Dean of Students Fellow - Full-time

Company Description

Uncommon Schools is a nonprofit network of high-performing, public charter schools providing an outstanding K-12 education in historically under-resourced communities. We have proudly built schools that reflect our student population, with more than 60% of our teachers and staff across our network identifying as a person of color. Uncommon currently manages 53 schools serving 19,000 students in five cities: Boston, Camden, New York City, Newark, and Rochester. We are proud that Uncommon graduates persist in and graduate from college at five times the rate of their peers nationally. We achieve this by offering strong academic, co-curricular, and social-emotional learning that prepares students for success in college and beyond.

Job Description

Note to External Candidates: The DOS Fellow position is open to current Uncommon school-based staff only. If you are interested in pursuing the DOS Fellowship, your first step is to apply for a teaching position. If hired, you can then apply for the DOS Fellowship.

To build more and maintain our high performing schools, we need future culture leaders to commit themselves to the most urgent and exciting work of our time! Running outstanding schools requires leaders who can develop culturally responsive schools, put excellence ahead of easy, and project urgency about providing our scholars with college access. These individuals nurture learning communities that are simultaneously academically rigorous and joyful.

Uncommon Schools is offering a fellowship to prepare fellows for the Dean of Students role, in which they would serve on a school's cultural leadership team and support the Principal closely in leading initiatives around school culture, our college preparatory focus, culturally responsive teaching, and student and family engagement.

The DOS Fellowship trains and supports Uncommon teachers who aspire to the role of DOS by providing fellows with targeted observation and feedback, leadership opportunities, and school culture professional development. Fellows will be evaluated during a mid-year Inspection to determine their readiness for a DOS role for the following school year. Fellow responsibilities may include the following:

• Owning or creating a positive student culture system, including launching culture initiatives during a whole school moment (Community Meeting or Circle)
• Dean of Students Private Deaning and systems management
• Leading Grade Level Teams in family communication and/or focal student support
• Acting as Dean of Students for a certain period 
• Owning an accountability system “soup to nuts” (following up on teacher close the loops, advisory communication, attendance calls, student of the month, etc.) 
• Joining a culture walkthrough of your school 
• Observing best practices at other Uncommon Schools

Qualifications

• Passionate commitment to the mission of Uncommon Schools and investment in our vision for being an anti-racist organization;
• Unwavering belief in high academic and behavioral expectations for all students;
• Exceptional time and task management skills;
• Ability to persevere despite uncertainty and unexpected obstacles;
• Strong drive to empower students academically and personally;
• Self-motivation, desire to be a great teammate, and a strong sense of personal responsibility;
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and strong interpersonal skills with students, parents, colleagues, and community members;
• Ability and desire to implement feedback from school leaders and colleagues;
• Required experience:
  • 2+ years of experience working with youth or teaching in an urban district or charter school setting, with an explicit focus on building rapport and trust;
  • Proven track record of holding high standards and offering emotional and academic support to students;
  • Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.

Additional Information

Uncommon Schools offers salaries commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. All staff members receive extensive professional development, and are equipped with a laptop computer and all necessary supplies.

We offer comprehensive, flexible, and competitive compensation,  benefits and perks that support the personal health, wellness, and finances of our staff and their families.

• Comprehensive Health Insurance

• Financial Planning & Wellness

  • 403(b) retirement savings plan and/or region specific Pension plan 

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness  Program  & 529 Savings plan

• Generous Time-Off plan aligned with school calendars

• Leave of Absence

  • 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave +

• Mental Health and Counseling support

• Relocation Assistance

• Other Perks and Discounts

Uncommon believes in the importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization that enables our students and staff to thrive. We are committed to building an exceptional team that reflects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our students. We also strive to ensure an inclusive community by creating a space for meaningful dialogue about issues of race and identity for our staff and students. As an equal opportunity employer, Uncommon provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We also ensure that individuals with disabilities receive all privileges and benefits associated with employment and are provided reasonable accommodations for the interview process and to perform core job functions. If you would like to request an accommodation, please email recruitment@uncommonschools.org.