Job Description

The GFA mission plays an essential role in school life: GFA engages students as partners in an innovative, inclusive, and globally-minded community to prepare them for lives of purpose. Faculty and staff have committed that language to memory, along with our core values -- passion, integrity, empathy, curiosity, excellence -- so as to better live out the spirit of those words.

The Position
Greens Farms Academy seeks a Lower School Counselor to begin in August 2025. The ideal candidate is an excellent communicator and collaborator with a deep understanding of the social, emotional, and academic needs of elementary students. Responsibilities include collaborating with and supporting classroom teachers, as well as providing one-on-one, group, and classroom support to enhance students’ social, behavioral and mental health outcomes. This role requires effective partnerships with faculty to integrate supportive strategies within the classroom, ensuring a cohesive approach to student wellness and development.

The counselor will also be responsible for maintaining and delivering social-emotional learning (SEL) lessons to grades 1 through 4. They will collaborate with the student support team, including administrators, psychologists and learning specialists to identify and address psychoeducational concerns, and develop and implement student behavior plans.

Additional duties involve communicating with and supporting parents through individual consultations and educational sessions, and collaborating with upper and middle school counselors as part of the Counseling department. Familiarity with the RULER approach (Yale University) and Responsive Classroom techniques is highly desirable.

Qualifications

• 2-5 years of experience working with elementary-aged children (K-4) in a counseling role, preferably in a school setting.
• Master's degree in Counseling, Social Work, School Psychology, or a related field.
• Proficiency in assessing student needs and developing individualized and group interventions.
• Knowledge and facility with the integration of children's social, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral development.
• Experience in facilitating curriculum and programs designed to teach and reinforce developmental skills at appropriate age levels.

For all positions, we look for candidates who enjoy working with colleagues in a collaborative environment; are flexible, creative, and adaptable; demonstrate a willingness to fully engage in the life of the school in and outside of the classroom; and are committed to fostering a culture of belonging for all students under our care.

Location
Founded in 1925, GFA is situated on a former Vanderbilt estate in a scenic 44-acre waterfront campus located in Westport, CT.  GFA is a suburban school close to many transportation options and a five-minute walk from the Greens Farms Metro-North train station. The campus sits a half-hour south of New Haven and an hour north of New York City by car or commuter train.

Application
At GFA we are committed to a policy of equal employment for all applicants. As part of our commitment to a diverse and inclusive school, we recruit and hire applicants with diverse backgrounds. Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and resume through this application form (you will need a Gmail account to upload your resume and cover letter in a single PDF file). Please address the cover letter to Sue Teyan, Associate Head of School. 

About Greens Farms Academy

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