High School Dean of Students

Distinctive Schools of IL•Chicago, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Dean of Students works closely with the Principal and serves on the school leadership team to help ensure a safe, comfortable, and positive learning environment. The role provides operational support, handles discipline-related incidents, and supports and directs teachers in classroom management interventions and strategies. The Dean also performs additional tasks and responsibilities assigned by the Principal to support schoolwide operations. The position leads school culture and student discipline efforts, supervises and develops the School Culture Team, supports student attendance and safety, and monitors culture and discipline data. The Dean collaborates with teachers, staff, students, and families to address behavior challenges and promote students’ academic achievement and social-emotional development. The role is based at CICS Longwood High School in Chicago, Illinois, reports to the Principal, and is scheduled to start in November 2026.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Human Service, Mental Health, School Counseling, or Social Work.
K–12 education experience.
At least 1 year of experience working in an urban setting.
3–5 years of experience.
Proficiency with cloud-based software solutions, including Google Suite.

Responsibilities

Respond to challenges presented by the diverse student population and maintain a positive climate and learning atmosphere for students.
Train staff on classroom management, student-staff relationships, crisis response, and school culture strategies.
Implement, monitor, and coach the community on the Distinctive Schools philosophy and model for responding to Student Code of Conduct violations.
Ensure resolution of Student Code of Conduct incidents and communicate with relevant stakeholders.
Supervise, manage, and evaluate School Culture Team members, including supporting training, professional development, and goal setting aligned with school goals.
Engage stakeholders in programs and services that support students’ academic achievement and social-emotional development.
Work cooperatively with students, staff, and families to promote a positive school climate.
Oversee assigned teams of teachers or staff and coordinate responses to school culture data.
Monitor and track student attendance, notify parents and families about absences as required, and assist teachers with absence tracking and parent conferences concerning attendance and tardiness.
Oversee attendance data in school database systems to ensure accuracy.
Prepare monthly reports on suspensions, discipline code violations, recidivism, and percentage changes; track discipline data in all systems.
Enforce school handbook procedures and policies, including dress code guidelines.
Follow safety procedures and track and file required documents.
Oversee the School Security Officer and support school safety and climate in coordination with school leadership.
Maintain clear boundaries and a professional demeanor with students, staff, and families when administering disciplinary consequences.
Problem-solve with teachers to identify antecedents of poor behavior and develop positive behavior plans.
Informally observe teachers and provide feedback on classroom management and interventions for individual students or classes.
Model effective classroom management practices, strategies, and tools to support student success and positive student-teacher relationships.
Help teachers and staff develop classroom management plans before referring students to the office.
Collaborate daily with the school Leadership Team on leadership tasks, planning, and communication of school needs.
Collaborate with Student Services Staff to monitor classroom behavioral needs and create and document plans for success.
Support IEP/504 meetings with research and information from student files.
Support and monitor behavioral RTI data.
Complete additional duties assigned by the School Principal.