School Counselor - Preschool & Lower School

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Preschool and Lower School Counselor

Dwight School is the first school in the Americas to offer all four International Baccalaureate programs from preschool to grade 12. Guided by our philosophy of igniting the spark of genius in every child, Dwight is an inclusive school that aims to meet the unique needs, abilities, and interests of each student. At the same time, Dwight challenges every student to develop intellectual independence, respect for diversity and belonging, and to become innovators and thought leaders. 

Known for its low student-teacher ratio, Dwight enrolls 1,100 students with 400 faculty and staff. Our school rests on three pillars: personalized learning, community, and global vision. As part of a leading global network of schools, Dwight offers employees exciting cross-campus opportunities. Additionally, with the support of The Dwight School Foundation’s generous grants, Dwight provides faculty professional development, enabling teachers to deepen their content knowledge and pursue their own sparks of genius to be shared with the community. 

At Dwight, we strive to ensure that our environment is welcoming — a place in which everyone can thrive — and an organization we are proud of. We recognize that this takes trusting relationships and ensuring that all individuals feel valued regardless of their backgrounds. At Dwight, we encourage diversity in all respects, including diversity of thought, and embrace innovation and foster collaboration and growth.

We consistently strive to advance the equity, diversity and belonging of our community in all domains, including the curriculum, admissions, environment, and hiring. Our goal is to achieve and maintain equal employment opportunities, with policies in place to maintain a work environment free from discrimination.  

Preschool and Lower School Counselor

Grades PK3 – 4^th Grade

Full Time, 8:00 am-4:30 pm

Compensation commensurate upon experience: $70,000-$95,000

Position Overview

Dwight School, an innovative preschool-grade 12 coeducational school on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is seeking a self-directed, experienced, and energetic School Counselor to begin in August 2026.

The school counselor serves an integral role in our community, promoting student success, providing preventative services, and responding to identified student needs. Rooted in consultation and collaboration, the school counselor implements a comprehensive and eclectic approach that addresses academic, personal, and social-emotional development for all students. 
 

The position is a full-time position primarily focusing on grades from PK3 to Fourth. The position reports to the Director of School Counseling and Head of 94^th Street Campus.

Counseling responsibilities

• Provides 1:1 support for students in need of academic, social, or emotional guidance
• Makes referrals to outside professionals for students needing ongoing therapy and helps coordinate psychoeducational testing when necessary
• Reviews psychoeducational and neuropsychological reports for students
• Communicates with parents and, when appropriate, with teachers of students receiving in-school counseling
• Supports division head in decisions of discipline and integrating counseling as a pastoral source of learning and support in behavioral situations
• Participates in student support teams both internally and externally
• Develops appropriate rapport with students and parents in the preschool and lower school divisions
• Conduct risk assessments as needed and follow appropriate protocols to ensure student safety and well-being
• Maintain appropriate and timely note keeping through Magnus Health

Group work responsibilities

• Engages students in small group work for conflict resolution, peer mediation, and related needs
• Conducts in-class lessons and activities on social-emotional learning for students in grades K-4
• Leads counseling-based affinity groups for self-selected students (e.g., Banana Splits)

Consultation responsibilities

• Participates in regular meetings with the Counseling team and attends regular grade-level and divisional meetings
• Consults with teachers and provides guidance on areas related to student behavior, academic concerns, and social-emotional development
• Collaborates with the school’s healthcare office, learning specialists, and division head to ensure student health, wellness, and safety

Parent support responsibilities

• Regularly communicates with parents whose children are receiving counseling services
• Provides opportunities for parent education through hosting “coffee talks” with Counseling team and/or division head
• Provides informal parent coaching to inform student success
• Assists parents in finding additional resources outside of school to support their child(ren)’s needs

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in school psychology, school counseling, social work, or a related field
• Minimum of three years of experience in a school setting, ideally within early childhood or childhood divisions
• NYS certification or licensure in their conferred degree
• Experience in school counseling with students with a range of learning styles
• Eagerness to contribute positively to the Dwight community
• Willingness to engage with and learn from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences
• Ability to bring joy, kindness, maturity, and flexibility to the school environment

We are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people or people with long-term health conditions. If you would like us to do anything differently during the recruitment process, or provide any information in an alternative format, please let us know.

Dwight School’s goal is to achieve and maintain equal employment opportunities. It is also the policy of Dwight School to maintain a work environment free from discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran/military status, marital status, or other status protected by federal or state law, with regards to any term or condition of employment. 

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