26-27 Lower School Mental Health Counselor or Social Worker

Quad Preparatory School

Lower School Mental Health Counselor or Social Worker

Anticipated Opening for the 2026-27 School Year

Classification: Exempt

Reports to:Lower School Clinical Co-Head

Annual Salary Range: $56,000-$89,000

 

At Quad Prep, we are on a mission — to transform the lives of neurodiverse, twice-exceptional people by redefining the experience of school. Through the collective, collaborative, and empathic work of our teachers and clinicians, we are empowering our students to engage with the exciting and wonderful diversity of this world. 

As we enter our 14th year, we are excited to welcome fellow innovators and collaborative colleagues to our team to be a part of this inspiring and impactful mission. At Quad Prep, a New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS) Accredited School, we are eager to create challenging and engaging learning experiences for our students, to seek diverse perspectives, and to work together to continuously refine and redefine best practices in neurodiverse education. The Quad Preparatory School actively seeks to advance diversity through its programs and hiring.

 

Why work at Quad Prep?

• ACCREDITED SCHOOL: Quad Prep was recognized as an outstanding school when it received accreditation through NYSAIS.
• COMMUNITY: We are committed to building a joyful and inclusive culture where everybody is celebrated for who they are.  
• COLLEAGUES: Our colleagues are inspiring, consummate innovators and are at their happiest collaborating to create personalized solutions for each student.
• STUDENTS We guarantee that you will learn something eye-opening every single day from our students — and have a lot of joy and laughter along the way!
• DEEP PROFESSIONAL LEARNING: Quad Prep supports mission-driven educators and clinicians to grow their professional skills and influence in the neurodiversity educational space. Close collaboration with colleagues, coaching from supportive leaders, and thoughtful, in-depth professional learning programs keep us growing.
• GENEROUS AND COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS
  • Health: Medical, Dental, Vision
  • Student Loan repayment 
  • Retirement Plan contribution
  • Group Life Plan
  • Disability Insurance
  • Generous Parental Leave
• WORK LIFE BALANCE:  In addition to a ten-month school year during which our staff are offered on average 33 days off (approximately 7 weeks) for scheduled holidays and school breaks, we provide generous preparation periods throughout each week, limiting the number of after work hours you will need to work — so that you can live the life you wish for — inside and outside of our school. Additionally, our students are dismissed midday each Friday in order for you to meet with your team, plan, and prep.
• PROTECTED TIME * Staffing permitted, we strive to provide coverage to allow you to learn from one another, participate in one of our special PD programs, conduct original research, develop special projects, and participate in our initiatives to create the culture YOU want to work in.
• EXTRAS You can build a private practice or tutor non-Quad Prep students onsite during after school hours at low-cost reduced rates, available only to our Quad Prep staff.

 

Who We Are

(If Quad Prep is for you, you'll read what's below and feel, "That's me!")

At Quad Prep, we are guided by values that we hold dear and we have developed an innovative set of practices to meet our mission. We are:

 

Groundbreaking: We ignite our students’ talents and are passionate about their futures. You are:

• Passionate about our work and our mission
• Creative and excited about reaching each and every learner in new ways
• Excited to help create new, evidence-based best practices in this rapidly evolving field
• Able to set high expectations of both students and yourself and discover ways to meet them

 

Collaborative: We function with an exceedingly deep degree of collaboration. You:

• Communicate effectively with colleagues
• Seek to understand yourself and others in order to welcome new perspectives 
• Are generous of spirit and willing to give and receive feedback and input freely
• Are kind, welcoming, and inclusive

 

Trustworthy: We are steadfast and are accountable to our students and each other. You:

• Can be counted on to do what you say you will do
• Have a high level of ownership for personal and team results
• Can purposefully develop skills to find success in your work and our learning community
• Ask for support when you need it
• Project an unflappable, firm, and kind presence to our students

 

Constantly Learning and Growing: We value continued growth and learning. You:

• Seek opportunities to learn and grow in your professional practice
• Support colleagues by sharing best practices and nurturing their learning
• Help the organization grow and improve by developing and sharing new ideas and approaches

