Middle School Dean of Students

Location: New York

Job Description The Middle School Dean of Students supports the Principal in fostering a safe, structured, and inclusive learning environment. This role is responsible for leading student culture, discipline systems, and family engagement while developing school-wide routines and behavioral expectations that promote a strong culture of learning. The Dean also builds staff capacity to sustain positive culture practices across classrooms and school-wide experiences.

Essential Responsibilities Culture & Student Support Model and uphold the school’s mission, vision, and core values, fostering a positive and inclusive school climate.

Design, implement, and continuously improve school-wide systems and procedures (e.g., arrival, dismissal, transitions, and routines).Collaborate with administration to address behavioral and culture-related concerns using sound judgment, consistency, and restorative practices whenever appropriate.

Establish and reinforce clear expectations for student behavior, attendance, and academic accountability.

Recognize and celebrate student achievement, growth, and contributions to the school community.

Use data to monitor trends in behavior and attendance and implement proactive supports and interventions.

Family Engagement Serve as a key liaison between the school and families, maintaining consistent and proactive communication to support student success.

Build strong relationships with families to understand student needs and connect them to appropriate resources.

Partner with the Family Coordinator to strengthen family engagement and empowerment within the school  and manage a calendar of family workshops, events, and engagement opportunities.

Support the development and distribution of family communications (e.g., surveys, newsletters, mailings) to increase participation and collaboration.

Event Leadership & Staff Capacity Building Design and execute engaging, school-wide events (e.g., assemblies, spirit weeks, showcases, and celebrations) that reinforce school culture and values.

Collaborate with teachers to co-plan and co-lead events, increasing staff ownership and participation.

Build teacher capacity to lead culture-building experiences within classrooms (e.g., advisory, community circles, celebrations).Provide staff with tools, templates, and coaching to independently facilitate engaging student experiences.

Model strong facilitation practices during events that staff can replicate.

Develop systems for staff leadership in events (e.g., grade-level leads, activity facilitators) to distribute ownership.

Lead post-event debriefs with staff to reflect, refine practices, and strengthen collective expertise.

Ensure alignment between school-wide events and instructional and advisory priorities so culture-building is embedded in daily practice.

Work environment

Model professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct in all interactions with students, families, staff, and the broader community.

Demonstrate sound judgment and professional maturity in supporting students’ academic, social, and emotional development.

Build and maintain collaborative relationships with colleagues and contribute to a positive team environment.

Engage in ongoing professional learning, including training aligned to instructional practices and student support.

Meet professional obligations through strong organizational skills, reliability, and adherence to timelines.

All responsibilities are aligned with performance goals and targets established through the annual evaluation process.

Strong commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and supportive school environment.

Familiarity with restorative practices, culturally responsive pedagogy, and trauma-informed approaches with a commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive school community.

Demonstrated ability to build positive relationships with students, families, and staff.

Experience coaching teachers and/or leading professional development preferred.

Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced school environment.
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