24-25 Dean of Culture

KIPP New Orleans Schools (KNOS) is a non-profit network of 13 college-preparatory, public charter schools serving 6,200 elementary, middle, and high school students, and over 1,500 alumni.  While each of our schools is as unique as the community to which it belongs, we are united around a shared promise: To build academically excellent schools that create unlimited opportunity for all students. For 20 years, we have a proven track record of preparing students for success in college, career, and beyond.

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The Dean of Culture is responsible for facilitating the culture of the school, including the development of student character and ensuring a positive and structured environment that creates the conditions for learning. This position requires an organized and consistent educator with a concrete vision of excellence, adult leadership experience, the ability to build outstanding relationships with stakeholders, and a talent for inspiring children to high expectations.  This position is an opportunity to play a significant role in maintaining a school focused on equity, academic achievement, community, hope, and relentlessness.

Responsibilities of the Dean of Culture will include, but are not limited to:

Student Culture

• Work closely with School Leader to establish a positive, joyful, and achievement-oriented school culture vision and plan

• Facilitate teacher training and support around relationships, proactive positive culture, expectations, consistency, and classroom management

• Coordinate and implement a school-wide behavior management system with meaningful and logical incentives and consequences

• Create the vision and oversee the execution of school-wide culture and community events 

• Serve as the point person on one grade level for breaches of culture, including maintaining the reactive systems and data for removal, detention, out-of-school suspension, and parent re-entry meetings 

• Plan, lead and oversee an effective Tier I, Tier II and Tier III behavior RTI program, in collaboration with the Dean of Student Support and the Dean of MTSS

Engagement and Management

• Lead school-wide recognition assemblies, parent workshops, community events, and other culture-building activities

• Support teachers in building relationships with students and parents; implement the parental involvement plan and run the parent involvement committee 

• Ensure that the physical environment of the school reinforces school culture and facilitates student growth and achievement

• Conduct regular school culture walkthroughs, classroom observations and audits to help staff maintain a high bar of excellence

• Coach GLCs on leading behavior analysis meetings with their grade levels 

• Plan and lead ongoing student culture professional development throughout the year

• Participate in IEP meetings for students who have behavior goals 

• Track and report student behavior through PowerSchool, DeansList, and other regional level reports

Growth Mindset

• Model school core values and character strengths at all times

• Willing to offer support and receive constructive feedback from colleagues in order to create a professional working atmosphere that is conducive to change and improvement

• Participate in school-wide and individual professional development, including pre-service training over the summer and weekly during the academic year

Other

• Supervise school entry, breakfast, lunch, transitions, and dismissal to ensure they are safe and positive

• Work with the Director of Operations and the Attendance Manager to ensure all students have excellent attendance and arrive at school on time

• Lead efforts to ensure all students have excellent homework completion and that homework is checked efficiently

• Work with the Director of Operations to ensure effective field lessons, school events, and extracurricular activities

• Fill in for class coverage, as needed, in the event of a coverage gap

• Serve as an active member of the School Leadership Team, meeting weekly for strategic planning and discussion of school initiatives and data

• High school diploma or GED required; bachelor's degree preferred.

• At least 3 years of teaching experience with a proven record of high achievement and strong classroom management and culture

• Experience teaching an educationally under-resourced community

• 1+ years experience coaching and/or leading adults; proven ability to proactively lead by example

• Demonstrated success in building relationships and trust with leaders, teachers, students, parents and community

• Clear understanding of culturally responsive pedagogy and leadership

Physical Demands: 
The physical demands and environmental conditions described below are representative, but not exhaustive,  of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the role.  All of these physical requirements should be able to be performed with clarity, coherence and connectedness of the KNOS vision, and reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Must be able to sit and work at a desk/computer for extended periods of time

• Must be able to spend the majority of the day standing or mobile throughout the school building, as well as talk, hear, grasp, reach and lift up to 30lbs with or without accommodations

• Ability to concentrate in active and noisy environments such as cafeterias and playgrounds, to more moderate situations such as classrooms or large group professional settings

• Must be able to have repetitive wrist/hand/finger movement to work on computer and/or related office equipment

• Ability to handle potential high stress conditions 

• We offer competitive compensation commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package including:

  • Healthcare & Wellness (health, vision, dental, life insurance, Employee Assistance Program, and short-term disability)

  • 403(b) retirement plan with up to a 5% contribution match

• 90 hours of Paid Time Off per year

  • Approximately 28 holidays per year including Mardi Gras, Juneteenth, Thanksgiving, and Winter Break

Disclaimer:

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
   
• This job description shall not constitute or be construed as a promise of employment or as a contract between the KNOS and any of its employees.

KIPP New Orleans Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At KIPP New Orleans Schools, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, veteran service, genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. KNOS expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on any of the characteristics listed here. Improper interference with the ability of KNOS employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

KNOS complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the KNOS has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.