Overview

　　We seek middle school deans of culture and community (DCC) who are passionate about building and leading a school culture that serves every student and the whole student. Our DCCs are the champions of our Responsive Classroom and restorative practices approach at our middle schools. They ensure our staff provide a rich, joyful learning experience where every student learns and grows. The dean will provide cultural leadership to the teaching staff and oversee the implementation of school-wide systems and procedures. In addition, the dean of culture and community will drive the impact of critical partnerships: with the leadership team to ensure that all students, including those with exceptionalities, have the access and support needed to achieve; with families to ensure a true partnership is built and results in positive outcomes for the student; and with grade-level leaders to ensure each grade level achieves culture goals and establishes a positive, joyful learning community.

　　Join us as we foster our students’ innate curiosities, encourage discussion and debate, and guide students to think, imagine, debate, and create.

　　Why extraordinary leaders lead at Ascend

　　Ascend is a network of K-12 public charter schools serving 5,800 students in 15 schools across Brooklyn—New York’s most populous borough. Our undertaking is to lead our students on a great intellectual adventure, provide them with an exceptional college-preparatory education, and place them firmly on the path to success in college and beyond.

　　We guide our students to think critically and independently and to enjoy education as an end in itself. We teach a rich and rigorous liberal arts curriculum that nurtures students’ natural curiosity about the world. We foster a positive, non-punitive school culture where students feel connected, empowered, and safe to take academic risks. Even our school buildings are designed to reflect our high aspirations for teaching and learning and the notable accomplishments that occur within our walls.

　　To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we invest heavily in our faculty by providing ongoing professional training and support and encourage our educators to collaborate closely and push each other to achieve great outcomes. Leading at Ascend means growing deeply in your career, expressing your voice, and playing a defining role in the future of your students, your school, and the Ascend network.

　　Ascend is committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist community through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.

　　Learn more about the Ascend approach by visiting our website.

　　Responsibilities

　　School culture

　　Leads and drives the school’s family partnership vision and strategic plans, including establishing partnership guidelines and support that results in reciprocity amongst our schools, our families, and our communities, and drives learning from and with each otherCo-leads the planning and execution of Tier 1 interventions, including serving as a model and delivering feedback to strengthen interventionsLeads and manages culture data systems (i.e. attendance, referrals, and logical consequences), related communication structures, and data-driven action plans that ensures data is used to strengthen school and classroom culturePartners with the leadership team in leading school-wide morning meeting, advisory, and community meeting planning and executionPartners with the student service team to implement systems that continuously provide the highest leverage support for vulnerable studentsSupports and partners with grade-level leaders and culture associates to ensure grade levels achieve culture goalsCoaches and manages staff to achieve family communication vision and expectations, including providing effective family communication that benefits student learningPlan, leads, and oversees family and community events that reflect our vision and values

　　Curriculum and instruction

　　Develop teachers' ability to foster and maintain a safe and culturally responsive classroom that results in a love.Partners with student service team and leadership team to ensure that all students, including those with exceptionalities, have the access and support needed to achieve and demonstrate readiness for the next grade

　　Fostering a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist community

　　Models and supports a race equity culture, including skill-building and leading self and others through awareness, growth, and developmentPartners to plan and execute individual or team activities with systems that support continuous improvement with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and excellenceServe as DASA liaison (Dignity for All Students Act)

　　Effective teaming

　　Serves as the manager and coach for culture associatesCoaches and develops staff, including planning and leading professional development, on behavior management, responsive classroom, and social-emotional learningPromotes and develops strong teams that collaborate, communicate, and work together for Ascend students and the communityObserves and supports grade-level leaders in their planning and facilitation of grade-level meetingsWorks collaboratively, leverages data, and thinks flexibly to continuously improve school culture systems and decision-making processes that strengthen outcomes

　　Staff and reporting relationships

　　The dean of culture and community reports to the principal and supervises all culture associates.

　　Qualifications

　　Bachelor’s degree, with an advanced degree, preferredAt least three years teaching experience with a proven track record of elevating student achievement and classroom culture metricsAt least one year of experience leading, managing, and coaching a team of adults that demonstrates an ability to drive results through othersA passion, commitment, and expertise in responsive classroom and restorative practicesA hunger for feedback and self-improvementA high level of ownership over the overall outcomes of the scholars they leadA hunger for feedback and self-importantSelf-awareness, with an ability to treat all members of the school’s community with respect and an accurate idea of one’s strengths and areas of growthStrong collaboration, interpersonal and communication skills, including working effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectivesStrong organizational, self-management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to handle many responsibilities simultaneouslyAlignment with the educational philosophy and core beliefs of Ascend Learning

　　Compensation

　　Initial salary offers for this position range from $85,000 - $115,000. Salaries are determined using an equitable compensation scale that accounts for years of experience and levels of attained education.

　　Diversity at Ascend

　　Ascend is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community, both through our hiring practices and our focus on creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students. Ascend staff represent a wide diversity of racial, socio-economic, gender, religious, and national identities—opening a window to the entire Ascend community on the richness of humanity. We welcome all applicants who share our mission and vision to join us in our deeply consequential work.