Website Town School for Boys
Town School for Boys
Dean of Upper School Character and Culture (Full Time)
Since 1939, San Francisco’s Town School for Boys has had a rich history as a school specializing in teaching boys. The school is also known for the Town School New Teacher Institute and its commitment to training teachers new to their craft. The school’s goals include teaching boys to be good citizens, to enjoy their childhood, to develop a positive sense of self, to give back to their greater community, and to develop academic and intellectual skills which will serve them well through their lifetimes. The school prizes its growing diversity of background, religion, and race, as well as the diversity of interests which is so noteworthy in its student and alumni bodies. Located in San Francisco, Town School for Boys is a K-8 independent day school. Since its founding, Town School has been committed to providing the best possible education for boys and is recognized as one of California’s leading independent elementary schools.
Position Description:
Town School for Boys seeks a full-time Dean of Upper School Character and Culture. This new role will work closely with the Upper School Head, and in partnership with the grade-level deans, team leaders, and upper school faculty to sculpt the culture of the Upper School, grades 5-8. The ideal candidate will be empathetic and grounded in the reality of middle school boys’ lives, have extensive experience working with middle school students, and have a deep respect for the intellectual and social-emotional development of boys. A teaching credential or master’s degree is preferred. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don’t believe you meet every one of our qualifications described.
COVID Procedures:
When schools were forced to close their physical doors the spring of 2020, Town quickly and successfully pivoted to online learning, supported by thorough planning and a nimble team of faculty, administration and Board members. In the fall of 2020, Town was the second school in the city of San Francisco to be granted permission to reopen, taking exceptional caution to protect the safety of faculty and students. Since October 2020, we have welcomed all grades in the building five days a week, with mask and ventilation protocols in place and/or following all SF Department of Health Guidelines. We will continue to take measures to ensure the safety of our community in the fall of 2022.
Duties and Responsibilities Include:
- Work in partnership with the Upper School Head to cultivate positive student culture in alignment with school values
- Build trusting, supportive relationships with all school constituencies, including students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators
- Serve on the Upper School Leadership Team (grade level leaders)
- In partnership with the Upper School Head and Upper School Leadership Team:
– Lead the alignment and further development of the Upper School Advisory Program
– Lead the Upper School Service Learning Program
– Develop weekly assemblies, with an additional partnership with the Student government program. - Teach the Upper School Experiences classes
- Partner with school leadership to support strategic initiatives such as enhanced character development programming, wellness, executive functioning curriculum and the integration of GOA courses for middle school students.
- Support development of the school-wide SEL program, RULER.
- Partnering with school leadership to develop written and in-person parent education to support and align with the implementation of the initiatives carried by this role
- Additional responsibilities will depend on the scope of the role as it develops, but could include: serving on the Learning and Leadership Team, overseeing the 8th Grade Capstone Project, serving on the Families Committee or other responsibilities as appropriate for the needs of the school
- School-wide responsibilities include recess and lunch supervision, and grade level and faculty meetings.
- Other responsibilities may include committee work, chaperoning outdoor education/field trips, and attending student performances and athletic events.
Desired Qualifications and Skills:
The ideal candidate will have a passion for working with middle school students, and a demonstrated commitment to developing and implementing innovative approaches to learning. Candidates should have experience with project-based learning, incorporate inquiry-based instruction, and enjoy collaborating with team members. Cultural competency is an expectation of this candidate and includes the integration of diversity and global awareness into the curriculum. Candidates should be strong in their use of technology tools for teaching. We hope to find a candidate who enjoys and values shepherding boys through the emotional ups and downs of their middle school years.
Town School for Boys Mission
At Town School learning is prized, love of school is essential, and boyhood is celebrated.
Philosophy:
As an all boys’ school, Town provides a rich, challenging and rigorous educational experience that addresses the distinctive energy levels and developmental styles of boys. Town values being a diverse community that nurtures integrity, sensitivity and respect in its boys, and prepares them to become productive and contributing members of an ever-changing world.
Town School Values:
Respect: We respect ourselves and others.
- We treat others the way they want to be treated.
- We practice good listening, compassion and empathy.
Curiosity: We are curious.
- We ask questions, think critically and solve problems.
- We seek opportunities to reach our highest potential.
Belonging: We all belong.
- We embrace and celebrate each of our unique stories and experiences.
- We seek to ensure that every member of our community feels an equal sense of inclusion.
Integrity: We act with integrity.
- We have the courage to do the right thing even when nobody else is watching.
- We always try our best and when we fail, we try again.
Joy: We are joyful.
- We make space for play, fun and laughter.
- We know joy can be found in hard work, risk-taking and perseverance.
Statement of Teaching Philosophy:
Our goal is for each boy to be engaged in an environment that weaves together collaboration, critical thinking, integrity, empathy, and creativity. These broad skills, as well as a firm grounding in core academic competencies, offer boys an excellent preparation for their further education. We promote social and emotional learning as a foundation of academic excellence and self-discovery. We prepare students to meet challenges in the world by helping them develop an appreciation for a variety of perspectives from the local to the global. We celebrate diversity by fostering a community of learners built on mutual respect. Learning experiences are inclusive, relevant, flexible, innovative, and adapted to reflect the needs of all kinds of learners. In our joyful, active, and collaborative school, boys flourish.
We achieve these goals through an authentic curriculum that originates in the classroom, travels through the halls, and extends into the world. Our teaching balances traditional methods with key student-centered approaches including inquiry, project-based learning, and teaching for understanding. We stay relevant and current through our testing of innovative, research-based approaches. We model a commitment to lifelong learning, and we hone our craft by pursuing professional development and sharing knowledge with one another.
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential core values of Town School. The best education for our students requires a diverse experience because a broad spectrum of ideas is essential for understanding different perspectives, challenging assumptions, and inspiring curiosity, to support critical and complex thinking.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where each boy is free to be himself, and where boys are confident and secure in their own identities. We equip each boy with the tools to explore differences in experiences, background, beliefs and ideas. We seek to provide each student with the support and resources he needs to succeed and thrive at Town School.
A diverse and vibrant community is essential. To build and sustain such a community, we reach out to enroll students and families from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, religions, and sexual orientations, and we recruit and retain faculty, staff and administrators from the same broad range of backgrounds. We cultivate an environment where every member of the Town community senses they matter as a significant part of the life of the school. Only when each person feels valued and is engaged may the school and the individual achieve their full potential.
Non-Discrimination Policy:
Town School for Boys admits students of any race, color, religion, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship programs, athletic and other school-administered programs.
Salary and benefits are commensurate with our peer schools in the San Francisco Bay Area and with similar-sized NAIS schools.
Application for this position can be found at https://town-school-for-boys.hiringthing.com/. To learn more about our faculty culture and community in general, please visit our Employment page.
