ROLE TITLE: Dean of Students, Detroit Summer Learning Institute
POSITION REPORTS TO: Managing Director, Educator Fellowships (Lizzie Stewart)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis through March 20, 2026
LOCATION: The Dean of Students will work primarily at the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences, located in Detroit, Michigan. Some training sessions will take place off-site at various Detroit locations.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
TFA Detroit/Michigan (Det/MI) is seeking an education professional to co-design and support a positive school culture for staff and students at the Detroit Summer Learning Institute. The Dean of Students will build, monitor, and refine culture systems that maximize instructional time, both during the morning’s academic block and the afternoon Enrichment block. The Dean of Students will model building strong relationships, creating strong systems, and utilizing data to make informed decisions related to the culture and climate of the Detroit Summer Learning Institute.
WHAT YOU’LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
Responsibilities for the Dean of Students, Detroit Summer Learning Institute
Create and monitor systems for a strong school culture, including whole school incentives, shared routines and procedures, and a classroom culture matrix
Develop and support Enrichment partners around building a strong classroom culture; ensure Enrichment staff feel part of the larger DSLI staff, including through shared systems, rituals, and routines
Utilize student and staff data to make pivots as necessary
Support a subset of Mentor Teachers and/or corps members in building a strong classroom environment
Support student needs related to culture; this may include working directly with students or building the capacity of Mentor Teachers/corps members.
Serve as a point of contact for families on matters related to student culture; this may include direct contact with families or supporting Mentor Teachers/corps members in having conversations with families
A WEEK IN THE LIFE
During our intensive five-week summer practicum, the Dean of Students will operate as a leader at the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences. They will support the student experience from arrival through dismissal, building systems that ensure instructional time is maximized, giving feedback around student culture to teachers, working with Enrichment partners around building strong classroom culture, and being in regular communication with students and families. They will also spend time analyzing quantitative and qualitative data to assess any areas of refinement and will work with other Detroit Summer Learning Institute leaders on making these adjustments.
YOUR EXPERIENCE
Competitive Candidates will have the following characteristics and experiences:
Previous Experience
At least 5 years of relevant experience working in schools that serve under-resourced communities
Experience coaching teachers in formal or informal settings.
Experience building out, monitoring, and analyzing the results of systems
Experience leading other adults in informal capacities.
Skills
Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to develop and steward relationships to bring people together into shared purpose.
Expertise in best practices in school culture; can translate expertise into coaching and/or professional development sessions.
Ability to gather data (qualitative and quantitative) to inform perspective; deep desire and commitment to gain context on the environment and experiences of fellows.
Entrepreneurial mindset, willing to build, test, and iterate on the design of products and spaces, and solve problems with creative solutions.
Deep desire to learn and grow. Proactively solicits feedback and implements coaching into their work products and ways of operating.
Strong organization systems with an ability to track multiple moving pieces and ensure deliverables are met in a timely manner.
Exceptional attention to detail with an ability to produce high-quality materials for external and educator audiences.
Would be described as a servant leader, who can lead by decentering self and investing in the growth and learning of others
YOUR COMPENSATION
The Dean of Students, Detroit Summer Learning Institute, will be compensated at a rate of $37.69 per hour, with approximately 240 hours of work total for the summer.
DURATION
The Dean of Students' role will start on June 29, 2026, and end on July 31, 2026. Summer Training will begin on June 15, 2026. Check out the Pre-Service Start Wave and Practicum timelines here.