The Role
The Dean of Culture leads school culture, student intervention, behavior support, and community engagement. Responsibilities include analyzing achievement, attendance, discipline, and culture data; overseeing differentiated student programs; developing intervention and recognition systems; coordinating support staff; facilitating professional development; communicating with families and stakeholders; and reinforcing school norms through walkthroughs and accountability systems.
Summary Generated by Built In
** Applications will be received until November 9, 2026. If the position is not filled by then, we may consider applications submitted after the deadline. Interested applicants must apply online by visiting the Denver Public Schools job board at careers.dpsk12.org. **
About this job:
The Dean of Culture supervises all coordinators (staff and faculty) of school events and celebrations as well as security personnel. Cultivates an inclusive school environment where all stakeholders are supported to take risks as a learner. Creates and maintains shared norms for the school, regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic and gender identity, etc. Ensures that all students are successful in the learning community, through coordination and oversight of intervention services to maximize the potential of all students.
What DPS Offers You:
- A Culture that values Equity, Accountability, Integrity, Collaboration and Fun with a shared vision that Every Learner Thrives.
- Click HERE for the DSLA-Deans Salary Schedule. For more information on compensation for these roles, click here.
- In addition to competitive compensation, DPS has other Total Reward offerings such as; time off, health and wellness benefits, and PERA Retirement. For more information visit our New Employee Resources.
What You'll Do:
- Proactively reviews and manages student achievement data to identify student needs (e.g. remediation, Individualized Education Program); creates structures to recognize and reward student academic achievement and success, both at the individual and group levels.
- Develops a vision for school culture in collaboration with the school leadership team and community; advocates for students through family and community communications and integration.
- Oversees the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs for differentiated student groups, such as special education and gifted and talented.
- Develops differentiated reward and intervention programs for student and teacher culture.
- Ensures adherence to policies and procedures of student intervention programs.
- Maintains consistent communication with administrators, teachers, students, families, and community to ensure that school culture norms are effectively articulated and reinforced; models the school’s mission and values for professional conduct; and creates systems and processes that celebrate successes and redirect on-going areas of concern.
- Establishes and maintains systems for collecting and tracking school culture metrics (e.g. discipline, attendance, etc.); proactively analyzes and identifies student behavior data trends.
- Facilitates staff professional development to ensure consistent enforcement of school culture.
- Coordinates a variety of support staff for student programs and services; may manage parent liaison or restorative practice staff, if applicable, and/or serve as a liaison for administrators, teachers, students, families, and community.
- Conducts regular walk-throughs to support accountability to culture norms; hosts regular office hours.
What You’ll Need:
- Hold a High School Diploma or equivalent, required.
- Hold a DPS Dean Certification (to be obtained within two years of hire).
- Hold a Special Education certification and/or Gifted and Talented certification, preferred.
- Have 3+ years experience as an educator, including progressively responsible experience in education working with teachers and school leaders on behavior management and school climate, counseling, mental health, trauma-informed practices and programing and/or mentoring, required.
- Lead for racial and educational excellence and work to dismantle systems of oppression and inequity in our community, along with believing in and supporting all students so they feel seen and heard with access to high quality education.
- Live and work with a permanent home address in Colorado while working with us.
- Have the ability with or without accommodations to meet the physical demands of the position.
Denver Public Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender expression, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or any other status protected by law or regulations. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions be based on job-related factors.
Students First. Integrity. Equity. Collaboration. Accountability. Fun
About Us With 193 schools, over 89,000 students and over 10,000 staff members, Denver Public Schools is the largest urban school district in Colorado. We’re focused on building a system that’s designed to help every student thrive. We’re re-focusing our efforts where they matter most: on creating classrooms that are vibrant centers of learning, where caring teachers are engaging their students in rigorous, culturally responsive experiences in order to lift all students toward a bright horizon. Visit the Denver Public Schools website for more information.
Skills Required
- High school diploma or equivalent
- DPS Dean Certification within two years of hire
- Special Education certification and/or Gifted and Talented certification
- 3+ years of educator experience, including progressively responsible experience working with teachers and school leaders on behavior management, school climate, counseling, mental health, trauma-informed practices, programming, and/or mentoring
- Commitment to racial and educational excellence and dismantling systems of oppression and inequity
- Permanent home address in Colorado while working for Denver Public Schools
- Ability to meet the physical demands of the position with or without accommodations
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The Company
What We Do
The mission of Denver Public Schools is to provide all students the opportunity to achieve the knowledge and skills necessary to become contributing citizens in our diverse society. In DPS, we’re focused on building a system that’s designed to help every student thrive. We’re re-focusing our efforts where they matter most: on creating classrooms that are vibrant centers of learning, where caring teachers are engaging their students in rigorous, culturally responsive experiences in order to lift all students toward a bright horizon. In the last ten years, DPS has experienced unprecedented growth and an expansion of programs. Building on the strong progress we’ve made, we want to continue transforming DPS into a school district grounded in equity. This districtwide focus on equity will be embedded in everything we do, so that we can help break historical patterns and become a school district that is designed to inspire every student to dream big and make their own future. View all of our current career openings here: https://careers.dpsk12.org/
