Middle and High School Dean

SALARY RANGE: $53,680 - $112,672 based on degree and student contact hours

JOB SUMMARY

The Middle and High School Dean cultivates a positive, orderly, and caring learning environment for students in grades 6-12. Through targeted programming, individualized counseling, data-informed interventions, and close collaboration with families and faculty, the Dean advances each student's social-emotional growth and academic success while embedding Deeper Learning competencies-mastery of content, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, self-direction, and academic mindset-into daily practice. The Dean reports to the Assistant Principal for Student Life.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Academic Advising

• Guide students through self-reflection, four-year planning, and course selection aligned with interests, abilities, and post-secondary goals.
• Coordinate annual course-request and schedule-change cycles; ensure equitable access to all classes.
• Monitor attendance, grade, and assessment dashboards weekly; convene multidisciplinary support meetings within forty-eight hours of early-warning triggers.
• Collaborate with College Counseling on NCAA eligibility, scholarship criteria, and college-admissions timelines; host quarterly family workshops.
• Draft, implement, and review accommodation plans for learners with documented differences; coach faculty on differentiation and Universal Design for Learning.
• Lead grade-level seminars on different pedagogical approaches to learning.
• Deliver parent education sessions on curriculum pathways, graduation requirements, and academic success strategies.

Social and Personal Counseling

• Provide short-term, solution-focused counseling addressing anxiety, grief, peer conflict, identity development, and academic pressure.
• Maintain a vetted referral network of licensed mental-health professionals for long-term therapy and specialized services.
• Embed evidence-based SEL lessons that cultivate self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making.
• Coordinate peer-mediation and restorative groups to strengthen relationships and teach conflict-resolution skills.
• Oversee transition programs for new and rising students, including orientation events and peer-mentor pairings.
• Uphold confidentiality standards while complying with mandated-reporting requirements.

Student Behavioral Standards, Restorative Justice, and Discipline

• Co-chair the Student Support Team; implement tiered Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) across the division.
• Serve as the primary facilitator of restorative practices:
  • Conduct preparation meetings, restorative conferences, and follow-up sessions with affected students, staff, and families.
  • Guide participants in identifying harm, accepting responsibility, and creating mutually agreed restitution or healing actions.
  • Track completion of restorative agreements and measure their impact on recidivism and school climate.
• Train faculty, staff, and student leaders in restorative language, proactive community-building circles, and de-escalation strategies.
• Investigate disciplinary incidents promptly; document findings and assign equitable consequences that prioritize accountability, relationship repair, and re-entry success.
• Lead re-entry conferences after suspensions, creating individualized success plans with families and mentors.
• Maintain FERPA-compliant behavior records and communicate outcomes to parents or guardians within one school day.

Guidance Counseling (Middle School)

• Teach a spiraled advisory curriculum covering digital citizenship, empathy, decision-making, and goal-setting.
• Arrange age-appropriate speakers and activities supporting character education and SEL themes.
• Partner with grade-level teams to design advisory experiences that foster community, cohesion, and team-building.

Student Life and Engagement

• Partner with Athletics and Performing Arts to establish co-curricular eligibility standards and recognition programs that honor holistic achievement.
• Plan and evaluate school-wide events-Spirit Week, class socials, and service-learning days-to strengthen belonging and pride.
• Maintain daily visibility across campus by walking common areas, visiting classrooms, and attending student events, performances, and athletic competitions whenever possible.
• Provide daily student supervision across varied indoor and outdoor locations.

Data and Assessment

• Maintain comprehensive academic, attendance, behavior, and counseling records in the Student Information System, ensuring data integrity and privacy.
• Produce monthly dashboards for divisional leadership, highlighting trends and recommending program adjustments.
• Lead the annual review of policies and programs using evidence-based findings.

Crisis Response and Safety Leadership

• Serve on the Crisis Response and Threat-Assessment Teams; coordinate safety drills and post-incident debriefs.
• Provide psychological first aid during emergencies and manage family communication in partnership with the Communications Office.
• Ensure compliance with Hawai?i Revised Statutes related to school safety, transportation, and emergency preparedness.
• Maintain current certification in CPR, First Aid, and Youth Mental Health First Aid.

Professional Development and Faculty Collaboration

• Design and deliver in-service workshops on restorative justice, SEL integration, Universal Design for Learning, and equity-centered pedagogy.
• Act as an on-call resource for teachers on adolescent development, behavior support, and instructional differentiation; co-teach model lessons as requested.
• Engage in professional networks (e.g., HAIS Deans and Counselors Consortium) to remain current on research and best practices.

Cultural Competencies

• Understands the practice area deeply and actively pursues learning that expands expertise within and beyond the current role.
• Engages in lifelong professional learning and critical reflection to enhance leadership, mentoring, and collaboration; exhibits sustained curiosity about people, events, and places.
• Builds positive, productive relationships with colleagues, other departments, families, and community stakeholders.
• Creates safe, caring spaces that are inclusive, respectful, and engaging for all learners and colleagues.
• Seeks out and embraces leadership opportunities that advance school initiatives and model best practice.

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Participate in the development of a safe and healthy workplace.
• Comply with the instructions given for their own safety and health and that of others, in adhering to safe work procedures.
• Take reasonable care to ensure their own safety and health and that of others.
• Report any injury, hazard or illness immediately to their Supervisor and Human Resources.
• Not place others at risk by any act or omission, not willfully or recklessly interfere with safety equipment.
• Act as a role model by demonstrating safe work behaviors.
• Identify, assess if necessary, and control hazards within the area of responsibility.
• Ensure that equipment/supplies are properly maintained.
• Maintain relevant knowledge of safety laws.
• Mandatory reporting of sexual abuse to law enforcement or child protective services, and Human Resources. Sexual abuse includes child molestation, any actual or alleged illegal or otherwise wrongful sexual conduct with a minor, and serial sexual misconduct, any actual or alleged illegal or otherwise wrongful sexual conduct with more than one victim; and committed by or alleged to have been committed by any perpetrator who is not a student of an included entity.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must possess exceptional written and communication skills.
• Proficient in the use of technology in the classroom and in educational administrative software.
• Proven organizational and management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills including staff, faculty and community relations.
• Must be well versed in research-based instructional practices.
• Applies the Systems Thinking Model.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple immediate, medium and long term projects, recognizing how to prioritize each on a daily basis.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• A Master's degree (with a focus on counseling) is strongly preferred.
• Two years of experience working with adolescents in schools or related settings and an understanding of developmental issues relating to adolescents is required.
• Must be highly proficient with Google for education suite and other digital education tools and applications.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Our campus consists of multiple buildings on 44 hilly acres that requires frequent walking including uphill and stairs. The individual is required to talk and hear, often required to sit and use their hands and fingers, to handle or feel and to manipulate keys on a keyboard. The employee may be required to stand, walk, lift and carry approximately 10-15 pounds, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, bend, kneel, crouch or crawl. Requires close vision.

MENTAL DEMANDS

On a daily basis, employee must frequently problem solve, make decisions, supervise students/classroom management, interpret data, grade, organize, write, plan, and clearly communicate.

EQUIPMENT USE

Telephone, copier, computer, projector, document camera, audiovisual equipment, and basic film-production tools for student projects.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Predominantly indoor environment with periodic outdoor supervision duties. Occasional exposure to loud noise, heat, or inclement weather during events and drills.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Mid-Pacific Institute 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, marital status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.