Comprehensive Counselor

As a Comprehensive Counselor at KAS, your caseload will consist of the comprehensive counselor for one grade level, as well as the lead in Career and Post-Secondary exploration and planning for all of high school. In Grades 9 and 10, the focus is on the transition to high school, self-awareness, skill development, and early academic and career exploration. In Grades 11 and 12, the role includes more intensive academic advising and guidance through post-secondary planning and the college application process.

For SY26/27, our High School Counseling team will consist of four full-time counselors working collaboratively to support students in social-emotional learning, academic advising, and college readiness. The team includes two full-time College Counselors, one full-time High School SEL Counselor, and this role as a full-time Comprehensive Counselor. Additionally, we will have a school-wide Child Safeguarding Lead. We seek educators with a growth mindset, strong collaboration skills, confidence with technology, and a commitment to student-centered practice and DEIJ principles

Key Responsibilities: 

• Support students’ social-emotional, behavioral, and developmental needs through individual counseling, small-group interventions, and crisis response
• Promote a positive, inclusive school climate and design preventative SEL programming, including advisory and wellness lessons
• Provide academic, career, and college counseling, including course planning, standardized testing coordination, and post-secondary guidance
• Guide students and families through the college application process, including essays, recommendations, interviews, and scholarships
• Plan and facilitate student and parent workshops related to social-emotional learning, academic planning, and college readiness
• Collaborate with teachers, administrators, and families to design and implement student support plans and interventions
• Support student transitions through orientation and onboarding activities for new students
• Organize and coordinate college-related programming, including university visits and outreach
• Maintain detailed student records related to SEL, academic progress, and post-secondary planning
• Work collaboratively with school leadership to support scheduling, programming, and school-wide initiatives
• Uphold safeguarding and child protection practices as a core responsibility

Preferred qualifications include:

• A Bachelor's degree in school counseling, education, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
• Previous experience in college/career/SEL counseling, preferably in an international school.
• Strong knowledge of American, European, and Australian higher education institutions, application processes, and admission requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in writing, speaking and presenting.
• Ability to work collaboratively with students, parents, and faculty.
• Demonstrated strengths as a self-starter who can contribute to a growing, innovative program. 
• Familiarity with standardized tests and resources for test preparation.
• Fluency in English; fluency in Mandarin is a plus.
• Has life experiences that demonstrate, among other things, a growth mindset, versatility, adaptability and resilience.

About KAS: 

Kaohsiung American School (KAS) is a private, not-for-profit day school established in 1989 for the children of expatriate families in Kaohsiung. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and offers the IB’s MYP and DP programmes. We receive annual grants and sponsorship from the US Department of State.

Kaohsiung American School moved into its beautiful, purpose-built campus buildings in 2015/2016. We are recognized as the premier international school in southern Taiwan. We currently enroll 790 students from 40+ countries, although most of our students share Taiwanese heritage and Mandarin as a first language. Every year, 65–85% of our students are full IB Diploma candidates, and almost all other students will take certificates in one or more subject areas. All our students are multilingual learners.

KAS is Committed to Child Safeguarding

• KAS conducts rigorous background and reference checks on all candidates. 
• Employees and volunteers at KAS receive training to recognize signs of abuse and neglect and are required to report suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect. 
• Our child protection response team uses a team-based approach to respond to each reported incident in accordance with Taiwanese law and international best practices. 
• KAS is committed to supporting and recognizing the identities of all students. We foster an environment free of discrimination and other forms of identity-based harm. 

Kaohsiung American School (KAS) is a private, not-for-profit day school established in 1989 for the children of expatriate families in Kaohsiung. KAS is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and offers the IB’s MYP and DP programmes. We hold memberships in the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS), AAIE, CIS, AISA and other regional and global school associations. Our modern campus includes certified LEED Gold and Silver facilities.