Elementary School Dean of Students (Jamaica)

GUGCSDean of Students

Mission Statement: The Growing Up Green Charter School (GUGCS) supports children to be conscious, contributing members of their community through a rigorous, anti-racist, anti-bias, curriculum and an engaging green culture. Graduates of GUGCS will be prepared to attend high-performing schools where their interdisciplinary academic foundation, knowledge of sustainability, and strong sense of self sets them apart as leaders and social justice advocates of the future.

Job Description

The Dean of Students will be responsible for the oversight of behavioral concerns and ensuring that school wide expectations are being met. The Dean of Students will work with the school community to define and enforce behavioral expectations within our student body and provide preventive educational services to students and staff to limit behavior concerns within the school setting. In addition, he or she will serve as the primary interface between the school and the students' homes, ensuring consistent and timely communication from the school. The Dean of Students will play an integral part in our school community by increasing family involvement at our school and communicating with families regularly about school wide expectations. The Dean of Students must be able to work collaboratively with our teachers, special education team, counseling team, and administrative team to ensure that students with high behavioral needs are succeeding both in the classroom setting and throughout the school community. As a progressive school, an important component of our instruction is focusing on social and emotional development by practicing the Responsive Classroom and Developmental Design approach and the Dean of Students must be willing to align their practice within this framework.

Responsibilities:

• Dedication to improving Growing Up Green's school policy on discipline and implementing additional practices to improve the school culture for behavioral expectations.
• Serve as the point person for enforcing behavioral expectations and implementing logical consequences for our student population.
• Provide crisis counseling to students with high needs. Serve as a point person for de-escalating students in crisis and helping them utilize coping strategies to self-regulate.
• Work closely with the counseling team, and administrative team to strengthen and maintain Growing Up Green's unique culture.
• Provide educational classroom workshops to students on making good behavioral choices and understanding school-wide behavior expectations.
• Ensure school staff members are supported in successfully implementing discipline systems.
• Maintain a tracking system of disciplinary infractions and establish an efficient communication system for school staff to be aware of disciplinary actions.
• Work with individuals and small groups of students who have difficulty in meeting the behavioral requirements of the school.
• Create and implement behavior intervention plans to help support students who are having difficulties in the instructional setting.
• Serve as a point person for families regarding student discipline and behavior.
• Meet and discuss disciplinary incidents and actions with parents and students.
• Point person for determining and implementing school suspensions.
• Oversee any behavioral issues that arise on the school buses and develop appropriate systems of consequences for actions on the bus.
• Plan activities which promote our positive school culture.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Previous experience working with a diverse community
• Previous experience working with children required
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Knowledge of child development and special education services.
• Excellent collaborative skills and organizational skills.
• Ability to be both nurturing and strict in dealing with students
• Proven ability to create and maintain excellent relationships with students and their families
• Candidate should be familiar with discipline procedures and laws pertaining to our special needs population
• Ability and willingness to improve school culture and school community
• Masters degree in social work, school psychology, or school counseling from accredited school preferred.

Education

• Bachelors Degree required. Master's Degree preferred.

Required Certificates Licenses: NYC DOE/Fingerprinting Background Clearance