We are looking for an outstanding Dorm Parent (Grades 6-8) to join our team for the 2024-2025 academic year.
West End School (WES) is a scholarship-based, independent, PK- 8th grade school with a mission to provide a safe, structured environment for boys in which academic rigor, character development, and responsible action establish the foundation for a purposeful life. Admission is open to boys who are capable of attaining grade-level proficiency. West End School strives to address the issues boys in our community face by creating for its students a loving environment of high expectations and personal responsibility. Through the School’s rigorous academic and personal standards, we inspire our students to attain the highest possible level of scholarship, character, and intellectual growth. West End School is a Leader-in-Me School.
Our Middle School students board at the school Sunday evenings through Friday afternoons, creating a unique educational experience for the young men and the teachers.The boarding component gives our scholars opportunities to build a community, and provide a safe, structured place during the week to focus on their studies. This also prepares them for the leadership and independence needed to be successful in college and beyond.
WES Dorm Parents reside in an apartment within the WES dormitory and take on a parent-like role or “in loco parentis;” this close interaction allows staff to build relationships with our students and get to know our students’ academic and personal goals, strengths, and weaknesses.
WES Dorm Parents hold high expectations and set standards for the academic success and character development of our students. Dorm Parents must have the ability and skills to build a caring, positive rapport with students, while, at the same time, be able to handle appropriately any challenging discipline issues and/or emergencies when required. Dorm Parents are responsible for the smooth operation of the dormitory, including meals, homework/study hall, wake-up and bedtime routines, laundry, and chores. The abilities to communicate effectively and build a friendly and professional rapport with other adults living in the dormitory are also required.
A Dorm Parent will take on other responsibilities within the school environment based on the school’s needs, including teaching, administrative assistance, and/or coaching assignments.
This is a very rewarding role, but also a very busy one, involving long hours, and requiring a genuine commitment to our boarding community and school as a whole. It involves a lifestyle decision and commitment on the part of one’s entire family.
Ultimately, Dorm Parents are expected to model and uphold the values and expectations of West End School and set standards for good communal living at all times.
- The responsibilities for a WES Dorm Parent are, but not limited to, as follows:
- Supervise students by being highly visible and active in mornings, afternoons, and evenings
- Show a genuine interest and concern for the needs of the boarding students
- Engage students in conversation in the dormitory, meal times, and free times.
- Offer academic and athletic support, partnering with faculty and staff
- Enforce all rules and expectations fairly and consistently
- Enforce consequences and provide rewards
- Create fun social events for students to build a sense of community
- Be actively aware of the whereabouts of students while they are under Dorm Parent supervision
- Monitor rooms and residential wing after lights-out each evening including walking the halls to do rounds periodically
- Actively participate in breakfast and dinner; this includes supervision, preparation, serving, engaging students, and clean-up.
- Supervise after school chores.
- Chaperone and transport students to field trips, off-campus events, and athletic events
- Support other school activities through planning, participation, and supervision
- Cultivate and encourage good decision-making and leadership in students
- Be familiar with, plan for, and effectively implement emergency protocols in the event of fire, assault, or medical emergency
- Model excellent personal housekeeping and monitor the physical condition of the dorm, ensuring that student rooms, common rooms, bathrooms, and hallways are clean and tidy
- Partner with parents in the care of their children, fostering relationships that encourage parental/guardian involvement and ongoing communications between WES and parents/guardians.
- Assist Head of Boarding with opening and closing of dormitory, including issuing WES provided items prior to school opening and collecting, cleaning, and storing upon school closing and deep cleaning the dorm
- Check-in and sign-out residents weekly
- Keep parents and guardians well-informed about students’ progress
- Maintain an open door policy
- Participate in school-wide events (some of these may be in evenings and/or weekends)
- Maintain regular communication with Head of Boarding and other faculty members
- Actively engage in faculty meetings and professional development opportunities
- Perform all job related duties as assigned and in accordance with the rules, policies, and regulations, together with exhibiting high professionalism, standards of conduct, and work ethic
- Other duties as assigned (may include lunch, morning/afternoon supervision, etc)
Qualifications and Experience: An ideal candidate for a WES Dorm Parent possesses:
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree
- Previous work with conflict-resolution skills, peer mediate, crisis management, and the ability to respond appropriately in emergency situations is a plus.
- A minimum of three (3) years teaching or residential experience (residential experience preferred)
- Successful experience working with boys of color from low-income backgrounds
Qualification and Skills:
- Successful background check
- A deeply held belief that all students are capable of success
- Outstanding organizational skills, planning, and professionalism
- High level of attention to detail and accuracy
- Dynamic enthusiasm, energy, and the ability to work hard and long hours
- High degree of initiative, creativity, and tenacity
- Exceptional leadership
- Deep knowledge of the distinct learning and developmental needs of adolescent boys
- Ability to demonstrate compassion while accepting no excuses and taking personal responsibility for resident growth
- A willingness to go above an beyond for the success of our students
- A commitment to igniting a passion for learning in children
- An ability to instill and model a growth mindset for students, never giving up on students
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills
- An undeniable level of integrity and excellent judgment and decision making skills
- A calmness that creates the ability to work under great pressure at certain times
- Experience organizing and supervising student activities
- Proven ability to model and embrace the values and expectations of WES
- Proven ability to seek opportunities for continuous improvement
- A commitment to work collaboratively with a close-knit faculty to do “what’s best for our boys”
- Demonstrated dependability
- Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate with a wide variety of stakeholders (including students, faculty, staff, and families)
- Ability to utilize technology, including Microsoft Office programs (Work, Excel, Power Point) and Google applications (Doc, Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Classroom, etc)
- Valid state of Kentucky driver’s license
- Current First Aid and CPR certification
Statement of Non-Discrimination:
West End School is committed to a policy of equal treatment for all individuals applying for employment at our school. West End School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.
Please follow the given link to apply:
Interested individuals or anyone with questions can email Stacie Farris, COO, at stacie.farris@westendschool.