Student Services Director
Hong Kong International School (China/Hong Kong)

This is an opportunity to lead schoolwide counseling and learning support programs for one of Hong Kong’s most prestigious and well-established international schools, the Hong Kong International School (HKIS).

Founded in 1966, HKIS is one of Hong Kong’s oldest international schools, and it continues to set the standard in Asia for an American college-preparatory K-12 education. HKIS is home to approximately 3,000 students from over 45 different nationalities and 550 faculty and staff across two campuses in Repulse Bay (Lower and Upper Primary) and Tai Tam (Middle and High School).

About the role

The Student Services Director (SSD) leads and oversees the schoolwide counseling and learning support programs. They are responsible for establishing a cohesive, schoolwide philosophy that guides the practice of the Student Services Team, aligned with the school’s Mission and Vision. The SSD is responsible for improving, and implementing schoolwide policies and systems that promote consistency of practice within and across divisions. They collaborate with divisional administration to ensure effective implementation of the school’s philosophy, procedures and approach to delivering student services. The SSD works closely with the Associate Head of School, and School Psychologist to ensure that the HKIS’s Child Protection policies and safeguarding procedures are relevant and robust. The SSD is responsible for delivering a comprehensive approach to professional learning to ensure members of the Student Services team, faculty and administrators remain current in their knowledge and understanding of best pedagogical practices for the well-being and success of all of our students.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Shared Beliefs and Philosophy

• Ensure HKIS’ Student Services beliefs and philosophies align with our school’s Mission and Vision to support the needs of all students.
• Ensure Student Services beliefs and philosophies align with all Board Policies.
• Collaborate with the Director of Admissions to ensure HKIS has the capacity and means to meet the needs of all students.
• Oversee regular and ongoing reviews of all philosophies, systems and procedures pertaining to HKIS’ Student Services delivery model.
• Remain current with various approaches and frameworks that support best practices within large school contexts (eg: UDL, MTSS/RTI).
• Foster an inclusive education service delivery model.

Consultation

• Serve as a consultant/resource to faculty and administrators regarding the implementation of appropriate instructional interventions, monitoring of students’ progress, discipline and behavioral issues; this includes observing students in their classroom environment.
• Serve as a member of the Response Team during crisis intervention and child protection situations.
• Consult with the Admissions team and Divisional Administration on challenging and complex admissions decisions.
• Support teachers in developing their skills to differentiate instruction and applying behavior management practices for students of varying abilities who share a common classroom setting.

Policies, Systems and Documentation

• Ensure there is a comprehensive and consistent approach to schoolwide systems pertaining to Student Services (counselling/learning support)
• Ensure school-wide frameworks and procedures are in place to refer, identify, and support students with additional learning needs.
• Collaborate with school-wide leadership to promote consistency of practice across divisions in both Learning Support and Counseling.
• Document schoolwide practices and procedures through our R1-12 Student Services Handbook.
• Ensure systematic transitions between divisions; Grades 2-3, 5-6, and 8-9 (i.e. documentation, monitoring and reporting on student progress).

Child Protection and Safeguarding (including Risk Assessment)

-Oversee all Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and procedures

• Review Child Protection procedures and documentation and ensure consistency and best practice.
• Ensure alignment with local law and international standards of child safeguarding.
• Review Risk Assessment documentation and procedures to determine a consistent, best practice approach.

-Lead updates of the HKIS’s Child Protection Guide and Code of Conduct to ensure they reflect latest best practices and research, and are accessible to all employees.

-Collaborate closely with the School Psychologist to implement Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and procedures.

Recruitment, Supervision and Evaluation

• Supervise and evaluate the School Psychologist.
• Collaborate with Principals and the Associate Head of School on the recruitment of the School Psychologist, Counselors and Learning Specialists.

Professional Development and Adult Education:

• Collaborate with the HKIS Professional Learning Team to provide in-service training and workshops to ensure faculty and administrators are knowledgeable about best practices in the area of Child Protection, special education and learning support services; e.g. on-going Child Protection training, responding to crises, options for providing support within and outside of the classroom, how to best match the support with the individual child’s learning needs, and intervention strategies.
• Facilitate parent education workshops related to the Student Services delivery model.
• Promote wellness and resilience by reinforcing communication and social skills, problem solving, self-regulation (including anger management), self-determination, and optimism.

Other

• Determine program needs in order to develop and monitor the Student Services budget and allocate resources in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Provide outreach and support to parents in order to promote a positive school/family relationship and enhance student learning.
• Provide periodic reports of Student Services data to administrators, including individual cases.
• Develop long-term relationships with relevant community agencies such as mental health and academic service providers (e.g. FOCUS on Children, Dyslexia Association).

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications

Education and Certification:

• Advanced degree, preferably a PHD doctoral degree in School or Clinical Psychology or related field.
• Current certification in School Psychology and/or Clinical Psychology preferred

Experience:

• Minimum 5 years experience as a Student Services Director and/or School Psychologist (both clinical and school based) preferred.
• Experience leading in large, complex R1-12 International School settings or large US school districts preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in the administration and interpretation of comprehensive psycho-educational assessments.
• Demonstrated experience in the assessment of learning, behavioral, social and emotional needs.

Skills:

• As a school grounded in the Christian faith, we hire Christian teachers and administrators as well as those of other faiths. HKIS seeks to hire candidates who are interested in the complex questions of faith and spirituality and who are keen to learn and interact with others of different faith traditions.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in child/adolescent development and behavior, behavior management techniques, behavioral intervention and instructional practices, intercultural communications and interactional styles.
• Ability to administer, synthesize and interpret comprehensive early childhood-adolescent psycho-educational assessment battery.
• Ethical behavior and confidentiality of information about students in the school environment and community.
• Ability to effectively communicate (written and verbal), consult and collaborate with faculty, administrators, parents and community members.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare and present comprehensive and effective reports, both oral and written, as appropriate to varied audiences.
• Excellent organizational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent collaboration and interpersonal skills including persuasion skills.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in working with students and families from diverse racial, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.
• Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate programs and services that serve HKIS students.
• Demonstrates continued professional curiosity and growth. Remains current in professional practices and developments, including technology, and educational research.
• Ability to perform under stress, deal with persons acting under stress and displaying emotional distress and adapt when confronted with emergency situations.

How to apply

Interested candidates please visit our website (www.hkis.edu.hk) for application.