Middle and High School Dean

SALARY RANGE: $53,680 - $112,672 based on degree and student contact hours

JOB SUMMARY

The Middle and High School Dean cultivates a positive, orderly, and caring learning environment for students in grades 6–12. Through targeted programming, individualized counseling, data-informed interventions, and close collaboration with families and faculty, the Dean advances each student’s social-emotional growth and academic success while embedding Deeper Learning competencies—mastery of content, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, self-direction, and academic mindset—into daily practice. The Dean reports to the Assistant Principal for Student Life.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Academic Advising

• Guide students through self-reflection, four-year planning, and course selection aligned with interests, abilities, and post-secondary goals.
• Coordinate annual course-request and schedule-change cycles; ensure equitable access to all classes.
• Monitor attendance, grade, and assessment dashboards weekly; convene multidisciplinary support meetings within forty-eight hours of early-warning triggers.
• Collaborate with College Counseling on NCAA eligibility, scholarship criteria, and college-admissions timelines; host quarterly family workshops.
• Draft, implement, and review accommodation plans for learners with documented differences; coach faculty on differentiation and Universal Design for Learning.
• Lead grade-level seminars on different pedagogical approaches to learning.
• Deliver parent education sessions on curriculum pathways, graduation requirements, and academic success strategies.

Social and Personal Counseling

• Provide short-term, solution-focused counseling addressing anxiety, grief, peer conflict, identity development, and academic pressure.
• Maintain a vetted referral network of licensed mental-health professionals for long-term therapy and specialized services.
• Embed evidence-based SEL lessons that cultivate self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
• Coordinate peer-mediation and restorative groups to strengthen relationships and teach conflict-resolution skills.
• Oversee transition programs for new and rising students, including orientation events and peer-mentor pairings.
• Uphold confidentiality standards while complying with mandated-reporting requirements.

Student Behavioral Standards, Restorative Justice, and Discipline

• Co-chair the Student Support Team; implement tiered Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) across the division.

• Serve as the primary facilitator of restorative practices:
  • Conduct preparation meetings, restorative conferences, and follow-up sessions with affected students, staff, and families.
  • Guide participants in identifying harm, accepting responsibility, and creating mutually agreed restitution or healing actions.
  • Track completion of restorative agreements and measure their impact on recidivism and school climate.
• Train faculty, staff, and student leaders in restorative language, proactive community-building circles, and de-escalation strategies.
• Investigate disciplinary incidents promptly; document findings and assign equitable consequences that prioritize accountability, relationship repair, and re-entry success.
• Lead re-entry conferences after suspensions, creating individualized success plans with families and mentors.
• Maintain FERPA-compliant behavior records and communicate outcomes to parents or guardians within one school day.

Guidance Counseling (Middle School)

• Teach a spiraled advisory curriculum covering digital citizenship, empathy, decision-making, and goal-setting.
• Arrange age-appropriate speakers and activities supporting character education and SEL themes.
• Partner with grade-level teams to design advisory experiences that foster community, cohesion, and team-building.

Student Life and Engagement

• Partner with Athletics and Performing Arts to establish co-curricular eligibility standards and recognition programs that honor holistic achievement.
• Plan and evaluate school-wide events—Spirit Week, class socials, and service-learning days—to strengthen belonging and pride.
• Maintain daily visibility across campus by walking common areas, visiting classrooms, and attending student events, performances, and athletic competitions whenever possible.
• Provide daily student supervision across varied indoor and outdoor locations.

Data and Assessment

• Maintain comprehensive academic, attendance, behavior, and counseling records in the Student Information System, ensuring data integrity and privacy.
• Produce monthly dashboards for divisional leadership, highlighting trends and recommending program adjustments.
• Lead the annual review of policies and programs using evidence-based findings.

Crisis Response and Safety Leadership

• Serve on the Crisis Response and Threat-Assessment Teams; coordinate safety drills and post-incident debriefs.
• Provide psychological first aid during emergencies and manage family communication in partnership with the Communications Office.
• Ensure compliance with Hawai?i Revised Statutes related to school safety, transportation, and emergency preparedness.
• Maintain current certification in CPR, First Aid, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.

Professional Development and Faculty Collaboration

• Design and deliver in-service workshops on restorative justice, SEL integration, Universal Design for Learning, and equity-centered pedagogy.
• Act as an on-call resource for teachers on adolescent development, behavior support, and instructional differentiation; co-teach model lessons as requested.
• Engage in professional networks (e.g., HAIS Deans and Counselors Consortium) to remain current on research and best practices.

Cultural Competencies

• Understands the practice area deeply and actively pursues learning that expands expertise within and beyond the current role.
• Engages in lifelong professional learning and critical reflection to enhance leadership, mentoring, and collaboration; exhibits sustained curiosity about people, events, and places.
• Builds positive, productive relationships with colleagues, other departments, families, and community stakeholders.
• Creates safe, caring spaces that are inclusive, respectful, and engaging for all learners and colleagues.
• Seeks out and embraces leadership opportunities that advance school initiatives and model best practice.