The Savannah Country Day School is seeking an Upper School Counselor to support the social and emotional well-being of 9th-12th grade students, serving a key role in fostering an atmosphere of emotional wellness among students.  The Upper School Counselor is an integral part of the Counseling Department and reports directly to the Director of Student Health and Wellbeing.  Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

·        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.

Physical Demands:

Work is typically performed in a classroom or office environment with intermittent sitting, standing, or walking in various settings.  The employee occasionally lifts or carries objects of a light-medium weight, up to 25 pounds.  Full range of hand and finger motion may be utilized for data entry purposes. 

About Us:

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 1,000 students ranging from infants to 12^th 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.

Inclusion at Savannah Country Day School: 

The Savannah Country Day School is guided by the school’s mission statement which includes:

• that each student's life is enriched in a diverse community where differences among people are affirmed and celebrated;

• that the school shares with families the responsibility for fostering in each student strength of character, a sense of personal responsibility, and an attitude of faith, reverence, and tolerance;

SCDS seeks candidates of all cultures and backgrounds who embrace the school’s mission of diversity, are eager to engage in the work of inclusion and have a desire to join a community of diverse individuals who celebrate their similarities while also recognizing their individuality.