Job Description

Department​
 

Lab School High School Dean of Students Office

About the Department

​

At the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, students in Nursery through Grade 12 experience a world-class educational journey. Founded in 1896 by John Dewey as a place for educators to develop and explore novel approaches to pedagogy and curriculum, Lab continues to provide excitement and imagination in learning to this day. Academic rigor, experiential learning, and intellectual discourse are hallmarks of a Lab education. Lab educators are recognized for excellence in teaching and pride themselves on innovation in the classroom. Students in every grade have access to unparalleled resources, and all members of the Lab community benefit by partnerships and connections with the University of Chicago. Families who choose Lab care deeply about curiosity, inquiry, and creativity.

No less than scholarship, Lab’s mission prioritizes honoring diversity and exhibiting kindness. We are committed to building and supporting a teaching and learning community where young people see aspects of their backgrounds and identities reflected around them, where they feel a deep sense of belonging, and where they discover and use their voices to full effect. Today, 53-59 percent of Lab’s student body are students of color. Families report speaking nearly 40 different languages in their homes. Approximately 60 percent of Lab families are also affiliated with the University of Chicago. Half of our families live in Hyde Park, and the rest come from across Chicago, the suburbs, and northwestern Indiana. Inclusion is a fundamental value at Lab, such that we celebrate every facet of community members’ identities, and even where we disagree, we emphasize respect, civility, and maintaining a spirit of community.

Lab seeks the finest employees to join our vibrant learning community. We employ people with a wide range of skills and training in many different disciplines, who have in common a love of learning and the wish to inspire that same love of learning in young people. We seek candidates for employment who thrive in an educational environment. We provide a great professional home for those committed to collaboration, ongoing personal and professional growth, and cultivating positive relationships. We strongly encourage applications from candidates of color, LGBTQ+ identified candidates, candidates from historically marginalized or underrepresented backgrounds, and candidates with a demonstrated commitment to a deepening diversity, equity, and inclusion practice. In turn, we strive to ensure that Lab is a joyful, welcoming, and inspiring place to work. Through our connection to the University, faculty, staff, and administrators enjoy benefits and opportunities that would be nearly impossible to match in any other environment.

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Job Information​
 

Job Summary:

Provide general administrative, communication support to the Dean of Students, primarily around high school student attendance. Respond to others thoughtfully with clarity, tact, courtesy and compassion - especially when they are under stress or duress. Serve as a primary point of contact for the Dean of Students' office communicating with students, teachers, staff, visitors and parents/guardians on a daily basis in person, over email, and via telephone regarding attendance and general questions related to the Dean's office and the high school. Ensure accurate attendance accounting and reporting of student absences in Schools' database. Resolve attendance related issues ensuring compliance with the Schools' attendance policy. Convey attendance information to the Dean of Students in the High School, and other administrators as requested. Review and report on the teacher's use of the attendance database. Generate attendance reports and send letters/emails as required. Act as a liaison between students, parents, staff, and appropriate administrators regarding student attendance. Provide support to the Dean of Students office generally, and by extension the Principal, Assistant Principal, and/or another administrator. Prepare for and attend after hours school events; examples include parent/guardian Back-to-School night and graduation. Cross train and be familiar with the functions of the secretary/project assistant of the Dean of Students. Develop and maintain an understanding of the organization and culture of the Laboratory Schools and the School Program. 

From the week after graduation until Planning Week, since students are not in session, the Project Assistant II will be assigned summer project work. The projects may vary annually and will typically support the work of other offices, for example: Information Systems, Teacher Mentor Program, Athletics, Family Life Programs, Summer Lab, etc. While the Project Assistant II will report to another person regarding the scope and tasks of the project work, the Dean of Students remains the supervisor of record, and will determine which summer projects the Project Assistant II will complete, and will continue to approve time off and time worked.

