The Benjamin School seeks an Upper School Academic Dean for our Palm Beach Gardens campus starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The individual hired will play a key role at The Benjamin School, focusing on teacher development, supervision, and evaluation; professional development; curricular oversight, grading, and initiatives; oversight of department chair and academic support work; oversight of committee work; and selected project work in conjunction with the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, and Head of Upper School. The Academic Dean will report to the Head of Upper School and be part of both the Upper School Administrative Team and the PK3-12 academic oversight team. 

As with each position at Benjamin, the Academic Dean will meet key expectations that apply to all Benjamin School employees. Benjamin faculty members demonstrate support of the School’s mission and policies; consistently model The Benjamin School values; build positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues by establishing effective communication through listening, responsiveness, openness, availability, and approachability; take initiative and ownership in displaying positive work ethic and behaviors and encourages this attitude in others; and maintain proficiency in the field through personal and professional development that strengthens the role and the School. 

Position Requirements:

A Bachelor’s degree is required and an advanced degree preferred, along with a minimum of three years of experience in secondary-level academic leadership (e.g., Academic Dean, Department Chair, Assistant Head, or equivalent role).

The Academic Dean will possess a breadth of teaching and school experience, a strong sense of best practices in student-centered pedagogy, a capacity to work with colleagues positively and cooperatively while in a supervisory role, and the confidence and vision to look at the School as currently configured and project an evolutionary blueprint for its ongoing curricular and pedagogical development. The person in this role will possess the organizational skills to balance multiple undertakings and also be prepared to teach one section per semester, based on school needs. 

On an educational and management level, the Academic Dean will:

• interact positively with the entire Upper School community 
• communicate important academic policies and initiatives clearly and confidently to all Upper School constituents 
• maintain a high level of discretion around sensitive issues and discussions 
• engage in discussions that may determine a person’s professional future at Benjamin 
• exhibit a proclivity for saying ‘yes’ to new ideas, but the discipline to say ‘no’ when appropriate to students, parents, and colleagues
• retain a sense of humor regarding the daily pieces of school life
• feel comfortable working with a broad range of people with diverse views on best practices in education
• maintain an ‘even keel’ daily, with students, colleagues, and families in the face of the issues and crises, small and large, that inevitably arise

In addition, the Academic Dean will:  

• observe, supervise, and help evaluate the faculty in the development and implementation of curriculum, supervise the teaching process, and review and evaluate the academic programs;
• direct, in conjunction with the members of the Upper School Student Services team and college counselors, the creation of the master schedule.  
• oversee the activities of the department chairs and faculty committees.   
• make recommendations to the Head of the Upper School regarding the hiring, retention, and assignment of faculty. 
• expertly utilize Blackbaud for grading and scheduling, as well as creating and generating academic and administrative reports,
• work with the Upper School Head on programs for the orientation of new Upper School teachers, for in-service training of all teachers, and for the evaluation of classroom teachers, to ensure that teachers are familiar with and adhere to school policies in all areas of the school operation. 
• promote the ongoing integration of technology into the classrooms.  
• conduct regular meetings with faculty and department chairs that focus on both routine school matters and issues of educational/philosophical interest and concern.  
• manage the Academic Support team on the academic guidance of students, accommodations, and testing; work with the Registrar to maintain complete academic records on all students; oversee the grading and the reporting of standards and methods used by teachers in measuring student achievement.  
• serve as a resource for teachers in matters of classroom management, teaching methods, and general school procedures; 
• work with the Lower and Middle School Academic Deans on curriculum alignment, teacher observations, and school-wide professional development initiatives
• perform other duties as assigned by the Head of School and/or Upper School Head.  

Physical and Work Requirements

• Duties may involve extended periods of standing, walking, sitting, talking, and hearing.
• Occasional movement throughout the school is required, along with the ability to lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.
• Ability to work more than seven hours per day.

These statements describe the general nature and level of work assigned. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties, which may evolve in a dynamic work environment. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

The Benjamin School offers a competitive salary and an outstanding benefits package, which includes Medical, Dental, and Vision, AFLAC, 403B Retirement, Paid Time Off, Flexible Spending, Student Tuition discounts, Educational Assistance, and School-paid Basic Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability. For additional information, please visit our website at www.thebenjaminschool.org.

If selected to advance in our hiring process, you will be required to complete both a background check and a drug screening. In accordance with state regulations, your background check will be conducted through the Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse. For more information about the Clearinghouse, including its purpose, FAQs, and additional resources, please visit:  https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Email your resume and letter of interest to employment.openings@thebenjaminschool.org. Please refrain from telephone inquiries.

DFWP/EOE

About The Benjamin School

Go Benjamin. Then Go Anywhere. At The Benjamin School, students begin a lifelong pursuit of understanding, embracing the excitement of learning, and realizing its unlimited power. Beginning in our PK3 classrooms and continuing through grade 12, students have the opportunity to discover and explore their passions. With sprawling campuses in North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, students spend plenty of time outdoors enjoying their natural surroundings. A community of just over 1,300 students is rooted in a shared commitment to excellence, achievement, and a strong sense of values. Students learn to balance confidence with humility, and competitiveness with collaboration to reveal their best selves and to bring out the best in each other. An exceptional faculty guides children to experience gratification through the pursuit of knowledge. Our Lower School program begins with WOW, our Worlds of Wonder program for 3-year-old students and continues through grade 5. Joy and inspiration guide teacher interaction with our young learners as students explore new concepts and skills through hands-on discovery, teacher-guided investigation, and project-based learning. A warm and ...caring atmosphere centered on the 12 Benjamin Values promotes a sense of respect for one’s self and others and encourages a spirit of belonging. Students are inspired to develop their full potential intellectually, artistically, physically, socially, and emotionally as they mature into the best version of themselves. From the moment middle school students in grades 6-8 arrive on campus, they are guided by a community of supportive educators passionate for teaching the early adolescent. Our exceptionally skillful and creative teachers are characterized by their commitment to the individual student's academic success. An engaging and challenging learning environment fosters confidence, self-esteem, global understanding, personal and civic responsibility, and a love for learning. An interdisciplinary focus rich in technology gives students the tools to apply newly acquired knowledge. A rigorous core curriculum reinforces basic skills and innovative course electives introduce students to a wealth of novel and meaningful information. With 23 Advanced Placement courses and a dozen Honors courses, our Upper School students in grades 9-12 are challenged in all subject areas. Rigorous work is deemed an opportunity by gifted and dynamic teachers who impart academic challenges with clear expectations and support. Character Education is implicit in all we do, and students adhere to the School’s Honor Code with respect and courtesy central to the learning experience. Twice-weekly advisory meetings are held, where faculty serve as advocates for their advisees and foster the personal growth of our upper school students. A comprehensive selection of electives, curricular and co-curricular sports, art programs, and over 40 clubs enable students to discover various opportunities and achievements. Our students excel beyond academics, earning visual, performing, and digital arts awards. A robust athletic program prepares an average of 20% of our graduates to pursue collegiate athletics each year. Benjamin alumni are currently playing in the NFL and MLB. While our curriculum prepares students for the nation's most selective colleges and universities, our College Counseling Office works closely with students to target institutions that best satisfy their individual interests and aspirations. They start here. And from here, they see that they can go anywhere.

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