[2023 - 2024] Dean of Culture and Instruction Halifax K-8 College Preparatory School

Company Description

Organizational Overview
KIPP NC is a network of eight high-performing, college-preparatory public charter schools providing an academically rigorous and joyous school experience to more than 3,500 students in grades K-12 in Charlotte, Durham, Gaston, and Halifax. KIPP NC supports several thousand alumni on their journey to and through high school, college, and career.
KIPP NC is building on a rich tradition of academic excellence and relentless fight for social justice present from the founding of both KIPP ENC and KIPP Charlotte. KIPP ENC is the second oldest KIPP region in the nation. In its 20 years of operation, KIPP ENC has been a cornerstone for students and families in rural Gaston and Halifax, operating two primary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. Over the past five years, it grew to serve even more students by opening up a middle school in Durham, an urban center in the center part of the state. KIPP Charlotte, which grew out of the strong traditions and academics of KIPP ENC, has supported students and families for the past 13 years, operating one primary school and one middle school in the largest city in North Carolina.
KIPP North Carolina is building upon the successes and experiences of KIPP ENC and KIPP Charlotte to provide inclusive school environments and an educational program that will enable our students to lead full lives and equip graduates to be future leaders and agents of change in North Carolina and beyond. KIPP NC is engaging in direct, anti-racist work, and contributes meaningfully to the dismantling of structures of inequality within our organization, schools, and classrooms. We're committed to expanding our efforts to embed anti-racism in all of our activities and engagements within our classrooms and schools, across our organization, and throughout the State of North Carolina. All of this will be in a tireless effort to create classrooms that are homeplaces for our students, places where they feel safe, loved, validated, seen, and heard, places where all their beautiful identities will be affirmed and celebrated, and places where they will learn the academic knowledge and skills needed for college, career, and beyond.

Job Description

The Dean of Culture and Instruction (DCI) serves as an active member of the School Leadership Team and reports to the Principal/Head of Schools. They are instrumental in ensuring and maintaining a safe and nurturing learning environment for students and staff. The DCI will oversee and lead the development and growth of a positive, structured, and achievement oriented school and student culture. In addition, they will support teachers to effectively develop a strong classroom culture and model for student behavior management. They will work with students and families to improve student behavior in order to ensure success in the classroom. Finally, they will develop and encourage a positive staff culture.
DCI roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Student Discipline:

• Model positive interactions with students, as well as a variety of ways (principles of Love and Logic, Lemov techniques, etc) to handle misbehavior and disruptions
  
• Plan, implement, and provide ongoing professional development and feedback to all staff focused on building positive student relationships, student culture, and classroom community
  
• Support teachers in class to problem solve ways to address challenging student behavior
  
• Serve as a resource for teachers to determine best ways to develop student management techniques
  
• Collaborate with the school social workers to support at-risk and in-crisis students
  
• Provide students in crisis with a space and strategies to cope, and/or improve in-class behaviors
  
• Serve as the coordinator and leadership point person for student removals/in-school or out-of-school suspensions
  
• Communicate with families of students in-crisis on a regular basis, and collaborate/problem solve the best ways to address student behaviors and support student needs
  
• Lead/Assist in the creation and implementation of individual behavior plans for students who need extra support
  
• Lead pairing meetings with Co-teachers to discuss individual student needs, as well as classroom needs (as necessary).
  

Student Culture/Character/SEL Development:

• Provide teachers with professional development/resources to build a positive student and classroom culture
  
• Lead the implementation of KDCP values integration/character development/Social Emotional Learning into classroom community
  
• Plan and Manage Advisory/Community Meetings and Pride Time
  
• Create structures and expectations for increasing student independence in the classroom and throughout the school.
  

Professional Development for Staff:

• Prioritize staff training needs and organize a plan for individual and staff-wide professional development focused on school and student culture, discipline, and character/SEL development; to oversee the implementation of the plan and to revise as necessary in response to student and teacher needs
  
• Conduct classroom observations and to follow-up with targeted feedback and support for teachers that help them to become even more effective teachers; to be available to work with teachers to problem-solve areas of classroom discipline, behavior, and culture/community difficulty
  
• Collaborate with Leadership Team to plan summer training and professional development full-days and half-days during the school year
  
• Develop a menu of internal and external professional development opportunities available to our teachers and consistent with our mission/vision
  
• Be a regular presence in classrooms, informally observing and following-up with teachers in order to improve teacher effectiveness
  
• Utilize a variety of techniques (video, literal notes, real-time coaching, etc) to provide feedback and coaching to staff
  

Instructional Coaching: Observations/Feedback for Individual Teachers

• Conduct weekly O3s with all direct reports
  
  • o O3s should include time for relationship building, gathering feedback, assessing individual needs, and providing feedback (instructional and other, as needed)
    
• Conduct weekly, bi-weekly, or tri-quarterly observations (depending on teacher needs); to follow up these observations with both one-on-one and written feedback
  
  • o Based on observations and assessment of teacher need, this may include modeling for the teacher, providing video resources, co-observing in another classroom, real-time coaching, etc.
    
• Provide lesson plan feedback as needed to staff members (specifically direct reports)
  
• Recognize and celebrate student achievement and staff professional growth and success
  
• Contribute to and participate in comprehensive mid-year and end-of-year staff performance evaluations for direct reports
  
• Contribute to the successful implementation of our teacher induction program and to develop or recommend workshops appropriate to staff needs
  

Family Engagement:

• Facilitate, encourage and increase family engagement, relationships, communication, and participation
  
• Create and lead a schedule of events throughout the year to involve families in school community
  
• Lead onboarding process for new families, potentially involving home visits with new parents
  
• Serve as Faculty Advisor to KIPP Family Association
  
• Organize and implement family engagement events/activities at KDCP including but not limited to: Coffee and Conversations, Potential Family Breakfasts, Family Workshops, School-wide family engagement events such as Family Feast, Family Saturdays and Family Conferences
  
• Facilitate family communication via weekly family newsletter
  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• A deep commitment to the mission of KIPP NC and an unwavering belief in the potential of all our students
  
• An unwavering commitment to anti-racism, equity, and inclusion
  
• Possess a deep commitment to both racial equity and improving the lives of kids from low-income communities
  
• Bachelor's degree
  
• Current or Eligible for Teaching Licensure
  
• 3 years of full-time teaching experience
  
• Leadership/Administrative experience in Education
  
• Pass Criminal Background Check
  
• Demonstrated commitment to closing the opportunity gap
  

• Zest, grit, professionalism, creativity, growth mindset, solutions-orientated, and a sense of humor
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in education or school leadership
  
• 5 years of full-time teaching experience
  
• 1 years as an Instructional coach, New Teacher Mentor, or similar role where you're providing actionable feedback to teachers and having them practice best pedagogical practices
  
• Fluency in Spanish
  

Additional Information

Note
This role is a federal grant-funded role that will expire after the 2023 - 2024 school year.
Compensation
The salary for this role is commensurate with experience and educational attainment. All Deans fall on our teacher scale ( found here ) plus an additional 15%.

• Healthcare (medical, vision, and dental) with a generous discount for dependents
• Optional 403b with employer match and vested immediately
• KIPP NC technology equipment, including a laptop and phone
• Generous time off:
  • 20 days of combined PTO and sick leave
  • Teacher work days after long breaks
  • 28 holidays a year including a week off at Thanksgiving and all major national holidays

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.