School Adjustment Counselor - PAWS Academy; K-8

School Adjustment Counselor - PAWS Academy (K-8)

Marlborough Public Schools Hildreth School - Marlborough, Massachusetts

• Job : 5742511
• Final date to receive applications: Posted until filled
• Re-Posted: May 28, 2026 4:00 AM (UTC)
• Starting Date: Aug 24, 2026

Title of Position: School Adjustment Counselor - PAWS Academy at Hildreth (K-8)

Organizational Relationship or Line of Authority: Reports to the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services and Equity, Building Director and Supervisor of Counseling

School Year: 2026-27 School Year

Salary: In accordance with the MEA Salary Scale according to education and experience

PAWS Academy at Hildreth: This is an opportunity to be part of a new school. The PAWS Program (Perseverance, Achievement, Wellness, and Success) is a public day special education, therapeutic educational school setting serving K–8 students whose behavioral and social-emotional needs significantly impact their learning. PAWS provides a safe, highly structured, and supportive environment where staff implement individualized, evidence-based interventions to build students’ self-regulation, social skills, resilience, and academic engagement.

Through strong collaboration with families and school teams, PAWS staff support students in developing perseverance, strengthening wellness, and achieving meaningful academic and social success, with the ultimate goal of helping students grow and transition successfully within their school communities.

Job Summary: School adjustment counselors provide direct service through individual and small group meetings as well as indirect support through collaboration and consultation with colleagues across disciplines including administrators, teachers and student support providers. School adjustment counselors support students and families on their caseload in meeting social/emotional needs and play an integral role with student support colleagues to connect students and families to a variety of support structures in and out of school, including but not limited to referrals to therapists, psychiatrists and other critical services.

• Provide direct service to students with mental health behavioral/social needs as identified through a referral process that may include the teacher, parent, or school administration.
• Demonstrate sound knowledge and understanding of professional area and delivery by consistently engaging students in academic, behavioral, and social/emotional learning experiences through the use of educational and/or clinical practices that enable students to acquire knowledge and skills.
• Consult with teachers and administration regarding mental health, behavioral management and social functioning; assist teachers with social/emotional support within the classroom.
• Share with appropriate colleagues (e.g., classroom teachers, administrators, and professional support personnel) conclusions about student progress and seeks feedback from them about practices that will support improved student learning and/or development.
• Promote student education on emotional regulation, wellness strategies, personal conflict resolution skills and social development.
• Accommodate differences in student learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness, including those of students with disabilities and English learners.
• Provide risk reduction preventative & prosocial skill based support.
• Advocate for and support parental involvement in their child’s education process.
• Based on assessment results and/or other data, provide descriptive feedback and engages students and families in constructive conversation that focuses on student growth and improvement.
• Make proper referrals to community agencies to assist with student and family needs.
• Communicate with parents to create, share, and/or identify strategies for supporting learning and development at school and home.
• Refer students with significant safety risks to Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES).
• Team leader of Child Abuse Review Team (CART).
• File (51A) reports.
• Develop or contribute to the timely development of well-structured plans with measurable outcomes that respond to all relevant…