Salary is depending on experience and on-campus housing availability
Required Education:
4 Year Degree
Upper School Dean of Student Engagement
Position Description Santa Catalina School is a vibrant, independent, Catholic school offering student-centered co-education to PreK through grade 8 and an all-girls’ boarding and day college preparatory upper school serving grades 9 through 12. Santa Catalina exists to develop in each student a striving for excellence, a maturing awareness of moral and spiritual values, a sense of responsible purpose, and a determination to serve the world with courage, grace, and compassion. With the cornerstones of excellence, spirituality, service, and responsibility, the school is committed to providing a supportive learning community for each student to grow in their intellectual, personal, and spiritual life, making Santa Catalina a transformational educational experience for its students.
Position Summary Santa Catalina School, a nationally recognized PreK-12 independent, Catholic school in Monterey, California, seeks an experienced and talented educator to support the student experience as it relates to life in the Upper School. The Dean of Student Engagement partners with the Upper School leadership team to enhance the robust programming available to Santa Catalina Upper School students. This position supports the school, its mission and values, and its leadership while serving the educational, emotional, personal, and social needs of its students, with the ultimate goal of educating students to lead lives of meaning and purpose.
Position Description The Dean of Student Engagement is a full-time academic leadership position responsible for many of the programs and organization of student activities and opportunities for the school. The Dean oversees a mission-driven, comprehensive, and high-quality student activities and leadership program grounded in the mission and identity of Santa Catalina School. Reporting directly to the Head of Upper School, the Dean plays an important role in building community through co-curricular student experiences. This position has an active presence on campus.
Santa Catalina School believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to its success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities. Therefore, this position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit the incumbent nor the organization to just the work identified. It is our expectation that each employee will offer his/her services wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our endeavors.
Essential Responsibilities
Oversee the Veritas Journey Program curriculum, manage and facilitate Journey Day logistics, and support advisors and Class Deans in their work with students to ensure curricular fidelity and implementation of grade-level, theme-driven curriculum
Guide the Class Deans in the delivery of the Journey curriculum by meeting as a team and with individual Class Deans regularly
Collaborate with the Class Deans to plan and deliver class-level activities to help ensure overall program excellence
Design, build, and oversee service projects and programming
Oversee the Student Senate, serve as Senate advisor, and develop a cohesive student-centered government model that develops leadership skills of Student Senate members
Oversee, help organize, and manage all student clubs, ensuring similar structure and attention is received by student groups
Partner with the Dean of Students as appropriate in the management of school events
Design and deliver student activities to enhance the co-curricular program of the school, meeting the needs of students throughout the year, including partnering with Dean of Students and Residential Life on weekend activities
Maintain a school-wide calendar to communicate all activities
Serve as an advisor and Class Dean
Collaborate on designing and running of daily assemblies
With the Dean of Students, be responsible for student decorum and Santa Catalina’s student norms of behavior, and help maintain student adherence to school policies
Capitalize on all student gatherings to intentionally further the messaging of expectations of students and deepen students’ understanding of the school’s mission and identity
Manage the student activities budget
Keep the Head of Upper School and the Dean of Students fully informed on student matters, such as attendance, health, and discipline issues, and all other relevant matters pertaining to student and school life
Share in the staffing of Student Services from 8:30 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Share in driving responsibilities
Be available for student support in the event of an emergency
Demonstrated success working with adolescents, preferably in an all-girls environment
Five years or more of high school-related experience, preferably in an independent school setting, or work equivalent
Experience in a boarding school environment preferred
A commitment to the mission and identity of Santa Catalina School
Ability to teach a course in the Upper School as needed preferred
Ability to travel to participate in conferences, meetings, etc.
Successful completion of a LiveScan criminal background check as required by law
Competencies
Enthusiasm and authentic interest in working with students and colleagues dedicated to Upper School education
Understanding of and appreciation for an intentional all-girls learning environment
Exceptional communication, including writing, speaking, teaching, meeting facilitation, and presentation skills
Ability to lead through complex situations with grace and empathy
An entrepreneurial spirit capable of leading change with clear vision, thoughtful communication, and ongoing feedback
Demonstrated professional and personal commitment promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competence and the ability to foster rapport with individuals from diverse experiences
Awareness and engagement with the social-emotional complexities of Upper School students
Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines
Intermediate technology skills, including Microsoft and Google Suite
Strong interpersonal skills, including good listening, tact, intuition, and confidentiality
Strong organizational and record-keeping skills
Commitment to professional growth and education
Ability to create responsive, caring, and appropriate relationships with students, families, and colleagues
Understanding of the dynamics of a school community
Ability to assess and respond to the needs of the school and act as a representative of the school
Ability to function well under stress
Supervisory Responsibilities
This position does not supervise other employees
Working Conditions and Compensation
Work at a desk and computer screen for extended periods of time each day
Ability to access buildings and facilities throughout a 36-acre campus, with reasonable accommodations, in order to meet with students and faculty
Work in a school environment with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and people
Additional time is required beyond a normal day or week for evening and weekend meetings
Living on campus is ideal for this position and will be discussed
Santa Catalina School offers competitive insurance and retirement benefits
Salary Range: $65,000–85,000 depending on experience and on-campus housing availability
Equal Employment Opportunity
Santa Catalina School is an equal-opportunity employer. Employment at Santa Catalina School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by the law.
To Apply
Interested candidates should visit our website to complete and submit an application, resume, and cover letter:
Electronic submission of candidate papers in .pdf format is preferred.
Santa Catalina provides reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with disabilities. Applicants who need accommodations to participate in the application process should contact employment@santacatalina.org.