Director of Culture and Belonging

Location: La Cañada, California
Type: Full Time, Regular
Classification: Exempt

About the Role

The Director of Culture and Belonging is an 11-month administrative leader who serves on the Principal’s Leadership Team and reports directly to the Principal. This pivotal role ensures that Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy’s core values of Mission, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (MDEI) are deeply integrated into the daily student experience. The Director coordinates the school’s Human Development curriculum and the Freshman Foundations program to ensure a seamless, equitable, and supportive transition for incoming 9th grade students.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & School Mission
  • Serve as an active member of the Principal’s Administrative Team, contributing to school-wide strategic planning, policy-making, and institutional decisions.
  • Act as the primary steward of the school's mission, ensuring that institutional values are reflected in student life, academic policy, and community norms.
  • Advise the administration on school climate, student well-being trends, and cultural pain points.
• Mission, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (MDEI) Coordination
  • Serve as a member of the school MDEI committee.
  • Collaborate with Affinity group moderators to support and implement school-wide initiatives, workshops, and programming that foster an authentic culture of belonging for all students.
  • Collaborate with faculty and department chairs to ensure diverse perspectives and inclusive practices are present across the curriculum.
  • Serve as a resource and mediator for student affinity groups and equity-focused student organizations.
  • Lead restorative practices or cultural competency training for student leaders and faculty advisors.
• Human Development Program Administration
  • Oversee the scope, sequence, and delivery of the high school's Human Development curriculum (including health, wellness, digital citizenship, and social-emotional learning).
  • Coordinate guest speakers, assemblies, and special seminars related to adolescent development, mental health awareness, and healthy relationships.
  • Partner closely with the school counseling department to align educational programming with proactive student mental and emotional wellness goals.
• Freshman Foundations Coordination
  • Design, implement, and continuously evaluate the comprehensive Freshman Foundations curriculum to support the academic, social, and emotional transition to high school.
  • Support the faculty members who deliver the Foundations curriculum.
  • Monitor freshman cohort dynamics and collaborate with counselors and Student Support Team members to identify and intervene with at-risk ninth graders early.
  • Teach one section of Freshmen Foundations.
• Academic Integration & Inclusive Pedagogy
  • Curricular Audit: Collaborate with the APCI and Department Chairs to audit existing academic curricula, ensuring diverse voices, equitable grading practices, and mission-aligned themes are woven into daily coursework.
  • Faculty Professional Development: Collaborate with APCI and others to develop professional development sessions for the faculty focused on culturally responsive teaching, inclusive pedagogy, and managing sensitive topics in the academic classroom.
  • Academic Skills Alignment: Ensure the academic skills taught in Freshman Foundations (e.g., study habits, time management, digital literacy) directly align with the rigorous expectations of the 9th-grade academic departments.
  • Academic Equity: Partner with the Assistant Principal and Department Chairs to analyze student performance data, identifying and addressing equity gaps in honors/AP enrollment or academic achievement.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, Counseling, School Social Work, or related field preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of high school teaching or counseling experience.
• Demonstrated leadership in DEI work, curriculum design, or student life coordination.
• Practicing Catholic preferred.

Skills

• Exceptional relational intelligence.
• Strong curriculum development skills.
• Ability to manage both macro strategic initiatives and micro logistical details (e.g., advisory scheduling).

Pay

$65,000–$95,000, depending on experience.

Schedule

11-month administrative contract (August–June, with select summer leadership retreat days).

Benefits

• Generous paid days off for holidays, personal days, and sick time.
• 100% employer-paid long-term disability, AD&D, and life insurance.
• Professional development reimbursement.
• 403(b) retirement plan with 5% employer contribution after one year.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with shared premium costs.
• Free lunch provided daily.
• A welcoming, collaborative work environment on a beautiful hilltop campus in La Cañada.