DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE - USA
START DATE: BY AGREEMENT
CLOSING DATE: UNTIL FILLED
Description of School:
UWC-USA is an international boarding school. It enrolls up to 240 students in grades 11 and 12. All students follow the IB Diploma Program. Roughly twenty percent of the students come from the U.S.; the remainder represent more than 90 different countries. Students are admitted on the basis of merit, potential, and promise.
Description of Position:
The UWC-USA program – a two-year experience that integrates our Academic, UWC CAS (Creativity, Activity and Service), and Residential curricula – prepares a highly diverse group of students to serve as catalysts for greater unity, peace and integral sustainability in the world. We support students in the practice of our mission during their two years on campus and challenge them to live our mission for a lifetime.
The Dean of Student Life supports the leadership of the Associate Head of School by creating the conditions for an excellent, equitable, and inclusive UWC mission- and values-aligned student life experience and by leading and innovating within all student life programming including residential life, basecamp team organization and support, student leadership development, student health/wellness, and student discipline from a restorative justice perspective.
As the lead student life administrator, the Dean of Student Life manages the development of the student life curriculum and supporting policies, coordinates their implementation among faculty and students, supports and develops a mission-aligned faculty, and maintains timely and effective communication with key stakeholders. As a member of the Program Team, the Dean supports and contributes to an integrated student and faculty experience across the academic, experiential, and residential curricula. Direct work with students is a critical part of the role, so the Dean of Student Life will live on campus and be expected to be fully present for the residential experience.
The Dean fulfills their responsibilities in accord with the UWC mission and values as well as the school’s strategic plan, foundational documents, IBDP authorization, ISAS accreditation, best practices in experiential education, and collaboration with the NM Public Education Department.
Position Responsibilities
I. Leadership
Consults closely with the Associate Head on matters integral to faculty and student experience in the student life curriculum
Leads on diversity, equity, inclusion and access in executing all responsibilities
Leads on sustainability and constructive engagement of conflict in executing all responsibilities
Serves on the Program Team
Serves on the Student Success Team
Shares pedagogical leadership across the program with other designated curriculum coordinators (e.g., IB Diploma Program Coordinator, UWC CAS Director)
Participates in the planning and execution of full faculty meetings and assemblies for students and/or faculty
Contributes to the development and implementation of the student advisory program
Creates and maintains regular reports to the Associate Head on the performance of students and student life faculty in order to help assess and improve the quality of the student life experience
Leads the annual review, revision, and approval of the student handbook
Serves as the weekend Administrator on Duty (AOD) on a rotating basis
Serves as an active, visible, and engaged convening presence in the everyday life of UWC-USA and at school activities and events
II. Administration
Manages the development of the student life curriculum and supporting policies In collaboration with the Associate Head of School, coordinates the planning, implementation, and monitoring of strategic initiatives focused on developing the student life curriculum
Develops the student life curricula for an excellent, integrally sustainable 2-year student experience
Makes recommendations regarding the major elements of the student life curriculum to the Associate Head, including programming structure, basecamp team offerings, diploma/certificate credit allocations, and staffing strategies
Documents and reports to the Associate Head on the student life curriculum on an annual basis; provides reports to the Associate Head for SLT and Board presentations o Maintains an annual cycle for reviewing and updating student life policies, including risk management
Leads the periodic review, revision, and approval of the student life handbook o Leads mandated policy development in accordance with “Culture” in the IB standards and practices
Contributes to periodic timetable review and design
Executes delegated portions of the IB accreditation, ISAS accreditation, and NMPED diploma certification processes
Oversees student life collaboration with the local community and partners
Coordinates the implementation of student life curriculum and policies among faculty/staff
Plans faculty orientation in collaboration with the Associate Head and Dean of Teaching and Learning; leads designated elements of orientation
Provides ongoing pedagogical leadership for student life faculty/staff, including the promotion of key elements in the curriculum
Recommends the annual calendar dates for the student life curriculum
Plans student life faculty/staff meetings in collaboration with the Associate Head of School; leads designated elements of these meetings
Chairs weekly Health Team meetings
Communicates with the student life faculty/staff about students with accommodations
Manages the budgets for the student life curriculum
Advises student life faculty/staff on policy application and oversees compliance
Coordinates the implementation of student life curriculum and policies among students
Plans student orientation in collaboration with the Associate Head of School and Dean of Teaching and Learning; leads designated elements of orientation
Communicates clearly and consistently on behavioral expectations of students to students, employees, parents, and National Committees; oversees compliance in keeping with school commitment to student handbook, code of conduct, and restorative justice
Serves as the lead adjudicator on student violations of community standards and manages student discipline
Maintains and applies the restorative justice program as part of student discipline
