Instructional Support School Psychologist
Job Description
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
JOB DESCRIPTION
MISSION OF THE SCHOOL
Compass Charter School is a safe and nurturing educational environment that honors the individuality of each learner. By engaging in a process of inquiry, our graduates will be equipped with the necessary skills to lead fulfilling personal and professional lives, including a developed sense of self, the ability to think in innovative and flexible ways, and the inspiration to make a positive impact on their community.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCHOOL
Compass Charter School is an inquiry-based, progressive elementary school that opened in the fall of 2014 in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. We are committed to providing an experiential and democratic elementary experience to all children, with intentional access for children who typically do not get access to progressive education (children with special needs, children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and English language learners).
Our Integrated Curriculum centers sustainability in all forms: environmental, racial, and economic justice. Our staff works interdependently in collaborative teams and engages in professional inquiry (instructional coaching, reflection, restorative and trauma-informed practices). Compass enrolls approximately 330 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Compass Charter School is seeking a School Psychologist to join our team. The School Psychologist will work closely with students, staff, and families to provide supports that contribute to mental health, wellbeing, and the growth of social-emotional skills. We are looking for an experienced school psychologist whose expertise is collaborating with other professionals, managing and coordinating teams of people, and providing guidance and supervision to aspiring social workers. The school psychologist will also be a key member of our schoolwide MTSS Team and participate in schoolwide data analysis and problem solving. The school psychologist will also support students through mandated and intervention counseling services, family consultation, and collaboration with classroom teachers. The School Psychologist will complete some psychoeducational evaluations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- New York State School Psychologist Certification
- Master’s Degree in School Psychology
- 5 years of clinical experience as a social worker with elementary-aged children
- 5 years of experience working in an elementary school setting, preferred
- Experience leading professional development for staff required
- Strong philosophical alignment to Compass mission and vision
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Knowledge of the school neighborhood and nearby social services
- Ability to work collaboratively with teachers, leaders, and coordinators
- Able to oversee and manage multiple programs and projects simultaneously
- Ability to collaborate with learning support team, student support team, classroom co-teachers, and related service providers to ensure that all mandated services are being provided in accordance to IEPs
- Reflective practitioner in a state of constant professional growth and a willingness to share their craft with others
- Has own passions and interests
- Commitment to integrating social-emotional curriculum into the culture of the school, units of study, and teachers’ daily lesson plans
- Experience working with children with special needs in ICT classrooms preferred
- Commitment and knowledge of experiential and inquiry-based teaching and learning
- Educational philosophy aligns with the mission and vision of Compass
- Experience creating and implementing social-emotional curriculum
- Experience working with children with special needs
- Strong knowledge of child development
- Commitment to working with families from diverse backgrounds
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support the social-emotional growth of students with special needs, English Language Learners, and at-risk students
- Provide counseling services as mandated on student IEPs
- Provide counseling services to at-risk students with parent consent
- Conduct psychoeducational assessments, classroom observations, and Functional Behavioral Assessments
- Develop and monitor behavior intervention plans and data collection methodologies
- Collaborate with teachers, co-leaders, and directors to plan and create a safe and nurturing school culture and community
- Provide professional development for teachers and school staff regarding social-emotional development
- Maintain confidentiality with student information and records
- Provide mental health, social service, and wellness resources for families
- Actively participate in and lead Child Study Team, MTSS meetings, and CSE meetings
- Use data from a variety of sources to determine when a student needs intervention
- Actively participate in a professional learning community, including professional literature circles, peer coaching, reflection meetings, planning meetings, data meetings, and staff meetings
- Actively participate in the school’s decision-making process
- Regularly communicate with families, students, and community partners through phone, email, or face-to-face conversation
- Maintain positive relationships with students and staff
- Create a positive and safe classroom culture and community
- Create and carry out a vision for the mental health program in collaboration with the Student Support Team at Compass
- Regularly communicate with teachers about students on caseload and help to identify students who may benefit from counseling services
- Conduct risk assessment, crisis intervention and mediation as needed
- Work closely with the leadership team to ensure compliance with IEPs
- Observe in classrooms to gather information about specific students and provide suggestions to teachers for how to incorporate strategies into the classroom
- Support student attendance improvement initiatives
- Ensure compliance in mandated reporting, confidentiality, and schoolwide policies
- Collaborate with the MTSS Team to design and implement school-wide social-emotional curriculum
- Provide mental health, social service, and wellness resources for families
- Communicate with families about student progress and provide community mental health referrals for families when requested
- Create and lead workshops for families surrounding social-emotional, parenting and mental health issues
- Collaborate with members of the Compass mental health team to provide professional development for teachers and school staff regarding mental health and social-emotional development
- Partner with local institutions of higher education to develop and manage a social work internship program at Compass
- Provide supervision to school psychology interns at Compass
- Regularly communicate with families, students, and community partners through phone, email, or face-to-face conversation
- Maintain positive relationships with students and staff
- Collaborate with teachers, directors, and leaders to plan and create a safe and nurturing school culture and community
- Support the school community with other duties upon request
COMPENSATION
Compass is a unionized charter school and the salary for this position ranges from 65K to 128K based on education level and years of experience.
How to Apply
TO APPLY- Send your resume and cover letter to apply@brooklyncompass.org. Please include SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST in the subject line of the email.
- Your cover letter should include a statement of your educational philosophy and also state why you are interested in becoming part of the team at Compass Charter School.
- If you have questions about this position please feel free to email Brooke Peters, School Leader, at brooke@brooklyncompass.org.
