Student Wellness and Support Specialist (Anticipated)

This full-time position serves as the Student Wellness and Support Specialist for Peabody School, a PreK-8th grade independent school that serves academically advanced students in Charlottesville, Virginia. The overriding responsibility of the position is to help ensure the social and emotional well-being of the Peabody student body.

Peabody School was founded in 1994 to “serve the needs of academically advanced children of all backgrounds by promoting cognitive, social, and emotional development for each child at a rate commensurate with his or her ability, while providing a foundation for students to become lifelong learners.” This mission is best embodied in our motto: Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

BASIC FUNCTION: The Student Wellness and Support Specialist will spearhead a comprehensive, developmental school counseling program, resulting in and maintaining an inclusive, safe, nurturing, and supportive climate in which students with various learning styles are empowered to engage in academic risk-taking and to achieve social success as they reach their true potential as successful learners; educationally, socially, and personally.   The Specialist collaborates with the Leadership Team and faculty to promote student success, provide preventive services, and respond to identified student needs.

The Specialist also will serve as a resource for our community, including faculty and parents, to prioritize the quality of the student experience.  This individual will collaborate with all stakeholders to facilitate, deliver, and support SEL programming and student wellness for our PreK-8 students while maintaining professional and confidentiality practices.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: Specifically, the Guidance Counselor/SEL Specialist will work with the Head of School and Leadership Team to:

• Create and support the implementation of SEL curriculum

• Conduct school climate assessments and analyze data to support the SEL curriculum

• Lead SEL professional development for faculty and provide parent education and training to members of the community

• Communicate and collaborate closely with families to coordinate support and to provide resources

• Develop and maintain relationships with a range of community members, including non-profits and mental health agencies

• Assist school efforts to skillfully balance learning needs across the student body

• Act as a resource for faculty and staff in providing emotional and social support for students/families of diverse backgrounds

• Support students’ social-emotional development through one-on-one, small-group and whole group instruction

• Develop and manage an intentional, PreK-8 approach to social-emotional learning that produces data driven results
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS:

The  Specialist will possess the following capabilities and characteristics:

• Knowledge of and experience with PreK-8 SEL and guidance counseling, curriculum, and resources

• Experience in elementary/middle education and/or mental health

• Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree in a relevant field preferred

• Licensure and/or certification in school counseling is highly preferred

• Strong understanding of the social-emotional needs of PreK-8 students, including, but not limited to, knowledge of developmental characteristics and milestones and needs and characteristics of gifted children

• Culturally competent and responsive to equity and inclusion needs in the community

• Flexible collaborator with strong written and oral communication skills

• A high level of proficiency in technology

• Experience with trauma-informed education, emotional regulation, mindfulness practices and behavior intervention support. 

• Ability and desire to form strong and positive relationships with all community members

• Knowledge of how to support mental health and well-being in young children, including anxiety and depression