Lower School Dean of Students

The Shefa School is a Jewish community day school in Manhattan serving students in grades K-8 who benefit from a specialized educational environment in order to develop their strengths while addressing their learning challenges. We specifically serve students with language-based learning disabilities who have not yet reached their potential levels of success in traditional classroom settings. Shefa is a pluralistic community school, serving families across the range of Jewish involvement and observance. At Shefa, we believe that differences are a source of strength and that we are all enriched by a diversity of perspectives.

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The Shefa School is seeking a full-time Lower School Dean of Students to join our Lower School Leadership Team. This is a 10-month faculty position.

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● Mentor and provide coaching in classroom management to Lower School faculty members.

● Support student behavior and discipline under the direction of the Heads of Lower School, including implementing appropriate consequences.

● Work collaboratively with teachers and the psychology team to create proactive and reactive behavior management plans in response to student needs.

● Communicate proactively with families regarding behavioral concerns and progress, ensuring consistent and compassionate home–school communication in partnership with classroom teachers and the psychology team.

● Partner with school leadership and psychology team to address student services and special support needs.

● Collaborate with administration, psychology team, specials teachers, and other staff to implement Responsive Classroom practices and Social-Emotional Learning curriculum across the Lower School.

● Provide on-the-ground behavioral support during arrival, lunch, and dismissal.

● Lead occasional professional development workshops for staff on topics related to classroom management and behavior

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● Master’s degree in Special Education, School Leadership, School Psychology/Counseling, or a closely related field

● Minimum of 5 years of experience working in a special education setting, preferably at the elementary level

● Demonstrates experience leading student behavior systems, including proactive supports, restorative/problem-solving practices, crisis intervention, and developmentally appropriate consequences

● Exhibits skill in building a positive school culture through community-building routines (e.g., Responsive Classroom structures and SEL skill-building); training or certification in Responsive Classroom preferred

● Experience mentoring and coaching teachers in classroom management, including providing constructive feedback through observation and coaching cycles

● Understanding of the intersection between learning disabilities and social-emotional development, including the impact of executive function challenges on behavior

● Strong written communication skills (family follow-up, behavior plans, meeting notes)

● Proven ability to collaborate effectively with psych/clinical teams, administrators, teachers, and related service providers, and to build strong, responsive relationships with families through consistent home–school communication

● Cultural competency and experience working with diverse family structures and backgrounds

● Proficiency with student information systems and behavior tracking/documentation tools

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