KIPP Massachusetts
Job Title: Dean of Students
Reports to: KIPP MA School Leader
Who we are.
KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) is a national network of free, open-enrollment, public schools that are successful in helping students from educationally underserved communities develop the knowledge, skills, character, and habits needed to succeed in college and the competitive world beyond. There are currently
183 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving 70,000 students. Today, KIPP
Massachusetts serves over 1400 students in our five schools in Boston and Lynn and almost 400 alumni on their journeys to and through college with our KIPP Through College Program.
What we do & why it matters.
Nation-wide, only 10% of students from low income communities like Lynn and Boston graduate from college, compared to 84% of their more affluent peers. Preparing our students for successful lives of independence and impact drives the work of all KIPP school leaders, teachers, and staff. Nationally, KIPP alumni graduate from college at 4 times the national average, which is good, but not good enough. We project our Class of 2015, the first to benefit from a 5-12 KIPP education, will graduate from college at 5 times the national average. Our goal is for 75% of our alumni to graduate from college.
Our Schools.
KIPP MA serves over 1,400 students at five schools in 2015-16. KIPP MA will serve over 1,600 students at five schools in 2016-17.
In Lynn, MA, we are building a K-12 education system across three schools. We currently serve students in grade K at KIPP Academy Lynn Elementary School, in grades 5-8 at KIPP Academy Lynn Middle School, and in grades 9-12 at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate High School. We are excited to build our Lynn elementary school to serve grades K-1 in 2016-2017 and grades K-4 by 2019-2020.
In Boston, MA, we are building a K-8 education system across three schools. We currently serve students in grades K-1 at KIPP Academy Boston Elementary and in 5-8 at KIPP Academy Boston We are excited to build our Boston elementary school to serve grades K-2 in 2016-2017 and grades K-4 by 2018-2019.
Across all our schools, 84% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, 14% receive Special Education services, and 20% are identified as English Language Learners. At KIPP, we believe that all kids can and will learn, and our staff members are dedicated to ensuring we serve the needs of all our learners. We are at our best when we are engaging students’ joy and curiosity through rigorous curriculum that will put them on the paths toward lives of independence and impact.
By 2020, KIPP will serve 10% or more of Lynn public school students and join our charter peers in Boston to serve 20% of Boston’s public school students. We will also scale our KIPP through College (KTC) program to serve 857 alumni by 2020, effectively tripling the total number of students served by KIPP Massachusetts.
Work Hard. Be Nice.

Dean of Students
The Dean of Students leads the school’s efforts to create a safe, calm, and joyful school culture. He or she is passionate about supporting our students and our school’s mission by creating, implementing, and tracking culture systems that facilitate rigorous teaching and learning throughout the school. The Dean of Students serves as the main school contact for parents and guardians in matters of discipline and must cultivate productive relationships with all members of the school community, including teachers, staff, students, and families. By modeling behavior management techniques, building and tracking clear behavior management systems, and collaborating to find solutions for at-risk students, the Dean of Students supports teachers in effectively developing strong classroom and school-wide culture.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Working closely with the Leadership Team to develop a safe, calm, and joyful school culture that supports the school’s mission and promotes respect for all students, staff, and parents
 Serving as point person for students and families regarding all disciplinary actions and other culture issues
 Being highly present and visible during school hours, relentlessly ensuring the school has a strong culture both in and out of the classroom including:
 Proactively circulating throughout classrooms and hallways during the day to gain valuable context on student behavior and help support positive school culture
 Leading breakfast, lunch, dismissal, and other school-wide transitions
 Modeling positive interactions with students and a variety of ways to handle misbehavior and disruptions
 Reinforcing the effective use of a school-wide behavior plan
 Intentionally driving a positive school culture by planning and facilitating Friday Joy Time, earned and unearned events and rewards, and other tactics to foster and maintain positive culture within the school
 Providing ongoing professional development and feedback to all staff on issues of discipline, relationships with students, effective use of the school-wide behavior plan, and classroom and school community
 Serving as a resource for teachers to determine best ways to address challenging student behavior
 Collaborating with teachers, counselors, students, and parents to create and implement effective individual behavior plans for at-risk students
 Providing students in crisis with space and strategies to cope and to improve in-class behaviors
 Setting ambitious goals and gathering data to monitor and report progress of self, staff, and students
General responsibilities include (but are not limited to):
At KIPP, we believe that an excellent staff member does the following:
 Believes that all of us can and will learn and creates a positive learning environment with high expectations for all students and staff throughout the school;
 Thrives as part of a team-oriented, mission-driven culture;
 Exudes joy and a love of learning every single day;
 Demonstrates a growth mindset and a desire to continually improve through feedback, coaching, and professional development;
 Constantly assesses progress, communicates results clearly, and uses data to inform decisions and set ambitious goals.
 Has a strong work ethic and commits to doing whatever it takes for students to excel, including committing to an extended work day and remaining available to colleagues, students, and families outside of school hours
Work Hard. Be Nice.

Qualified candidates have the following:
Skills & Experience:
 Bachelor’s Degree required
 Minimum of three years of successful, full time, teaching experience with excellent student results highly preferred
 Demonstrated success in raising the achievement levels of traditionally under-served students preferred
 A belief in the mission and values of KIPP
 Strong track record of results and leadership in a school setting.
 Experience in analyzing student data and using data to inform instruction.
 Experience managing adults; goal-setting, providing meaningful feedback and setting professional, development plans.
 Commitment to the belief that outstanding school leaders, staff, and teachers can achieve excellent outcomes for all students.
 Ability to multi-task and work within an ambiguous, fast-moving, start-up environment, while driving toward clarity and solutions.
 Excellent written and oral communication skills.
 Extreme flexibility, with a strong work ethic and an entrepreneurial spirit to accommodate high levels of responsibility and multiple priorities.
Traits & Qualities:
 Belief that all children can and will learn.
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Ability to persevere with a sense of optimism, strong problem solving skills, and desire to learn and grow in a collaborative professional learning community.
Willingness, and commitment, to go above and beyond to prove the possible with students.
Willing and able to play different roles at the school to meet the varied and constant needs of the
 students and staff at KIPP MA.
Model positive and healthy character traits and habits, as well as the values of KIPP MA
 Willing to do whatever it takes to help our students achieve academic excellence.
To apply:
Internal candidates: If you are currently a member of the KIPP MA team, please apply by emailing your resume to the Recruitment Team at Talent@kippma.org
. Be sure to indicate to which position you wish to apply.
External candidates: If you do not currently work for the KIPP:MA team, please visit our job board at http://kippcareers.force.com/jobboard?site=Massachusetts and complete an online application.
Compensation
Compensation is commensurate with experience and includes a comprehensive benefits package.
KIPP MA is an employment at-will organization.
Work Hard. Be Nice.