Upper School Counselor (Part-Time)

Founded in 1786, Friends Seminary, the oldest continually operating coeducational, independent Quaker school in New York City, seeks an Upper School Counselor to join our mental health support team and to support the students and families of the Upper School. At present, the mental health support team includes one full-time psychologist in each division (Lower, Middle, and Upper).

The primary responsibility of the Upper School Counselor is to promote the social, emotional, educational, mental health, and general wellbeing of each student in the Upper School by partnering with teachers, administrators, parents, and outside professionals. The counselor will provide strategies for prevention, intervention, and remediation to assist students and other members of the Friends community in developing effective coping and problem-solving skills in response to their environments and interpersonal interactions. This is a part-time, 10-month position beginning August 2026. The Upper School Counselor reports to the Head of Upper School.

Responsibilities

• Provide individual counseling, group counseling, and short-term crisis management
• Consult with teachers and school leadership to support student mental health
• Offer parental guidance both individually and through parent workshops
• Connect students with outside treatment providers and collaborate with those providers
• Partner with the guidance team, divisional administrators, grade-level deans, and school nurses to support all students at Friends
• Participate in weekly support team meetings
• Other duties as assigned by the division head
  
  

• Experience working with children in a school setting
• Demonstrated understanding of adolescent development
• Well-developed sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding of the diverse backgrounds of community members allowing for the ability to connect with many constituencies
• Excellent organizational and communication (written and verbal) skills
• Strong interpersonal and clinical skills
• Ability to work in a dynamic, team-based work environment defined by a commitment to collaboration
• Understanding of the social and emotional development of adolescent and SEL curriculum
• Proven ability to connect joyfully with students, families, faculty, and staff
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as to inclusive practices and openness to furthering their knowledge and skill set around diversity and inclusion
• Strong understanding of and foundation in restorative practices
• Clear enthusiasm for life-long learning and intellectual inquiry
• Openness to feedback and improvement
  
  

• Master’s degree in school counseling, school psychology, mental health counseling, social work, or related fields and appropriate New York State licenses and/or certifications required
• Previous counseling experience in a high school preferred
• Training and experience in evidenced-based treatment approaches including CBT, DBT, and mindfulness
  
  

This part-time role is expected to be 2–3 days per week. The anticipated salary range is $60,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience and working schedule. We are open to some flexibility in structuring the role to align with candidate availability and the School’s needs.

Benefits

Friends Seminary offers excellent benefits including paid time off, health, dental, vision, 403(b) with a School-paid match; wide-ranging opportunities for professional development, including tuition support and summer grants; and a talented and dedicated team of teaching colleagues and supportive administrators. Successful candidates will join a dynamic and forward-thinking teaching community of over 150 educators.

To Apply, Please Submit The Following

• Completed Friends Seminary employment application
• Cover letter articulating approach to emotional/mental health work in a school setting
• Resume
• Contact information for three professional references
  
  

When submitting your materials, kindly be sure to reference your first and last name, the position for which you are applying, and where you heard about the position in the subject line. i.e. [last name], [first name] - Upper School Counselor (Part-Time) - Friends Seminary website . You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application. No phone calls, please.

Submit all materials to: supportservicesjobs@friendsseminary.org

Friends Seminary actively promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in all its programs and operations, including admissions, financial aid, hiring, and all facets of the educational experience. To form a community which strives to reflect the world’s diversity, we do not discriminate on the basis of race or color, religion, nationality, ethnicity, economic background, physical ability, sex, gender identity or expression, or sexual orientation. Friends Seminary is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates of color and members of other underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply. We urge all applicants to identify and express their individuality and the ways in which they might enrich and diversify the School community.

Moreover, all successful applicants, whether for a faculty or administrative staff post, must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in their professional lives. Applicants for a faculty position should highlight ways their curriculum, pedagogy, and classroom culture may advance these goals. Applicants for an administrative staff position should highlight ways they seek to promote these goals in their office work, programming, or operational endeavors.