Lower School Dean of Student Wellness

Live Oak School supports the potential and promise of each student. We provide a strong academic foundation, foster skills to effect change, and develop courageous and conscientious learners from all backgrounds. We inspire students to advance equity and inclusion, to act with compassion and integrity, and to pursue a lifelong passion for learning.

The Lower School Dean of Student Wellness strengthens the capacity of the school to promote a healthy school climate by facilitating ongoing support of  students in the classroom and ensuring that support services are integrated into the school community. The Lower School Dean of Student Wellness is to promote student success through student wellness, social-emotional learning, and the Collaborative Problem Solving approach. The Lower School Dean of Student Wellness will remain current on trends in social-emotional learning and wellness services, including the latest educational research findings, and the Collaborative Problem Solving approach.

The Lower School Dean of Student Wellness guides the successful practices of the Lower School that promotes every student reaching their full potential and promise. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

• In partnership with the Collaborative Problem Solving approach, serve as the primary implementation leader of Collaborative Problem Solving approach in the k-4 classrooms, directly supporting students and leading classroom teachers.
  • Serve as the LS lead on theCollaborative Problem Solving approach implementation team.
• Complete the full scope of training through the Collaborative Problem Solving approach partnership including, though not limited to the following: 
  • Essential Foundation in Collaborative Problem Solving (Level 1, 12 Hours)
  • Advanced Concepts in Collaborative Problem Solving (Level 2, 16 Hours)
  • Coaching sessions and Implementation Consultations
• Provide support to teachers in problem solving student conflicts and determine next steps when problems arise.
  • Manage the student resolution process.
    • Connect students and families to resources needed, follow up with teachers on student support and progress, facilitate restorative processes, and advise on student consequences. 
    • Communicate the cycle of student concern and progress to teachers and families. 
• Know the students well, paying particular attention to, and providing strategies for,  students who are at higher risk of facing social-emotional or mental health challenges.
  • Collaborate with Lower School faculty and teachers to identify students in need of mental health services and make referrals to outside providers for assessment, evaluation, and therapeutic services. 
  • Keep up to date current and potential outside resources for mental health support and evaluation.
• Act as a proactive and responsive resource for students, families, faculty on issues that arise involving social-emotional wellness in the lower school student community. 
  • Design and implement the lower school social-emotional learning curriculum.
  • Collaborate with and support lower school faculty in teaching integrated SEL lessons within the class curriculum.
• Support the students’ leadership in building their own positive and community-centric identity.
• Support Lower School participation in school wide activities
  • Support the execution of the Relationship Mapping process
• Collaborate and communicate with the Lower School Division Director regularly.
  • Communicate grade-level updates through the class pages and messages to parents/guardians.
  • Support as needed in school-wide or grade-level meetings.
• Support parent enrichment and education opportunities, including collaboration and support on roundtables. 
• Meet regularly with the Lower School Division Director, Dean of Student Inclusion and Belonging, Middle School Deans of Student Wellness, Collaborative Problem Solving  Implementation Team, Lower School Grade Level Teams, Lower School Student Support Meetings, and Lower School Student Resource Group.

Our ideal candidate desires to: 

• Shape a just and inclusive school that supports and upholds the well-being of all  students. 
• Act with intentionality to build and support trusting relationships with students, colleagues, and families. 
• Communicate effectively across multiple domains in order to deepen the school community’s understanding of best practices in social emotional development. 
• Pursue their own professional growth as a member of an engaged learning community.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Master level education in education preferred
• Experience as a classroom teacher preferred.
• Student support experience in an educational setting.

The Lower School Dean of Student Wellness  is 100% time and reports to the Lower School Director. The Lower School Dean of Student Wellness works collaboratively with the Middle School Deans of Student Wellness, Division Directors, the Learning Services team, the Dean of Student Inclusion and Belonging, and the Lower School faculty. The Lower School Dean  of Student Wellness serves the student body of Live Oak School’s k-4th grade community..