Dean of Student Support

Position Summary:

In person

In partnership with the School Leadership Team and as a School Administrator the Dean of Student Support provides mentoring and leadership to students in building their social-emotional skills through connections & intentional programming activities. They provide students with executive functioning support & reinforcement to progress in their independent work and grow as learners. They offer guidance that allows students to become self-directed & positive community members to develop within our school-wide learner outcomes.

The Homework Café (HC) is at the center of student life on every Fusion campus. The primary focus of this space is twofold: students complete their independent work and make social connections with their peers. The Director of Homework Cafe is responsible for ensuring the HC meets Fusion’s brand promise, managing the HC operations, and developing and maintain a comprehensive, well-rounded student experience.

Requirements for this position include a bachelor’s degree in counseling, education, or a mental health related field, and at least 3 to 5 years working with adolescents. The ideal candidate must have the ability to build authentic connections with others, as well as engage with a wide range of students (age, personality, needs), have expert facilitation skills, demonstrate a compassionate and prosocial approach to student behavior, the ability to mentor students through stress and conflict, and remain calm in a high-paced environment. This person will support the entire leadership team to create a healthy balance for students between productivity toward homework completion, socialization, wellbeing, and fun.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• As an Administrator and member of the School Leadership team provide mentoring, counseling, and guidence to all students and create a positive group climate through excellent facilitation practices.
• Develop and organize student social opportunities through campus programming such as yearly events, community service, weekly student meetings, field trips, and daily activities.
• Monitor and help students’ progress in the completion of homework.
• Support the Homework Cafe Director and team to build executive function and social-emotional skills through 1:1 mentoring connections and group activities.
• Guide students through stress and conflict with mentoring conversations.
• Create daily and weekly opportunities for students to build and foster healthy relationships.
• Support the Homework Cafe Director and team to manage student-centered campus rhythms.
• Lead professional development around adolescent development and behaviors.
• Follow Fusion’s mental health and student guidance framework.
• Communicate with all stakeholders around student progress: share successes and develop strategies to ensure holistic progress.
• Provide input for students’ quarterly goal setting.
• Facilitate the administration of formal assessment tools and surveys.
• Support the Homework Cafe Director and team to manage the HC teaching team and ensure the space is staffed appropriately, providing adequate student support.
• Other duties as assigned.

Candidate must have knowledge and/or experience in:

• Experience as an Administrator is preferred (6-12th grade school counseling background educators who've moved into Administration)
• Bachelor’s degree in counseling, education, or a mental health related field. Master's degree in mental health, counseling, education is a plus.
• At least 3-5 years working in an environment with adolescents who demonstrate a wide range of learner and social-emotional profiles.
• Strong group facilitation skills and the ability to maintain a positive social environment for students.
• Ability to teach social-emotional skills and create opportunities for peer connections.
• Ability to foster creative adolescent programming ideas.
• Experience with compassionate discipline, conflict resolution & pro-social communication models (Collaborative Problem Solving, Non-Violent Communication, Restorative Justice, Motivational Interviewing).
• Experience & expertise in adolescent development, learning differences, and social-emotional difficulties. (Equivalent roles may be: Community Program Coordinator, Student Behavior Specialist, Student Program Specialist, Creative Arts or Recreation Therapist, Student Dean, or School Guidance Counselor).
• Strong pro-social communication strategies and mentoring skills.

Competencies Desired:

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships.
• Possesses a clear understanding of professional boundaries.
• Demonstrates strong social-emotional intelligence.
• Exercises strong judgement, patience and a problem-solving approach when addressing issues.
• Ability to handle a fast-paced environment and embrace change with flexibility.
• Prioritizes a humanistic and student-centered approach when working with students.
• Creates a fun environment through a joyful and humorous disposition.
• Demonstrates strong organization skills, with the ability to constantly multi-task and self-direct.
• Ability to speak clearly and concisely in written and oral communication.
• Demonstrates solid listening and communicating skills.
• Possesses the motivation to achieve goals and meet deadlines.
• Ability to engage and empower diverse student populations.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality or sex.