Responsibilities:

• Check voicemail and email first thing every morning in order to gather reported absences and tardies from parents. Immediately update PowerSchool with this attendance information. Respond to phone calls and email as necessary to answer questions and concerns. (15%)

• Run the "Teacher Missed Attendance" report every morning in order to ascertain which teachers failed to update attendance the day prior. Write to each teacher on the report and request an accounting for their classes. Update the students' attendance records accordingly. (15%)

• Throughout each school day, run an attendance report every other period in order to track student attendance. Ensure that attendance has been updated from phone calls and emails before reaching out to teachers and parents/guardians to ask about a students' absence. For every student marked absent, write to the teacher to determine if the student arrived tardy. If the student did not arrive tardy, write to the student and their parent/guardian to determine their location. Update the student's attendance accordingly.  If a student cannot be accounted for, immediately notify the Dean of Students (or if unavailable, the Principal/Assistant Principal) so that the administrator can work to locate the student. (15%)

• Run a report weekly of student tardies and absences for review with the Dean. Meet to determine which students and parents require a follow-up email due to too many tardies or absences. Log these data into a Google Excel spreadsheet in order to have an ongoing record for each student. Send out the emails to the students/families. (15%)

• Receive, review and record Pre-Arranged Absence forms. Communicate directly with club/team sponsors for school-sponsored trips when students have failed to submit a form in order to ensure it is submitted. Ensure all required signatures are on the form. Update students' attendance accordingly, based on the form. (10%)

• On a daily basis (as needed): communicate and coordinate with the school nurse about student absences related to illness, reach out to student counselors and teachers as needed pertaining to student illness or absence. (5%)

• When field trips, retreats, May Project, etc are scheduled, ensure that each student’s attendance is updated accordingly in PowerSchool for the affected periods/days. (5%)

• Run an attendance report summary daily at the end of the school day and send to the Athletic Director, Asst Athletic Directors, and Dean of Students. (5%)

• Assist with general clerical work, preparation and distribution of student supplies for student activities, graduation day tasks, collecting, packing and returning graduation regalia, etc. Answer phone calls, direct inquiries, receive visitors to the Dean's office, prepare for and attend after hours school events, such as parent/guardian Back-to-School night and graduation. (10%)

• Summer project work as assigned, week after graduation until Planning Week.

Competencies:

• Paying close attention to detail; ability to recognize and resolve or refer problems and ensure prompt and accurate follow-through.

• Ability to respond to others thoughtfully with clarity, tact, courtesy and compassion - with adolescent students, teachers, staff, parents/guardians, co-workers, supervisor, and other visitors - especially when they are under stress or duress.

• Maintain absolute confidentiality.

• Ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks/projects, set priorities and meet deadlines, with constant interruptions (phone and in person) and noise from the adjacent senior lounge and school cafeteria.

• Ability to organize work, compose correspondence, and maintain records; demonstrated ability to learn a range of position-related software applications.

• Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.

• Work effectively with supervision, independently, and as a part of a team.

• Excellent organizational skills and a high degree of flexibility and initiative.

• Ability to be adaptable to the environment.

• Ability to interact with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students, and parents.

• Knowledge of and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and in developing healthy, supportive relationships with all students, visitors and colleagues.

• Strong knowledge of adolescent development and experience interacting with adolescents .

Additional Requirements​​
 

Education, Experience, or Certifications:

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

• College degree preferred.

Experience:

• Significant reception and clerical experience required, preferably in a school environment.

• Previous experience working in a K-12 office environment preferred.

• Customer service experience preferred.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Knowledge of Macintosh computers, Microsoft Word and Excel required.

• Experience with database and learning management systems required, preferably with Google, Schoology and PowerSchool.

• Significant experience composing correspondence, and maintaining records required.

• Attention to detail and follow-through required; ability to organize work.

• Demonstrated ability to read and understand basic documentation and instruction.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Maintaining absolute confidentiality.

• Detailed work.

• Problem solving.

• Managing stress productively and appropriately.

• Training.

• Oral communication in English; written communication in English.

• Customer contact.

• Multiple concurrent tasks.

• Constant interruptions and elevated levels of ambient noise from the adjacent senior lounge and cafeteria.

• Managing interpersonal relationships by interacting with clarity, tact, and courtesy.

• Identify priorities.        

• Sitting and standing long periods of time.

• Moving boxes/items that weigh 20 lbs or less.

Pay Range:

• $20.56 - $24.60

Required Documents

• Cover letter 

• Resume

• Professional references

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Benefit Eligibility​
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

No

Pay Frequency​
 

Hourly

Pay Range
 

Please refer to Additional Requirements to see the pay ranges

Scheduled Weekly Hours​
 

40

Union​
 

024- Local 743, I.B.T. Clerical

Job is Exempt
 

No

Drug Test Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Health Screen Required

No

Posting Date​
 

2024-09-04

Remove from Posting On or Before​
 

2025-03-04

Posting Statement:​​
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.