Leads our pastoral approach to attendance across the curriculum, including meeting with students and communicating with parents about attendance concerns
Anticipates and engages conflict among students and supports skill building for constructive engagement
Coordinates with residential coordinators and advisors to monitor student progress and attendance as basecamp team members
Identifies “students of concern” to the coordinator of the Student Success Team and Associate Head
Ensures adequate staffing for student off-campus permissions and travel arrangements
Oversees major programming in the student life curriculum
Oversees management of the Getaway Family Program
Fosters ongoing student and faculty collaboration in the student life curriculum
Supports and develops mission-aligned faculty and staff
Chairs interview committees established for hiring student life faculty/staff; recommends candidates to the Associate Head
Collaborates with the Dean of Teaching and Learning in the supervision of IB faculty who sponsor basecamp teams
Plans internal professional development and training sessions for the student life faculty/staff in collaboration with the Associate Head; leads designated elements of these sessions
Works with the student life faculty/staff to determine external professional development opportunities including but not limited to the scope of the IB and UWC; makes recommendations to the Associate Head
Recommends retention decisions to the Associate Head
Maintains timely and effective communication with key stakeholders
Key stakeholders include the Associate Head, Program Team members, IB faculty, students, parents or guardians, community partners, national committees, UWC partners, and the IBO
Other responsibilities include, as needed
Collaborate with the college counseling office to shape guidance for students regarding their post-graduation commitments
Collaborate with the admissions office to monitor student acceptances and readiness for the co-curricular and residential curricula
Collaborate with the alumni office to monitor progress of alumni or students who transition to other programs
III. Supervision
Supervises directly the Director of Residential Life, Student Wellness Counselor, and Head
Nurse, to include ensuring that they successfully fulfill their primary position objectives,
mentoring them and guiding them through a thorough program-wide performance review cycle and recommending retention decisions to the Associate Head
Participates in the evaluation of all faculty and other employees who sponsor basecamp teams within the school’s residential program
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Strong identification with the vision, mission and values of UWC-USA and ability to articulate and translate them in strategic and day to day implementation of programs
Three or more years of successful teaching in a multicultural school and in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
Demonstrated capacity to provide leadership in the social-emotional growth and well-being of young people in residential learning environments
Ability to proactively build a culture of safety, respect, and responsibility in the student body
Knowledge of curricular practices, research and methodologies for secondary residential school environments
A proven track record of supporting student and faculty performance and retention
Knowledge of principles of experiential education
Commitment to learning and modeling constructive engagement of conflict among colleagues and students
Knowledge of restorative justice practices in educational settings
Knowledge of best practices in diversity, equity, inclusion and access and the requisite skillfulness to support student and staff growth in this area and to facilitate critical conversations in the design of inclusive curriculum and programs; demonstrated commitment to such practices
Commitment to learning and modeling personal, communal, and environmental sustainability
General familiarity with relevant laws and regulations that govern educational institutions
Ability to use good judgment in establishing priorities and assessing and engaging difficult situations
Exemplary discretion and confidentiality
Ability to collaborate with colleagues within the profession, including within the larger UWC movement
Empathetic leadership style; open, accessible, and collaborative
Outstanding organization and communication skills, including spreadsheets/GSuite
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Required Education & Experience
Master’s in Education, International Education, Experiential Education, Independent School Leadership/Administration, or related field.
10+ years of experience in a minimum of two schools, in a position of leadership or significant involvement in educational leadership and supervision in an international, boarding, or diverse context.
At least three years in secondary, residential schools.
Required License
Valid NM Driver’s License, and must be insurable by the schools insurance carrier
Desired Qualifications
Experience implementing curricular innovations
Theoretical and practical background in residential education
Independent, international and/or boarding
Ability to teach one IB subject
Application for Position:
To apply, please send your CV and relevant documents to hr.director@uwc-usa.org and include REF: IBSchooljobs.com - Application for Position as Dean of Student Life.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but the school will be reviewing applications from 15 December and reserves the right to appoint at any time.
In accord with our mission, UWC-USA seeks to prepare students to be catalysts for a more peaceful and sustainable world. Two core practices, the constructive engagement of conflict and integral sustainability (including a goal of carbon neutrality by 2030), are centering forces for our programming and operations. In your application, please elaborate on your interest, experience, or understanding of these core practices and discuss how you would hope to contribute to them in your role.
UWC-USA does not discriminate in its educational programs, activities, or admission and employment practices based on race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, ancestry, or any other legally protected class.