MIDDLE SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

Job overview

Overview

The Middle School Counselor plays a central role in supporting students' holistic development and overall wellbeing during this critical adolescent stage. The counselor guides students in becoming confident, capable, and engaged learners while helping individuals and groups navigate the unique academic, social, emotional, and personal challenges of adolescence. Key responsibilities include developing and facilitating schoolwide programs that promote social-emotional wellbeing, and serving as a trusted advocate and confidant for students.

At CIS, the Middle School Guidance Counselor serves as a key member of the academic team. This role may involve assisting school administration in shaping academic policies and instructional strategies, and student support systems. The Counselor leads initiatives that enhance the Middle School experience by aligning academic, emotional, and social supports. Effective collaboration with the Middle School principal, administrative team, and the faculty/staff is essential to advance the school's mission and promoting a positive, inclusive school culture.
Key responsibilities include providing individual and small group counseling, supporting school transitions, monitoring academic, behavioral and social emotional data to guide timely interventions, and partnering with staff to create student support plans. The counselor serves as a child protection officer, leads parent education sessions, liaises with external professionals as needed, leads homeroom placement, assists with student schedule, MAP testing, and student trips, and contributes to schoolwide initiatives such as child protection and crisis response.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (Masters preferred) in Education or school counseling or other counseling related field from an accredited university
  
• Valid teaching certificate/license from a country whose program is recognized by the Caymanian Government, with at least two year’s classroom teaching experience and training from a US-based or International Baccalaureate educational or counseling program.
  
• Minimum of two years’ experience developing and running a counseling program and curriculum based upon the International Model for School Counseling Program (ISCA) –or a comparable framework – in an accredited US-based or International Baccalaureate school
  
• Strong demonstration of adolescent development and cross-cultural sensitivity
  
• Demonstrated experience designing and delivering student wellbeing and pastoral/advisory programs, including classroom based SEL instruction
  
• Proven training and experience in child protection, safeguarding, online safety, and abuse prevention protocols
  
• Demonstrated experience using varied counseling techniques and current research to interact with students, resolve conflict, concerns, and manage stress
  
• Training and demonstrated experience in delivery of suicude prevention to staff
  
• Demonstrated experience with Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and data-informed planning to monitor academic, behavioral, and attendance trends to provide timely, individualized support or systemic change
  
• Skilled in digital tools for counseling, behavior documentation and communication
  
• Demonstrated experience scheduling students and managing class sizes
  
• Experience engaging and supporting parents through workshops, resources, and individual consultations.
  
• Commitment to confidentiality, professional ethics and maintaining appropriate boundaries
  
• Demonstrated experience using data-informed, trauma-sensitive counseling practices to support student mental health, wellbeing, and crisis intervention.
  
• Demonstrated experience fostering diversity, inclusion, equity, belonging, and respectful interactions through curriculum, assemblies, and student programs
  
• Proven track record of excellence at current and previous place(s) of service.
  

See attached job description for additional details.