Middle School Dean of Students

Urbana School District #116 • Urbana, IL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Dean of Students at Urbana Middle School is responsible for overseeing and assisting the administrative team with all matters related to student outcomes in both academic and behavioral areas. This role involves providing leadership in student support, enforcing school policies, maintaining records, and advocating for equity. The Dean will work collaboratively with stakeholders to implement Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), strengthen restorative discipline practices, and improve student attendance. This position also involves direct instruction, mentoring, and coaching to support restorative practices, assessing peer interactions, and demonstrating an understanding of adult learning to support teachers. The Dean will analyze data, monitor building needs, report on successes and challenges, and take a lead role in the School Improvement Team and Attendance Team. They will oversee student records related to attendance and behavior, lead the implementation of the behavior management system, and make decisions regarding exclusionary practices only after restorative interventions have been exhausted. Ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff, fostering positive relationships, and engaging in positive dialogue with parents and staff are key aspects of this role. The Dean will attend and lead meetings, prepare data reports, and collaborate on disciplinary conferences. They will also supervise the middle school building and campus in various areas and maintain professional awareness of relevant laws and policies. This position also involves addressing student residency issues and performing additional duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of successful experience in teaching.
• Valid Illinois Teaching License.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with various individuals, including District staff, parents/guardians, law enforcement, and state and community agencies.
• Ability to handle and oversee multiple job duties all at once.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational and record-keeping skills.
• Ability to effectively communicate with students and assist them with resolving non-academic issues that interfere with their attainment of educational and extracurricular opportunities.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to maintain consistency in addressing student issues.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in regard to student records and issues.

Nice To Haves

• A Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Type 75 Administrative License preferred.
• An Illinois Administrative License is preferred.
• Preference for bilingual candidates, although not required.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction in matters associated with student academic and behavioral areas and enforcement of the school attendance policy at the middle school.
• Respond to student support referrals within the middle school and provide appropriate support and responses in collaboration with the UMS administrative team when exclusionary practices are needed.
• Maintain and continuously update District records associated with student behavioral matters, including referrals, and collaborate with the UMS administrative team on suspensions and expulsions.
• Work collaboratively with all stakeholders to strengthen all aspects of the school while enthusiastically supporting all building and district goals, programs, and initiatives.
• Advocate for equity for all students; assist administrators, building staff, and parents with providing an equity-oriented school community.
• Coordinate with the UMS administrative team and the grade level Support Services Teams (SSTs) to effectively implement the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) from an equity lens for staff, students, and families, with a particular focus on strengthening restorative discipline practices and student attendance across the school.
• Provide direct instruction, mentoring, and coaching support to large groups, small groups, and individuals so that all stakeholders can successfully participate in restorative practices with peers and school staff.
• Work directly with appropriate staff to enable these staff members and students to successfully implement restorative practices independently.
• Assess high-risk peer interactions in loosely structured environments to strengthen school-wide practices and tier two support for students and staff.
• Advocate for prosocial behavior across the school and solution-focused methods of peer interactions.
• Demonstrate a clear understanding of adult learning in order to meet the individual needs of teachers, including their varied learning styles, knowledge, skills, experiences, cultures, and backgrounds.
• Collaborate with teachers to review and analyze data, identify students’ strengths, needs, and misconceptions, and determine the next steps.
• Utilize a data collection system to frequently monitor building needs, as well as successes and challenges of restorative practices.
• Report on the UMS Dean of Students’ successes and challenges to all UMS stakeholders, including the School Improvement Team, the Board of Education, district administration, and community members.
• Take a lead role on the School Improvement Team, focusing on the SEL and attendance goals.
• Participate actively in the Attendance Team, collaborating with the administrator overseeing the Attendance Team and the Attendance Secretary.
• Oversee the student records and data associated with student attendance, excused and unexcused absences, tardiness, and contacts made with parents/guardians regarding attendance issues.
• Lead the designated grade level SST and teachers in the oversight and implementation of the behavior management system and restorative practices, including behavior events, requests for support, office discipline referrals, and the appropriate responses/consequences/supports/interventions.
• In collaboration with the UMS administrative team, take the lead in the decision-making around exclusionary practices only after all restorative interventions have been exhausted.
• Ensures the safety and well-being of students, stakeholders, staff, and teachers on a daily basis.
• Encourages positive relationships with students, stakeholders, staff and the community towards building a cohesive foundation in learning and behaviors.
• Engages in positive dialogs with parents, stakeholders, and staff while implementing the MTSS ground work.
• Attend and lead meetings as necessary to address student learning, behavior, and attendance, including those associated with academic teams, grade levels, and department-wide Support Services Teams (SST).
• Prepare weekly data reports, as needed, regarding attendance, behavior, interventions, and suspensions.
• Collaborate with the UMS administrative team and the grade-level SST on student/parent/guardian staff disciplinary conferences as necessary, including conferences associated with a student's re-entry into the school.
• Communicate with parents/guardians, staff, and students about student attendance and behavior and address concerns as they arise.
• Supervise the middle school building and campus in the following areas: hallways before and after school and during passing periods, exit areas after school, student lockers, extracurricular activities and disaster drills, fire drills, and any other emergency situations at the UMS along with school provided transportation as directed by the UMS administrative team and as-needed basis to be determined by the UMS administrative team, including dances, parties, class trips, and meetings.
• Maintain a professional awareness of laws, regulations, and policies associated with student discipline, attendance, and residency by having a working knowledge of state and federal law, District policies, and state and federal administrative rules and regulations.
• Work cooperatively with the UMS administrative team to address issues associated with student residency issues, including those that arise at the time of enrollment and/or after enrollment.
• Perform any additional duties as assigned by the UMS Principal or designee.

Benefits

• Salary and Benefit information can be found on the Human Resources webpage.
• Opportunities for employees to earn additional compensation (stipends, differentials, extra duty pay, etc.) during the regular school year and in the summer.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level