Lower School Counselor

About Davidson Day

Davidson Day School is a diverse independent school serving approximately 545 students from age 2 through 12th grade, where we empower students to embrace challenge, live with character, and lead with purpose. We are a community grounded in the values of Courage, Ownership, Resilience, and Empathy. Learn more at www.davidsonday.org.

Position Summary

The Lower School Counselor supports the emotional, social, and psychological well-being of students from the Early Childhood program (age 2) through Grade 4. As a key member of the student support and wellness team, the Counselor provides short-term counseling, guidance, and proactive programming to help create a safe, inclusive, and supportive school environment. The Counselor partners closely with faculty, administrators, and families to promote healthy development, enhance social-emotional learning, and ensure each child is known, valued, and supported within the Davidson Day community.

The ideal candidate is energetic, student-centered, and proactive. This role requires taking initiative in developing programs, collaborating with teachers, and offering practical guidance to support student behavior and parent partnership. The Counselor will contribute new ideas and strengthen schoolwide social-emotional learning practices.

Essential Functions

• Offer comprehensive wellness and prevention programming to create a safe and supportive school environment by being a student advocate, promoting belonging and fostering student self-awareness, emotional regulation, self-management, problem-solving, social skills, and decision-making for K-12 students.
• Lead small groups of students age 2 through Grade 4 to support personal, behavioral, and academic growth.
• Prepare and teach weekly classroom guidance lessons aligned with the school's curriculum and goals.

• Master's degree in School Counseling or related field.
• NC School Counselor Certification (or ability to obtain).
• Experience working with students in a school setting.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, and families.