US Director of Student Wellness

Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Crystal Springs Uplands School is a 6-12 co-educational, independent day school located on two distinct campuses in Hillsborough and Belmont, CA with 125 employees. Our deeply connected culture and community celebrates scholarship, strives for balance, and fosters inclusion. The Professional Adult Community (PAC) is an experienced, collaborative group of employees who are committed to the mission and core values of the school. Crystal is full of kind, curious learners (adults and students alike) who are passionate about the school’s mission of transformative teaching and meaningful connections. We are committed to the work required to create more equitable systems and foster inclusive environments so that all members of our community can thrive together.

MISSION STATEMENT

Through transformative teaching and meaningful connections, we empower kind, curious learners to thrive together.

CORE VALUES

• We Celebrate Scholarship - The foundation of Crystal is academic excellence.
• We Seek Growth Challenges - Our culture says try it.
• We Foster Kindness & Inclusion - Crystal is a caring and diverse community.
• We Strive for Balance - A holistic approach to well-being is integral to our mission.
• We Engage with Enthusiasm - With unbounded spirit, we give our best effort every day and pay it forward to our community.
• We Lead with Humility - Being grateful and open-minded, we pursue lifelong learning.
  
  

The ideal candidate will have experience working in dynamic settings serving multiple constituents. A successful candidate in this position will:

• Share a commitment to upholding Crystal’s core values and working in an inclusive school environment
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and engage effectively with all constituents
• Bring robust organizational, technological, and communication skills
  
  

Qualifications

JOB SUMMARY

Crystal seeks a full-time exempt (1.0 FTE, 12-month) Upper School Director of Student Wellness (US DoSW). The US DoSW plays a pivotal leadership role in fostering students' social-emotional development and well-being at the Upper School and collaborates closely with the Middle School Director of Student Wellness (MS DoSW). With the MS DoSW, the US DoSW is responsible for executing Crystal’s 6-12 vision of student wellness, including increasing access to social-emotional learning, strengthening proactive systems, and enhancing coherence among mental health services, instruction, and family partnership at the Upper School. By intentionally integrating advisory, wellness education, and student support systems, this role ensures a coherent, sustainable approach to social-emotional learning across the upper school experience. In their work with students, the DoSW provides counseling and guidance, helping them navigate typical developmental challenges and referring them to external mental health services as necessary. By working at every constituency level, the DoSW is a powerful advocate for student wellness, leading efforts to create a safe and nurturing environment where all students can thrive.

Key Job Competencies

• Change Management: Prepares, supports, and guides people effectively through organizational changes across all levels of the school to align organizational behavior, actions, and ideologies and achieve the school’s strategic goals.
• Collaboration: the interpersonal and intrapersonal qualities one will leverage to collectively solve a problem or make progress toward a common goal. The ability to work with others to complete a project or task or develop ideas or processes.
• Communication: Exceptional ability to articulate thoughts and express ideas effectively using oral, written, visual, and non-verbal communication skills, as well as deep listening skills to gain understanding.
• Cultural Competence: Possesses and applies the skills, values, and principles that acknowledge, respect, contribute, and work effectively across cultural differences. Recognizes the unique values, perspectives, strengths, and challenges of every person who comes to the Crystal community.
• Relationship Management: Positively collaborates and builds/maintains authentic and trusting relationships. Demonstrates high levels of discretion and confidentiality.
• Developing Others: Ability to effectively support the growth and development of students, PAC, and parents/guardians.
• Emotional Intelligence: Demonstrates high levels of self/social awareness, self-management, empathy, and curiosity.
• Personal Growth: Demonstrates commitment and curiosity to ongoing learning and development.
  
  

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Upper School Counseling and Support Services

• Establish and uphold counseling policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Provide provisional counseling services to students seeking voluntary support.
• Meet with students as needed to navigate social-emotional challenges.
• Identify student needs and develop intervention/support plans.
• Provide follow-up support (case management) to students and their families.
• Offer outside counseling and mental health referrals based on family needs or counselor evaluations.
• Consult with outside clinical and medical support personnel for on-campus support, with family approval.
• Coordinate mental health crisis intervention, including assessment and clinical support for students and families in crisis (e.g., crisis situations, mandated reporting).
• Lead coordinated school response to community wellness crises.
• Serve as a resource for individual parents/guardians by providing guidance, clinical perspective, and referrals for student-specific wellness concerns.
• Consult with and provide guidance to faculty and advisors on individual student mental health and social emotional needs.
  
