SY 26-27 High School Dean of Culture

High School Dean of Culture

Join Our “Relationships-First” Team:                     

We invite you to be a part of a team whose mission-aligned culture offers sustainable, rewarding career paths in teaching, operations, and leadership, built on collaboration and mutual support. Experience the difference at a workplace that celebrates and cultivates each team member’s passions, skills and multi-disciplinary interests as we build a brighter future together, one student at a time.

Why Educators Choose S2:

• A “Relationships-First” culture where you’re valued, supported, and included
• Collaborative planning time and mutual support
• Opportunities to lead initiatives that strengthen student growth at every stage of their PreK–12 education
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits including offering a competitive compensation package, including a strong benefits program and a 401(k) with a 6% organizational match
• A bilingual, community-rooted model serving Washington Heights and Inwood including a pantry partnership, Bachata Nights, multicultural festivals, and a reading initiative. 

Our High School Dean of Culture:

Our High School at School in the Square opened its doors in Fall 2024 where we began creating opportunities and access for our students that go beyond the core content areas.  Our high school community provides students with educators who have great content expertise and passion for their content, while empowering them to have the autonomy and resources to get the job done in the most creative, effective, and fulfilling way possible.

We are looking for a dedicated, mission-aligned Dean of Culture to help lead our High School. Reporting to our Principal and in collaboration with a diverse and committed School Leadership Team (SLT), the Dean of Culture will spearhead our efforts to ensure high academic standards while also focusing on the social-emotional needs of all students. 

This Dean will support the Principal in developing and executing a high-quality vision for school-wide culture that includes safe and welcoming learning environments for all students. The dean would be responsible for tone-setting during student orientation and leading the vision for our Placita advisory structure, town halls, and our school policies. They would partner with the school leadership team to run point on Placita and town hall structures that align with our most important school culture outcomes. This includes leading a common vision of culture with clear goals and metrics for both school wide systems and classroom environments. They will develop and administer disciplinary procedures in accordance with school policies and state laws and maintain systems for collecting and tracking data on school culture metrics, including students’ sense of belonging, discipline metrics, and attendance. The Dean of Culture will serve as a liaison to parents and facilitate parent education and involvement in service of school culture and community building. 

As a motivating and positive leader, the Dean of Culture will facilitate high quality professional development related to school and classroom culture, consistent enforcement of student discipline, social-emotional learning, classrooms centered on belief and belonging, and supporting the needs of at-risk students. This leader will support the development, implementation, and evaluation of intervention programs for tier 3 students. They will support the Director of Operations in the attendance system, calling parents and attending meetings as needed, regarding absent or tardy students. The Dean of Culture will also provide direct supervision and coaching for a group of teachers, including weekly observation and feedback cycles, lesson planning feedback, and professional development.

Who You Are:

• Experience as a full-time, impactful high school teacher with strong culture, a minimum of three years teaching. 
• 2+ years of high school culture leader experience in an urban charter school setting. 
• A strategic, solutions-focused thinker with strong communication and planning skills.
• A strong relationship builder–you get personal fulfillment by teaching and coaching students in both academic and non-instructional situations, respecting and encouraging student effort. 
• Familiar with restorative practices, anti-racist education, culturally responsive pedagogy, and trauma informed practices.
• Self-reflective with the capacity to accept and implement feedback to improve practice.
• Experience coaching teachers and leading professional development.
• Demonstrated ability to use data to inform instruction and strengthen student outcomes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a commitment to equity and culturally responsive practice.
• Proficient in current teaching methods and educational pedagogy, with knowledge of dual language, co-teaching strategies and differentiation to meet individual student needs
• A strategic, solutions-focused thinker with strong communication and planning skills
• A consummate coach and strong relationship builder, you get personal fulfillment by succeeding through others and developing leaders
• Familiar with restorative practices, a strong believer in anti-racism education, culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy, trauma informed practices
• A graduate of a Master’s Degree in Education program and possess a valid New York State Teaching Certification preferred
• Professional fluency in Spanish or experience with ESL/Dual Language teaching preferred

What Can You Expect From Us

At S2, we take as much care of our staff as we do of our students. S2 is committed to supporting our staff by helping them build sustainable, rewarding careers that center on each individual’s passions and multi-disciplinary interests. All of our faculty and staff are valued professionals and we are proud to provide team-building and collaboration, comfortable and friendly working conditions and more, to ensure our team members have the tools they need to succeed.

In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, School in the Square provides competitive salaries. Expected salary range for this role is $110,000 - $130,000, depending on experience, level of education, required certifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

Additionally, we provide opportunities for supplemental compensation, an excellent benefits package with:

• a 401K program with a 6% organizational match
• 93% coverage of healthcare coverage
• longevity bonus
• generous paid time off
• and a supportive work environment. 

School in the Square understands specific groups are subject to marginalization. We believe these powerful groups should be centered in our community and are highly encouraged to apply. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

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