Dean of Culture

Location: Denver, CO 

Application deadline: April 30, 2021

Background

Launched in August of 2015, Compass Academy is a public charter school in southwest Denver serving 300 students in grades 6-8. Our student population is reflective of Southwest Denver, with over 90% of students eligible for free or reduced price lunches, 20% of students receiving special education services, and 60% of students classified as English Language Learners. Compass Academy is a partnership between the school’s founding board, City Year, Inc., and the Center for Social Organization of Schools (CSOS) at Johns Hopkins University. 

At Compass Academy, we believe that all students can succeed and become lifelong Learners and Leaders. We take a holistic approach to education, focusing on whole child development and trauma responsive practices. Celebrating bilingualism and biliteracy is at the center of our curriculum, and we support students’ growth from their strengths in their native language(s) and in English. At Compass, students learn to develop strong critical thinking skills, solve complex problems, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, be self-directed, and listen and respond to feedback. 

Key elements of Compass Academy include:

• A commitment to a rigorous standards-based curriculum rooted in relevance and purpose
• A focus on deeper learning and development of 21st-century integrated academic, social, and emotional competencies
• Customized supports for students with special needs and learning differences
• Tutoring, mentoring, and one-on-one support from City Year Americorps members 
• Spanish as core content as students work toward the Seal of Biliteracy
• Intense English language support based on student needs
• Daily teacher planning, collaboration, and targeted professional development
• Culture infused with family and community focus and trauma informed practices
• Use of a data driven continuous learning model

Strong relationships among staff are a hallmark of Compass Academy – our team feels more like family!  We offer robust professional development and support structures for teachers, including weekly coaching and data driven instruction protocols.  Our team collectively embraces equity and is committed to breaking down systems of oppression from within.  This work is a journey; we are committed to pushing ourselves everyday and welcome others who are driven to do the same.

Position: 

The Dean of Culture is responsible for cultivating and maintaining a school family rooted in belonging through strong student, family, and community connections, trauma responsive practices, and holistic child development. This position reports to the Middle School Director and partners with staff and teachers throughout the school, including the Learning Sciences Facilitator, Dean of Special Education, and Dean of Instruction to achieve Compass’ mission of providing access to a high quality education for all students. 

Roles and Responsibilities: 

Manage the administration and continuous improvement of our Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (SEAD) programming

• Model the school’s Learner and Leader Competencies
• Support the creation and implementation of strong PACK (advisory/SEAD programming) lessons aligned to competencies
• Coach teachers on strong social-emotional learning and instructional practices and the integration of competencies 
• Lead professional development on culturally responsive pedagogy
• Support the wellbeing team on the implementation of social and emotional interventions for students
• Serve as a member of IEP teams as needed 

Manage the implementation of trauma responsive practices

• Implement the Conscious Discipline social-emotional learning approach
• Act as an change agent for equity by interrogating all social-emotional learning and behavior systems for equity
• Ensure that the school’s behavioral policies and procedures are understood and implemented with consistency across all classrooms
• Create and refine preventative school-wide and individual student approaches to support students with trauma 
• Lead school-wide approach to behavioral supports; direct staff-wide implementation of the school’s multi-tiered interventions; ensure intervention plans are implemented with fidelity, successfully
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date student data and records regarding student successes, interventions, patterns of behavior, and family/caregiver communications

Provide teacher and classroom support

• Ensure teachers understand the school’s universal protocols and procedures and implement them consistently and fairly
• Support teachers through proactive communication, classroom observations, and other actions as needed
• Meet regularly with the school intervention team to analyze data and develop support plans for individual students
• Lead a weekly Data Team to help monitor student progress
• Develop teacher leadership through coaching and collaboration with grade level leads. 

Establish clear yearlong vision for culture implementation 

• Set vision and lead school rituals (for ex., 6th grade camp, ceremonies, guest speakers, competitions, family meetings, assessment pump-ups, celebrations)
• Plan and implement school culture at the whole school level, classroom level, and individual level with students and staff (including monthly themes, ceremonies, Village Meetings, initiatives, competitions, awards and incentives, Conscious Discipline, staff recognition)

Maintain upkeep to common spaces

• Ensure that common spaces, including the hallways and bathrooms, are clean, safe, orderly and reflect a positive learning culture; promote student ownership of these spaces 
• Maintain intentional physical and public documentation of the work of the school and student learning (e.g., wall displays)
• Circulate in and provide visibility for the school’s common spaces during school hours (including student arrival and departure) to maintain a safe and positive school environment

Build and sustain relationships with families/caregivers

• Communicate with students’ families/caregivers as necessary to keep them informed of any observed changes in an individual student’s conduct

• Lead staff efforts to ensure that all students have excellent attendance and arrive at school and to class on time
• Make home visits as necessary for student success

Skills, Experience, and Qualifications

• Possess prior experience supporting students at the school level, including:
  • Working with middle school students for at least three years
  • Developing positive school culture, including a deep knowledge of socio-emotional needs of students as evidenced by certifications, classes, and/or research conducted
  • Working in a progressive or start-up charter school environment (preferred)
• Value constructive feedback and hold a strong commitment to continuous improvement and professional growth
• Embrace and exhibit a strong anti-racist orientation, commitment to equity, and desire to dismantle oppressive systems in education
• Embrace students’ home languages and cultures as valued assets
• Possess strong depth of understanding around learnings and implementation of SEL/Conscious Discipline and culturally relevant pedagogy including approaching behavior problems as “teachable moments,” encouraging students investigate the root cause of their behavior and take initiative to improve it or repair harm
• Hold belief that every child wants to learn
• Desire to engage students and building strong relationships 
• Possess excellent written and verbal communications skill; strong interpersonal skills with students, parents, colleagues, and community members; 
• Exhibit maturity, humility, versatility
• Demonstrate strong ability to collaborate and work with others
• Maintain a solutions-mindedness with a strong work ethic, and a sense of humor
• Hold proficiency in Spanish and/or possess interest in working in a school that prioritizes bilingual and biliterate education 
• Hold a Bachelor’s degree (required) 

Compensation

The salary for this position is between $65,000 and $75,000, depending on experience.  Compass Academy offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health benefits, 25 PTO days in addition to 10 holidays, PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association) benefits, and access to dental and vision benefits. 

Application 

The application deadline for this position is April 30, 2021.  After this date we do not guarantee review of submissions.  Please submit your application here.

The steps to our application process are as follows:

1. Application screen
2. Phone screen
3. Exercise
4. Interview and exercise debrief
5. Community-focused final interview
6. Reference check

Compass Academy is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.