  

Collaboration and Consultation

• Collaborate with Upper School Leadership Team to report on trends, respond to individual and collective student needs, and integrate mental health initiatives into broader school policies and practices.
• Collaborate with the US Student Support Team to address students of concern, streamline support efforts, and (collaboratively) assess effectiveness of student support.
• Work closely with the US Director of Student Equity and Engagement on co-curricular programming as a cornerstone for social-emotional learning and relational culture.
• Work closely with the US Director of Academic Support to coordinate support for students receiving academic accommodations.
• Support the Mind Body Department Chair on Mind Body curriculum as a proactive foundation for mental, physical, social, and emotional health.
• Coach and consult with faculty, staff, and administrators regarding individual and school-wide student issues, providing expertise on social-emotional development, trauma-informed practice, culturally responsive pedagogy, and proactive classroom practices that support student regulation and engagement.
• Participate in 6-12 strategic meetings, facilitated by the Associate Head for Institutional Programs and Initiatives (AHIPI), to provide insights on adolescent development and mental health, and progress monitor school student wellness goals and plans.
  
  

Strategic Leadership

• With the MS DoSW, the MS & US Student Support Teams, Divisional Heads (HoMS/HoUS), and Associate Head for Institutional Programs and Initiatives (AHIPI), co-lead the development and implementation of a strategic 6-12 vision and plan for student mental health, social-emotional learning, and wellness within the school community, in alignment with broader strategic priorities including Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Track and analyze student wellness, SEL, and behavioral data across programs to monitor progress, identify trends, and inform systemic improvements.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of counseling and SEL programs, iterating based on research and on-the-ground learning.
• Present vision, findings, and annual updates to the Senior Leadership Team and when appropriate, the Board of Trustees, the parent/guardian community, and the Professional Adult Community (PAC).
• Advocate for resources and support systems that promote a healthy school climate and student well-being.
• Foster partnerships with external organizations to enhance mental health programming and support.
  
  

Education and Outreach

• Educate the community (students, PAC, and parents/guardians) on adolescent social-emotional development and mental health.
• Plan and deliver parent education events in collaboration with school leadership and the MS Director of Student Wellness.
• Plan and implement outreach programs for mental health awareness (e.g., Mental Health Awareness Week, LGBTQ Awareness).
  
  

Resource Development and Management

• Develop and provide educational materials for students and parents/guardians to enhance understanding of mental health issues (e.g., handouts, worksheets).
• Maintain and update the Mental Health Resource page on MyCrystal in collaboration with the MS Director of Student Wellness.
• Maintain an up-to-date listing of community resources and support services for referrals.
• Build relationships with community resources and external services to address student needs.
  
  

Professionalism and Ethics

• Maintain a high level of professionalism as a school leader and practitioner.
• Uphold legal and ethical obligations, particularly regarding confidentiality and reporting.
• Participate in relevant conferences and workshops to enhance professional development.
• Maintain contact with other school counselors in the region to share best practices and resources.
• Foster an inclusive working and school environment, upholding the school’s Core Values.
  
  

Reporting Structure: The US DoSW reports to the Head of Upper School (HoUS).

Travel Required

• Light travel between the Middle School and Upper School campuses, as needed.
  
  

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Education And Experience

• Master’s or Doctoral Degree in Counseling Psychology, Clinical Psychology, or substantially related field
• Licensed as Psy.D., Ph.D., MFT, LCSW, or LPCC to practice psychotherapy in the State of California
• Knowledge of laws, regulations and ethical guidelines relating to delivery of mental health services in the school setting (by training, study, or experience)
• At least three years of experience in a high school setting is preferred
• Independent school experience preferred
  
  

Physical demands and work environment

• Able to work in a dynamic environment dealing with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and a varied and diverse array of contacts
• Able to lift up to 20 pounds
• Able to climb stairs
• May work at a desk and computer for extended periods
  
  

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Crystal Springs Uplands School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, exempt, permanent (40 hours/week), benefits-eligible, 12-month administrative staff position, and the annual salary is commensurate with experience, within the range of $120,000 - $145,000.

The recruitment period will remain open until sufficient resumes have been received and may close at any time a sufficient pool of highly qualified candidates has been established. The ideal start date for this position is July 1, 2026.