Middle School Dean of Students

April 27, 2023

Introduction:

Berman Hebrew Academy, a Modern Orthodox co-educational school in Rockville, MD, seeks a Middle School Dean of Students/ESS Director for the 2023-24 academic year. Berman Hebrew Academy is rooted in an educational vision of academic excellence, religious commitment, and character development. It provides opportunities for each student to achieve the maximum of his or her potential, engaged with, and contributing to both the Jewish community and society at large.

About the Position:

The Dean of Students in the Berman Middle School is the chief cheerleader and advocate that seeks to ensure the success of each student in the middle school.

The Dean works closely and collaboratively as a team as part of the Middle School Administration, and the entire Middle School faculty, to envision and implement a student-centered approach, to foster an atmosphere and student experience conducive to learning, and to support students to be their best selves. 

The Dean promotes proactive communication between advisors, counselors, administrators, teachers, parents, and students. The Dean serves as a point-person around discipline, and social-emotional and academic advisement. 

The Dean reports to the Principal of the Middle School, and is a member of the leadership team of the Middle School. 

Responsibilities:

Academic and Behavioral Support

• Serve as the point person to support students on an individual and small group basis.
• In concert with the Principal, develop systems to track student academic progress.
• Communicate with teachers about individual student’s academic and behavioral progress and needs.
• Communicate with parents about individual student needs.
• Together with the guidance counselor help devise individual behavior plans for struggling students.
• Take a leadership role organizing study skills and executive functioning boot camps for all grade level students throughout the year.
• Maintain a test calendar to keep work load as even as possible.
• Maintain accurate records of student attendance and citizenship.

Student Life

• Collaborate with Jewish Life Activities Team to develop experiential learning opportunities that strengthen and promote the mission, values, and priorities of the school, and that build strong, positive relationships amongst students and between students and faculty  
• Collaborate with the Jewish Life Activities Team to create and implement extra-curricular programming around major calendar events and Jewish holidays and bar and bat mitzvah celebrations,
• Work with students to envision and facilitate clubs, speakers, and other extracurricular opportunities 
• Together with the guidance counselor, oversee the implementation of student educational programs in areas of mental health and social-emotional well-being and HealthyLiving curriculum.
• Participate in the development and implementation of the home room program in partnership with the principal, guidance counselor and advisors.
• Coordinate student orientations, transitions and eighth grade graduation and grade level class trips.
• Be a strong presence in tefillah, student programming and activities, and other Middle School events

Student Culture

• Together with the Middle School Principal and faculty team set and implement the cultural philosophy of Berman Hebrew Academy to promote high standards and expectations for academic performance, student leadership, personal integrity, and community responsibility
• Develop and manage academic and social policies, protocols, and practices that serve to support student development, learning, health, and safety
• Work with faculty on  student issues and concerns 
• Be a champion in developing a culture of kindness and positive discipline
• Enforce minor disciplinary infractions, and together with principal enforce major disciplinary infractions
• Follow up on disciplinary issues, which includes timely communications with teachers, parents, and principal as needed 
• Together with the leadership team, revise student/parent/faculty handbooks yearly

Qualifications:

You are an ideal candidate for this position if you have/are:

• Demonstrated success in designing engaging experiential education programs
• Strong background in pedagogy, teaching and learning
• Passionate about collaboratively designing systems and structures for student-centered support and programming
• An “all-in” mentality 
• An advanced degree in Education, or equivalent

Salary and Benefits:

• Salary commensurate with experience
• Benefits include: Medical, Dental and Vision insurance, Retirement plan, Tuition benefit 

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume outlining your relevant experience and accomplishments to loewensteins@mjbha.org with the subject line, “MS Dean of Students”