Dean of Student Culture

Job Description

About 5280 High School:
5280 is Colorado's only recovery high school—serving youth in recovery from addiction. 5280 is a public charter school authorized by Denver Public Schools that provides a high-quality learning environment within a substance-free community. It is a small school of roughly 100 students with an extremely strong and collaborative community of staff and students. We are casting a wide net for candidates and would love to hear from you if you believe you are a great fit!

5280 High School is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of 5280 to afford equal employment and advancement opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, disability, marital status, medical condition, or any other classification that is protected under applicable local, state or federal law.

Job Summary:
The Dean of Student Culture serves as a key leader in fostering a school environment where recovery, belonging, accountability, and academic growth are deeply interconnected. This position helps ensure that students experience a culture of safety, connection, and support that promotes both sustained recovery and educational success. This position plays a pivotal role in staff development, student intervention, behavioral support, and wellness coordination across the school. This position reports to the School Principal.

This individual works directly with students, staff, and families to address behavioral concerns, coordinate wellness responses, and lead professional development in restorative practices and trauma-informed care. Additionally, they support operational leadership in areas such as assessment coordination, MTSS, and advisory systems.

Key Responsibilities:

Student Wellness & Behavioral Support

• Serve as a key interventionist, responding to and supporting behavioral incidents in real time.

• Assess the nature of student behaviors and collaborate with the recovery team or trusted adults accordingly.

• Develop, implement, and monitor individualized behavioral support plans.

• Facilitate restorative conversations and relational repair between students and staff.

• Track behavioral data, monitor trends, identify outliers, and ensure consistent follow-up and support.

• Run attendance team and support school-wide attendance goals and family engagement.

Staff Development & Capacity-Building

• Lead professional development on trauma-informed practices, restorative practices, and student wellness.

• Coach and support teachers and staff in implementing relational and trauma-sensitive practices.

• Build systems to increase staff understanding and implementation of culturally responsive behavior supports.

• Lead staff and student conflict resolution through restorative practices that promote open dialogue, mutual understanding, accountability, and relational repair.

• Collaborate in staff evaluation process to ensure that all staff are creating a welcoming and caring environment for all students.

Wellness Systems & Student Services

• Implement a real-time behavioral response protocol in partnership with recovery staff, ensuring students receive timely and appropriate support from the right team members.

• Collaborate with the Director of Recovery, Principal, and other staff on individualized student concerns.

• Participate as a key member of the enrollment team to ensure that all students are properly supported and welcomed into the 5280 community.

• Support programs such as Intersessions, Student-Led Conferences, post-secondary readiness, and student advisory.

Assessment & Operational Leadership

• Serve as the Site Assessment Leader (SAL) for CMAS, MAP, SAT, and ACCESS testing.

• Support and coordinate data collection and school-wide assessments to ensure compliance and success.

• Track and communicate progress toward school goals including academic, wellness, recovery, and operational targets.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Work closely with the School Principal and leadership team to align programming with the school’s mission.

• Support alignment of school policies and handbooks with best practices and school vision.

• Actively participate in strategic planning, charter renewal processes, and school compliance efforts.

• Cultivate strong relationships with families and community partners to enhance student wellness and engagement.

This position is on a 205 contract schedule. This is a grant-funded position.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

• Demonstrated experience implementing restorative practices and trauma-informed approaches.

• (Preferred) Experience in instructional leadership or school administration.

• Strong skills in conflict resolution, relationship-building, and student intervention.

• Ability to analyze behavioral and attendance data to drive interventions.

• Experience working with adolescents in educational, behavioral health, recovery, or youth-serving settings

• Passion for 5280’s mission and belief in the potential of students in recovery.