Lower School Counselor (Leave Replacement) Full-Time Position (1 May 2026 - 12 June 2026)

Overview

The Kew-Forest School, a PS-12 co-educational day school founded in 1918 in Forest Hills, NY, seeks a compassionate, student-centered Leave Replacement School Counselor to join our Lower School community. Kew-Forest is proud to enroll an astonishingly diverse student body representative of Queens and New York City, including approximately 9% who are international. Kew-Forest students have varied cultural, racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, and many are multilingual. The Kew-Forest School promotes diversity in its hiring process and is committed to supporting its inclusive community by hiring culturally diverse faculty to work with our equally diverse students and families.

At Kew-Forest, our mission is to do more than just educate - it is to deeply inspire. The Kew-Forest School is embarking on an exciting new chapter as it enters its 108th year of operation. The individual who joins our community to fill this position must be energetic, imaginative, and thoughtful in their approach to supporting Lower School students and prepared to play a key role in assisting students, faculty, and parents as the School enters its era of Kew-Forest 2.0.

The counselor will support students’ social-emotional learning, well-being, and personal development through direct counseling services, classroom instruction, and close collaboration with teachers, leadership, and families.

In alignment with the IB PYP philosophy, the counselor will help foster student agency, international-mindedness, and the development of the whole child, while serving as a visible, caring, and responsive presence across the school day.

Responsibilities

Child Study / Response to Intervention (RTI)

• Lead small group “lunch bunch” counseling sessions to support social skills, relationships, and emotional regulation.
• Provide individual counseling support to students as needed.
• Facilitate small group interventions based on student needs and developmental stages.
• Deliver mandated counseling services for students with IESP goals and requirements.
• Support students in conflict resolution, restorative practices, and peer problem-solving.
• Design and teach Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons aligned with IB PYP learner profile attributes and approaches to learning (ATL skills).
• Co-teach Health classes in collaboration with the PE teacher, integrating wellness, identity, and personal responsibility.
• Supervise students during arrival, dismissal, lunch, and recess duty assignments.
• Serve as a consistent, visible, and approachable presence for students, faculty, and families throughout the school community.
• Collaborate with the Upper School Counselor to support a smooth and developmentally responsive transition from Grade 5 to Grade 6.
• Partner with classroom teachers and grade-level teams to integrate social-emotional support within the PYP framework and unit of inquiry where appropriate.
• Support a positive, inclusive school culture grounded in empathy, respect, and student agency.
• Maintain appropriate documentation and records in accordance with school policies and student support guidelines.
  
  

Additional Responsibilities

• Attend school events and meetings as required.
• Fulfill other duties as assigned by the Head of Lower School.
  
  

Qualifications & Abilities

• Master’s degree in School Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field.
• NYS certification/licensure as a school counselor (or eligibility for certification).
• Experience working with elementary-aged children is preferred.
• Familiarity with or interest in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of child development, social-emotional learning, and restorative practices.
• Ability to support diverse learners in an inclusive, internationally minded school community.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Flexibility and comfort working in a dynamic, student-centered environment.
  
  

SALARY RANGE

$9,286 - $10,214, commensurate with years of experience

To apply for this position, please send a single PDF file that includes a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references to mlambert@kewforest.org . Please include the position title, School Counselor, in the subject line.

The Kew-Forest School is accredited by the New York State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS), the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the New York State Department of Education. The School is also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Independent School Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY), and the Guild of Independent Schools of New York (GISNY).

To learn more about The Kew-Forest School, please visit our website: www.kewforest.org .

MISSION

We are The Kew-Forest School.

Our community nurtures lifelong learners from around the world.

Our educators inspire young people to think boldly and find their voices.

Our students support each other and explore thoughtfully as they shape the future.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

The Kew-Forest School believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity. The School prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, culture, background, physical or mental disability, or any other legally protected classes or classifications. No employee or job applicant will be discriminated against in recruitment, compensation, promotion, or termination practices.