Dean of School Culture
- Full-time
- Start Date: Next year opening
- Department: Regional Support and Leadership
Company Description
KIPP
KIPP Public Schools is a national network of tuition-free public schools educating 120,000 students in grades Prek-12 across 21 states and Washington, DC. While each of our schools is as unique as the community to which it belongs, we are united around a shared promise: Together, A Future Without Limits. You can learn more at www.kipp.org.
KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools
KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools is part of the KIPP national network. Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose – college, career, and beyond – so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
In the 2025-26 school year, the KIPP Jacksonville region will be comprised of four schools educating more than 3,000 students, kindergarten through twelfth grade in the North and West sides of Jacksonville, Florida.
KIPP Impact Academy: Kindergarten - 8th grade
KIPP VOICE Academy: Kindergarten - 8th grade
KIPP Bessie Coleman Academy: Kindergarten - 8th grade
KIPP Bold City High School: 9th - 12th grade
For the current school year, teachers at KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools work the following hours Monday through Friday and may have occasional meetings or special school events outside of these hours. Hours for teachers and students may vary slightly by school.
K-8 Staff: 7:30am - 4:30pm K-8 Students: 8:00am - 3:30pm, Wednesday K-8 dismissal is at 1:30pm
High School Staff: 6:45am - 3:45pm, High School Students: 7:15am - 2:30pm, Wednesday High School dismissal is at 12:30pm.
Every Wednesday is a student early release day, which allows teachers to participate in weekly professional development and content team meetings. *This doesn’t include Wellness Wednesdays when all staff leave at student dismissal.
To support these schools, we will employ more than 300 full-time staff members. We seek educators and colleagues that represent our core values of high expectations, growth mindset, commitment to team, trust, joy, and sustainability. To learn more about what it is like to work and teach at KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools, please visit www.kippjax.org/teach where you can also view all of our job postings.
Job Description
OVERVIEW
The Dean of School Culture is responsible for fostering a positive school culture that creates and supports a safe, welcoming, joyful, and academically affirming school culture guided by structured discipline. The Dean of School Culture reports directly to the Principal and sits on the administration team. The Dean of School Culture is the main school contact for parents and guardians regarding behavior and school cultural expectations.
In addition, they will support teachers to effectively develop a strong classroom culture and model for student behavior management. They will work with scholars and families to improve student behavior to ensure academic success in the classroom. Finally, they will develop and encourage a positive staff culture.
A successful Dean of School Culture is passionate about supporting our scholars, adapts to changes, and cultivates productive relationships with all stakeholders within our community, including faculty, scholars, and families.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
DSC role and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) School Culture
Lead and Plan Advisory/Community/Town hall meetings and implementation of values integration and character development within the classroom community.
Be highly present and visible during school hours, relentlessly ensuring the school has a strong culture.
Proactively circulate throughout classrooms and hallways during the day to gain valuable context on student behavior and help support positive school culture.
Create structures and expectations for increasing student independence in the classroom and throughout the school.
Lead breakfast, lunch, dismissal, and other transitional experiences and whole-school operations.
(2) Student Discipline
Model positive interactions with scholars, families, and staff, as well as a variety of ways to handle misbehavior and disruptions.
Recognize and celebrate exemplary student achievement and behavior, communicating with families of scholars regularly.
Assist with contacting families regarding attendance
Serve as the point of contact for discipline/culture issues; in this role, the Dean is the primary contact person for all acute discipline and culture concerns.
Reinforce the effective use of school-wide behavior plans, and individualized scholar behavior plans as guided by the Code of Conduct (in conjunction with the Social Worker/Guidance Counselor).
Serve as a resource for teachers to determine the best ways to develop student management techniques, especially as it relates to concerns of discipline, relationships with scholars, and school culture.
Collaborate with the school social workers to support at-risk and in-crisis scholars
Provide scholars 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 scholars in crisis regularly, and collaborate/problem-solve the best ways to address student behaviors and support student needs
(3) Teacher Coaching and Professional Development
Plan, implement, and provide ongoing professional development and feedback to all staff, focusing on building positive student relationships, student culture, and classroom community.
Conduct classroom observations and follow-up with targeted feedback and support for teachers that help them to become even more effective teachers; be available to work with teachers to problem-solve areas of classroom discipline, behavior, and culture/community difficulty
Collaborate with the Leadership Team to plan summer training and professional development full-days and half-days during the school year
Communicate teacher performance to the principal, highlighting teachers in need of principal coaching due to insufficient performance.
Organize summer training and professional development days
Recognize and celebrate staff professional growth and success.
COMPENSATION
The starting annual salary for this position is between $50,000 and $60,000. This does not include any stipends for which a person in this role would be eligible.
Free individual-level health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision
Free individual short-term and long-term disability insurance
403(b) retirement program with a company match
To support professional practice and growth, all teachers and coaches receive individualized coaching and professional development
*Please note these offerings are subject to change year-to-year. Terms would be outlined in an offer letter, if issued.
Qualifications
REQUIREMENTS
A Bachelor’s Degree
An uncompromising belief that all students can learn
KIPP Public Schools Jacksonville believes that our staff will represent our core values—high expectations, a growth mindset, commitment to team, trust, joy, and sustainability. We search for established educators who embody them.
Passing a background check, as required by law
HIGHLY PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience with implementing restorative practices in a school setting
Experience working in an urban public school or charter school setting (i.e. a paraprofessional, a substitute, a tutor, or a similar role)
Experience working with students at the high school level
Experience following the District Code of Conduct and the referral processing procedures
Additional Information
APPLY
Please complete an application and upload a resume via our job board. No applicants will be considered that submit resumes through other job postings. Link here: https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/KIPP/jacksonville
If you're a current KIPP Jax team member, you should:
1) Inform your current manager of your interest in the role and
2) Complete the online application
QUESTIONS
If you have questions about this position, please email Emma at ekosanda@kippjax.org. Please understand that resumes and/or cover letters are not accepted via email and you will be redirected to apply via the website.
KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment at our schools. KIPP Jacksonville Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin.