Horizons - SEL Leadership Team

As the second-largest Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Computer Science & Engineering; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart, a Laudato Si’ campus, stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition, and Best Business Schools: 2024 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu

Position Summary

Provide SEL support and crisis intervention to HSHU learners in grades K-8. Serve as a resource for HSHU teachers/staff, and families.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide social-emotional support and facilitate co-regulatory practices with students who are struggling to maintain emotional regulation.
• Help to foster and maintain an emotionally safe and trauma-informed environment at HSHU.
• Coordinate and/or provide students with individual sessions as needed, as well as facilitate group work that engages dyads, small groups and/or affinity groups, and classrooms.
• Engage in classroom observation and provide consultation to teachers regarding student social emotional learning, student behavior, individual student situations, community building, inclusive practices, and classroom management. 
• Maintain records of student progress/data. 
• Maintain and model professional boundaries and mutually respectful relationships with students, colleagues, supervisors, and community partners with the foundation of open communication, respect, and collaboration.
• Interface with families and provide feedback and resources for their children.
• Provide and/or collaborate on professional learning for staff.
• Support and complete mandated reporting processes when needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, & Other Attributes

• Minimum 2-4 years of experience working with children in a K-8 educational setting preferred. 
• Knowledge of trauma-responsive practices and working with under-resourced communities preferred.
• Strong commitment to the Horizons at SHU mission, working agreement, and community values.
• Effective oral and communication skills. 
• Experience/comfort working with a wide range of abilities and differentiating learning to meet the needs of all students.
• Experience teaching social-emotional learning and with mentoring.
• Experience with building community.
• Willingness to connect with the HSHU community after the summer program by attending school-year events.
• Skills needed to mentor and coach classroom staff.

Unusual Working Conditions

This is a seasonal summer program position.

This is a full-day position.

Dates of Program:

• Training week: 6/23 through 6/27/25

• Program Days: 6/30 through 8/8/25; two required evening events 8/6/25 & 8/8/25
• Clean-up & Reporting Days: 8/11 & 8/12/25
• Pre-Training Onboarding – Date TBD

Trainings generally run 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Program days are 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This job posting provides an overview of the role's general nature and expected tasks. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all duties performed. The university reserves the right to modify or reassign job responsibilities at any time. This posting description does not constitute an employment contract, either explicit or implied.