 

Resourceful: At Quad Prep, we dig deep to meet our mission. You: 

• Are highly effective and dedicated 
• Show initiative
• Display good judgment and sensibility
• Excellent at supporting students inside and outside the classroom

 

Flexible: At Quad Prep, we never give up on each other and are driven by the ethos of “not if, but how.” You are:

• Open to new ideas
• Nimble in fluid, changing environments
• Excited by growth, change, and innovation

 

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

 

The Quad Preparatory School is looking for a mental health counselor or social worker to join our team of Lower School clinicians in the 2026-27 school year, providing effective, integrated school-based counseling. The counselor will carry a caseload of students in grades K through 5. The counselor’s role may include supervising psychosocial teachers and psychosocial interns and externs. The clinical team at Quad Prep is highly collaborative, a trait that the counselor must uphold to provide personalized support to each enrolled student. Clinical supervision will be provided by a licensed psychologist or mental health counselor. 

 

• Provide individual and group counseling to students, and provide psychosocial support and behavioral intervention support in integrated contexts throughout the school day.
• Co-lead social cognition and psychosocial groups, and provide psychosocial guidance aligned with students’ therapeutic, behavioral, and executive functioning goals.
• Co-teach lessons with academic teachers according to the school’s integration model, embedding psychosocial and executive functioning concepts within academic content and classroom contexts.
• Develop, implement, and manage individualized behavior intervention plans, including ongoing progress monitoring, data collection, and revision based on student response.
• Conduct risk assessments with appropriate supervision and follow established clinical and safety protocols.
• Before the start of the school year, along with students’ teams, identify goals for each student to begin tracking immediately upon commencement of the school year; develop a Daily Report Card as necessary to allow for tracking of goals.
• Collaboratively revise individual student goals and behavior intervention plans as needed based on data, observation, and team input.
• Supervise psychosocial teachers and/or interns as assigned; ensuring clarity of responsibilities, fidelity to behavior and EF interventions, and accurate data tracking.
• Keep progress notes of sessions with students, behavior plan implementation, and contact with parents/outside providers.
• Schedule monthly collaborative calls with each student’s outside providers and student’s parents (all parties on the same call) and coordinate with students’ outside providers and parents outside of monthly calls as needed.
• Actively participate in weekly supervision meetings and engage in reflective clinical practice related to EF and behavioral intervention effectiveness.
• Advise and coach teachers and staff in regards to each child's individual therapeutic needs, the psychosocial curriculum and psychosocial clinical best practices; collaborate with other clinicians on students’ teams to determine the best approach for each student.
• Apply executive functioning frameworks consistently in treatment planning, psychosocial intervention, and behavior plan development.
• Apply evidence-based practices responsive to the intensity, complexity, and asynchronous development characteristic of gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) learners.
• Demonstrate curiosity and actively learn about the cognitive, social-emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning profiles of gifted and 2e students.
• Engage in ongoing professional development related to executive function, gifted education, and neurodiversity.
• Attend all faculty and staff meetings, professional development sessions, and required special events (e.g., open houses, Curriculum Night, Carnivale)
• Competently utilize GSuite, specifically Google Drive.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

 

Competencies:

1. Passion for working with children
2. Desire and ability to work with students with special needs
3. Ability to connect with elementary school- age children
4. Knowledge of various clinical interventions and use of a collaborative approach to meet the unique needs of each child
5. Effective oral and written communication skills
6. A solid understanding of adolescent-age children’s academic, social, and emotional development
7. Attention to detail
8. Maintaining confidentiality and privacy
9. Ethical conduct
10. Time management and the ability to multitask
11. Teamwork and collaboration
12. Patience and flexibility

 

 Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in mental health counseling, social work, or related field
• New York State license in professional field, or qualifications to work toward licensure and New York State limited permit to practice professional field
• School-based experience with elementary school population
• One year of paid experience with students who have emotional/social/learning differences
• Knowledge of evidence-based treatment, particularly CBT and DBT
• Interpersonal style that builds consensus and compels constructive problem solving

 

Preferred Education and Experience: