life.
• Work collaboratively with school faculty and staff to identify students in need of counseling services.
• Develop and implement short-term small group counseling sessions focused on various topics of adolescent health and development (ex., Grief and loss, gender identity, anxiety, and stress management)

• Collaborate with faculty, grade deans, learning support specialists, the equity and inclusion coordinator, and the school administration regarding students of concern and ensure that appropriate support is provided.
• Make referrals to outside professionals and liaise with students’ current providers for students needing ongoing therapy and/or psychological testing.
• Develop strong partnerships with the Nueva family community and provide family education opportunities related to adolescent health and development.
• Develop and lead trainings and support groups for parents and caregivers on relevant mental health topics.
• Maintain partnerships with community resources and referrals for families, and develop a counseling department newsletter with topical information for families related to adolescent mental health.
• Clinical practice should be grounded in an understanding of the ways in which intersecting identities impact student behavior and mental health.

Faculty Support

• Act as a proactive and responsive resource for faculty on emerging issues of emotional well-being and adolescent growth and development.
• Attend and participate in weekly wellness team meetings alongside learning support, administrators, equity and inclusion coordinators, and the school nurse to address student concerns and develop plans of support and ongoing case management.
• Collaborate with learning support to coordinate accommodation plans for students with documented mental health diagnoses.
• Facilitate professional learning for faculty and staff on best practices for supporting adolescent growth and development, with attention to crisis management and supporting students with mental health challenges.
• Consult with faculty on an as-needed basis regarding student mental health issues that arise in and out of the classroom.

Community Engagement

• In collaboration with the Lead Upper School Counselor, design and implement yearly all-school mental health-focused programming for the entire school community, including student assemblies and related advisory programming, professional development training for faculty, and family education programming
• Act as the faculty advisor, when applicable, and support student-led initiatives, clubs, and organizations focused on mental health within the school community.
• May teach one section of SEL and work closely with the SEL Department to continue developing an interesting and engaging SEL curriculum for gifted learners
• The ideal candidate will be an all-around “school person” and will participate in all aspects of student life (clubs, affinity groups, trips, retreats, etc.) and partner with students and deans to foster a positive school climate.
• Other duties as assigned by the Upper School Division Head or Head of School.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, counseling, or clinical psychology, with current licensure in the State of California.
• 3–5 years of direct clinical experience working with adolescents, including experience supporting teenagers in school-based or clinical settings.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong time management, flexibility, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and adapt to changing needs.
• Demonstrated ethical judgment, professionalism, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality in all aspects of practice.
• Excellent listening, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
• Commitment to ongoing professional learning and staying current with research and best practices in adolescent mental health and development.
• Alignment with the school’s mission and a demonstrated commitment to supporting the academic, social, emotional, and extracurricular success of students.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience serving as a mental health counselor in a high school or independent school setting.
• Clinical experience working with gifted or high-achieving adolescents, including familiarity with the social-emotional and psychological profiles commonly associated with this population.
• Experience collaborating closely with educators, administrators, and families in a school-based environment.
• Demonstrated interest in or experience integrating skills-based approaches (e.g., resilience, emotional regulation, identity development, and interpersonal skills) into clinical practice.

Encouragement to Apply

We recognize that no candidate will meet every qualification listed. If you are passionate about supporting the social, emotional, and academic well-being of gifted high school students and are curious about the unique cognitive, emotional, and asynchronous development often present in this population, we strongly encourage you to apply. We welcome candidates from a range of professional and lived backgrounds, including school-based or clinical settings, who are committed to inclusive, student-centered practice, ongoing learning, and helping adolescents navigate complexity, intensity, and growth.

Compensation and Benefits

The full-time equivalent salary range for this position is $79,200 - $145,900. The starting salary is based on, but not limited to, several factors, including type and years of experience, education level, and expertise.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees, employer contributions toward dependent insurance premiums, a generous employer match on our retirement plan, long-term disability insurance, a flexible spending account, and a free lunch. Relocation assistance available. Eligibility rules must be met.

In deciding whether to apply for a position at Nueva, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with Nueva’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

To Apply

Please submit your application information - cover letter describing your interest and preparedness for the position, a resume documenting your relevant experience and expertise, and contact information for three professional references, including an explanation of your relationship - to the Nueva Employment Website. To address specific questions, please email Aviva Jacobstien at ajacobstein@nuevaschool.org.

The Nueva School is an Equal Opportunity Employer – we do not discriminate against any employee or job applicant on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, or sex. We welcome applications from people of color and those with experience outside the education field.

About The Nueva School

The Nueva School, an internationally recognized, nonprofit, independent day school, has served gifted and talented students since 1967. Today, Nueva serves nearly 1000 students PK-12. Nueva is located in the neighboring towns of Hillsborough and San Mateo, equidistant between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, serving six different counties throughout the Bay Area of Northern California.

A school that honors multiple pathways to learning through inquiry and experience. Nueva is recognized for its distinctive inquiry-based, interdisciplinary studies; project-based learning; and pioneering work in social-emotional learning and design thinking. The Nueva community instills a passion for lifelong learning, fosters social and emotional acuity, and develops the imaginative mind. Our school has received the US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Award, the US Department of Education National Green Ribbon Award, and the American Institute of Architects Award for School Design and Sustainability; has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished Program and appointed an Ashoka Changemaker School; co-founded the Common Ground Speaker Series; hosts the biennial Innovative Learning Conference, and was highlighted by the Pulitzer Prize–winning and New York Times best-selling author Thomas Friedman in his book That Used to Be Us in the chapter “Average Is Over.”

For more information about The Nueva School, visit our website: www.nuevaschool.org