Associate Dean of Culture

Organization Overview

Excel Academy was founded in 2003 with the mission to provide a high-quality education to students in East Boston and Chelsea. Over the years, we have grown from one middle school to a network of four schools with 1,400 students in grades 5 to 12. At Excel Academy Charter Schools, we believe that when a student has the support and tools to pursue a productive post-secondary pathway aligned to their personal identity and values, it can fundamentally change their life trajectory. 

We present our students with educational experiences that allow them to grow and discover their best selves so that when they leave our halls, they can successfully navigate all of the post-secondary options available to them. You can read more about the impact of the Excel Academy model here.

At Excel Academy we learn from our students, families, and staff and make improvements. We have increasingly adapted to provide a holistic education that values our community as collaborators in the learning process, social-emotional support, equity for diverse learners, and fosters identity development. We prioritize an approach that is both rigorous and inclusive. Our team of passionate, intelligent, driven, and loving staff are at the core of the work we do. 

Growth Happens Here.

About the Role

The Associate Dean of Culture will co-lead the management of student culture and behavior, and work to ensure that 100% of students meet Excel’s behavioral targets. We believe routine and structures in school create predictability for students and allows for student to thrive, be emotionally safe, and find belonging in school. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Proactively plan and execute systems to drive positive student behavior and create an academics-focused culture of achievement

• Support the Dean of Culture with analysis of student behavior data
• Proactively train key constituents in Excel’s behavior systems
  • With the Dean, develop and teach New Staff Orientation lessons
  • With the Dean, lead workshops during all-staff Summit
  • Support GLT leaders in their work planning and executing student orientation
  • With the school admin team, develop and deliver parent orientation sessions, and conduct follow-up meetings with parents who do not attend
• Empower teachers as managers of student discipline and behavior
• Provide feedback to staff members in their classroom management during break, lunch, Focus, and instructional time
• Build strong relationships with staff members; seek feedback and provide feedback
• Ensure a cycle of communication with teachers following referrals
• Maintain a strong, public presence throughout the school day
• Plan, oversee, and execute designated Character Education program:
  • Provide leadership, curricular and organizational support to Grade Level Teams in executing culture-focused homeroom activities daily.
  • Plan and teach the 5^th Grade Life Skills course
  • Plan and teach the 6^th Grade Mindsets course
• Enforce the code of conduct and maintaining a strong, public presence throughout the school day
• Oversee school-wide intervention and incentive programs
  • Plan and execute student groups as determined by the Dean Team
  • Oversee positive PREP Program
  • Support Dean is execution of:
    • Daily Detention Program
    • Friday Extension Program

 Respond to issues relating to behavior or discipline

• Serve as an investigator and parent contact for student disciplinary issues and concerns, conferring with the Dean of Culture, Head of School and teachers as needed.
  • Investigate reports around student behavior or incidents; determine appropriate responses and consequences in conjunction with Dean
  • Communicate with parents about disciplinary issues
  • With direct support of Dean, oversee and execute ICR procedures, including apology and reentry protocols
  • Proactively and promptly communicate with staff regarding status of students in investigations, referrals, suspensions and re-entry
• Manage daily attendance and uniform referrals
• Manage “Dean’s office traffic” from 7:30 – 8:20 am, including processing uniform referrals and late students
• Communicate updates on students to staff in a timely manner
• Monitor attendance of frequently-absent students; provide regular updates to administrators
• Administer consequences for repeated tardiness
• Communicate with families and/or create attendance contracts, as needed

Support effective execution of student interventions and supports

• Serve as a member of the Student Support team
• With student advisors, develop, execute and/or oversee individualized interventions and supports for particular students as needed
• Support Dean of Student in driving accountability for student support systems and communication expectations

Serve as a productive member of the Excel Community

• Participate in generating and upholding Excel Staff norms
• Provide coverage when needed
• Follow the appropriate protocol when absent to request coverage
• Serve as a member of a GLT and homeroom team:
• Meaningfully participate in Friday meetings, school PD and family conferences
• Do whatever it takes to ensure the mission of the school is fulfilled

Qualifications

• A minimum of two years teaching experience in an urban public school or charter school setting preferred;
• The ability to speak Spanish preferred;
• Measurable evidence of driving student achievement gains;
• A commitment to addressing inequity in education;
• An unwavering commitment to and belief in the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel’s values and educational model;
• The ability to focus and thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurial environment;
• The ability to work effectively in a team environment and the willingness and desire to support others in doing their best work; and
• An entrepreneurial spirit that reflects an openness to change, a willingness to problem-solve, and an interest in developing new ideas & programs.