Director of Guidance, College Placement, and Student Success

Help shape the future of the next generation of students.

Chaminade High School is looking for a Director of Guidance, College Placement, and Student Success who is energized by the opportunity to lead a talented, committed team to its next level. This is a rare, full-time 12-month administrative role at one of the most respected Catholic independent schools in the New York area, with a salary range of $155,000–$175,000 and active institutional investment behind you from day one. The foundation is strong. The opportunity is to build on it.

The Role

You will lead an integrated Guidance and College Placement department serving approximately 1,700 young men across grades 9–12. The mandate is clear: implement a best-in-class, ASCA-aligned, MTSS-informed student support framework; elevate college placement outcomes; build the systems and accountability culture the team needs to perform at its ceiling; and develop a dedicated support model for the school's growing AFA (Access for All) and neurodivergent student populations.

You will report directly to the Chief Academic Officer, who holds a master's in guidance counseling and has a clear strategic vision for the department. You will have institutional backing, philanthropic resources through the James Conway '72 Fund for Student Success, and a talented, cohesive team that is ready for stronger leadership and better systems.

Why This Role

• Full-time, 12-month administrative position (you will lead one section of Flyer Enrichment, the school's college readiness program, as a leadership function)

• Salary: $155,000–$175,000 with full benefits and $5,000–$8,000 annual professional development budget

• Active CAO partnership, you will not be doing this alone

• Philanthropic investment dedicated to building the department you are being hired to lead

• A team with real talent, genuine chemistry, and the capacity to be exceptional with the right direction

• Strategic initiatives already designed and ready to execute: student portfolio program, group counseling model, neurodivergent identification framework, MTSS playbook

• A Catholic Marianist mission that gives the work genuine purpose

What You Will Do

Department Leadership & Strategy

• Design and implement an ASCA-aligned, MTSS-informed student support framework across Academic, Social-Emotional, and College Readiness domains

• Set clear expectations, build accountability systems, and define measurable performance standards for all guidance counselors and college placement staff

• Chair the Student Support Team; ensure high-stakes decisions are never made in isolation

• Own all testing coordination: SAT, ACT, AP exams, and SSD accommodations

College Placement Excellence

• Establish formal college placement metrics: acceptance rates by student profile and counselor, financial aid outcomes, match quality, and year-over-year trends

• Build and maintain relationships with college admissions offices; represent Chaminade at NACAC, NYSACAC, and regional events

• Lead a proactive college readiness program beginning in 9th grade — not just senior year

• Execute the student portfolio program (Google Sites framework already designed)

Student Support & Equity

• Design and lead a dedicated AFA student support model including bilingual family communication, financial aid navigation, and individualized college placement guidance

• Build a neurodivergent identification and support framework — screening, EAP development, counselor training, and faculty awareness

• Implement a group counseling model and formalize the tiered academic support program

Team Development

• Replace the current teacher-evaluation model with a counselor-specific performance framework aligned to ASCA competencies

• Design and deliver counselor-specific professional development including ASCA implementation, MTSS tiering, and neurodivergence training

• Lead and facilitate assigned sections of Flyer Enrichment as the departmental curriculum model

What We Are Looking For

Required

• Master's degree in School Counseling, Student Personnel Administration, or closely related field

• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in independent school guidance, college counseling, or college admissions at least 3 in a leadership or senior specialist role

• Demonstrated knowledge of the college admissions landscape: Common App, Naviance, selective admissions, financial aid, and testing policy

• Proven ability to build systems, set expectations, and hold teams accountable

• Active engagement in NACAC, ACCIS, or regional admissions associations

Strongly Preferred

• Experience in a Catholic, Jesuit, Marianist, or mission-driven independent school

• Familiarity with ASCA National Model implementation and/or MTSS frameworks

• Clinical credentials in school-based mental health (LCSW, school psychologist, or equivalent)

• Admissions-side experience (officer, reader, or committee member)

• Active ACCIS membership or leadership

• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish

• New York State School Counselor certification (or eligibility)

About Chaminade High School

Founded in 1930 and sponsored by the Society of Mary (Marianists), Chaminade High School is a Catholic college-preparatory school for young men in Mineola, New York, 25 miles east of Manhattan. Approximately 1,700 students in grades 9–12 pursue a rigorous liberal arts curriculum rooted in Catholic Marianist values, with a deep emphasis on developing the whole person, academically, spiritually, and personally. More than 90% of students participate in school activities or interscholastic athletics, and 100% of graduates go on to colleges, universities, or service academies each year.

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Chaminade High School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal and state law, consistent with the school's religious mission and values.