Status: Full-time (Exempt)
Classification: 11-month administrator
Location: Lead Mine Campus (LMC)
Supervisor: Lower School Director
Supervises: Student Support Staff
Hours: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., with scheduled after-school care rotation once every three months

Position Summary
The Montessori School of Raleigh (MSR) seeks a School Psychologist for the 2023-2024 school year. Reporting to the Lower School Director, and working closely with the Lower School faculty, the ideal candidate will partner with the Lower School Director and faculty to ensure that the Student Support Team meets the ever-changing needs of the student body. The School Psychologist will provide oversight of and direction for the delivery of student support and case management.

Overview
Established in 1974, MSR is a vibrant and exceptional independent Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) World School school in the Triangle area serving 400+ students aged 6 weeks through 18 years. MSR is committed to the intellectual, ethical, and personal development of our students. Our beautifully designed and well-maintained Lead Mine Campus, situated on 10 acres in North Raleigh, comprises five buildings in a child-centered, village-like setting surrounded by wetlands and protected forest. Our Middle and Upper Schools are housed on an expansive 40-acre wooded campus in Brier Creek in Durham. Both sites were carefully planned and constructed to provide the nature-centered environments integral to Montessori practice. Driven by our core values of “Respect,” “Integrity,” “Community” and “Love of Learning,” MSR welcomes prospective employees of all backgrounds. We are committed to attracting and retaining the highest quality faculty and staff through a comprehensive compensation plan, including competitive salary and an expansive benefits package. MSR is accredited by AMS and the IBO. All MSR employees must be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and implements a multi-tiered assessment strategy to help faculty identify students of need and create a plan that supports students in the least restrictive environment and assists teachers in identifying students’ needs, reviewing psychological and cognitive testing, and providing support through in-house assessments and observation
• Provides or coordinates psycho-educational evaluations as needed for identified students
• Directs and supervises student support faculty and partners with the Lower School Director to hire, develop, and retain mission-aligned faculty for the Student Support Center
• Oversees and supervises the implementation and measurement of student goals and plans
• Maintains data records for each student on the Student Support roster making relevant information regarding student learning profiles and accommodations available to faculty and staff, and ensures that written semester updates are provided to teachers and are regularly reviewed with faculty, parents and students as appropriate
• Acts as a resource and provides professional development for faculty seeking to understand learning differences, executive function coaching, and cognitive skill building to implement best practices in teaching and learning
• Provides individual and group counseling to students on Lead Mine Campus.
• Attends parent-teacher conferences as needed, provides communication tools for parents in regard to their child's specific needs and, in partnership with faculty, responds to parent questions and concerns
• Acts as resource and support to the Lower School Director for all school testing and assessment and ensures that students with testing accommodations are accounted for in testing plans
• Partners with BCC’s School Counselor (or designated staff member) to facilitate the development of vertically integrated schoolwide student life and social-emotional curricula
• Participates in the admissions process and provides guidance with regard to students who are neurodiverse or experience social emotional needs in the selection of students who are mission appropriate
• Partners with the Chief Financial Officer to coordinate the School’s contractual arrangements with outside service providers and serves as liaison between students, contractors, faculty, and parents
• Tracks trends in the educational field related to neurodiversity and attends appropriate professional development opportunities
• Other duties as assigned by the Head of School or Lower School Director

Competencies
The School Psychologist…

• Holds a Master’s degree in School Psychology
• Has prior experience working in a school setting, preferably a Montessori environment
• Is committed to the MSR Mission and values
• Has a demonstrated understanding of children’s and adolescents’ behavior and learning profiles with expertise in implementing a variety of learning strategies
• Has a demonstrated working knowledge of current regulations and best practices relating to Special Education and disabilities, specifically with regard to American with Disabilities act and compliance for independent schools
• Has experience reading, interpreting, and implementing psycho-educational reports
• Has an awareness of parenting styles and ability to effectively respond to familial needs and concerns
• Is familiar with use of classroom technologies and proficiency with learning management software
• Demonstrates skills with regard to crisis intervention, suicide prevention and intervention
• Values data and is skilled in gathering, analyzing, and sharing data
• Familiar with formal and informal student assessments
• Understands and appreciates needs of the whole child, particularly those six weeks through Grade 6
• Understands, appreciates, and is sensitive to a diverse student and faculty group
• Is strategic and can design effective plans and approaches
• Has excellent executive functioning skills, takes initiative, and follows through in order to achieve goals
• Demonstrates excellent writing and communication skills
• Demonstrates superior organizational and interpersonal skills

Interpersonal and Professional Qualities
The School Psychologist also…

• Demonstrates principled leadership and sound professional ethics
• Develops strong working relationships with employees at all levels of the institution
• Fosters teamwork, coaches, gives feedback, involves, and inspires others
• Sees opportunity in change
• Owns results
• Projects a winning attitude, a can-do approach to problems, and persistence in the face of adversity
• Possesses a healthy sense of humor

Physical Requirements and Work Environment
The School Psychologist can expect to:

• Work in a fast-paced environment dealing with a wide variety of challenges and deadlines
• Work primarily in a traditional climate-controlled office environment
• Regularly sit, talk, hear, and interact with students, parents, and/or staff
• Occasionally lift up to 30 lbs.
• Regularly use close and distance vision
• Turn, bend, and reach
• Occasional night and weekend hours will be required

It is the policy of The Montessori School of Raleigh to make employment decisions on the basis of qualifications for a specific job without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national or ethnic origin, age, veteran status, or the presence of a disability, except where such is a bona fide occupational qualification. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference check with current employer (or most recent employer if not currently employed) and background investigation.

To apply
MSR offers competitive salary and benefits. Please send a cover letter and resume to recruitment@msr.org with the subject line of “School Psychologist - your last name.” No phone calls please.

About Raleigh-Durham
The Raleigh-Durham area is consistently ranked among the top places to live with strong job growth and a high quality of life. Top universities, a rich diversity of arts and cultural offerings, excellent health care, and lower than average housing costs, draw people in from all over the nation. Our mild climate and proximity to both beaches and mountains makes the RaleighDurham area an ideal place to live.