On Thursday, Feb. 8, Head of the Upper School Lisa Loeb informed the KO community that Interim Dean of Students Kata Baker had been named the official Dean of Students. This announcement followed Mrs. Loeb’s outreach to students interested in being a part of an interviewing committee and the creation of an official search committee of faculty and staff.
In late November 2023, Mrs. Loeb began the process of hiring a candidate for the role of Dean of Students. She started by posting the position and gathering a group of Upper School faculty members to participate in interviewing and selecting from the job applicants. This committee was comprised of Mrs. Loeb, college counselor Matthew Waldman, Spanish teacher Ronald Garcia, math teacher Kristen Valenti, Middle School Dean of Students Kathy Dunn, and Director of Enrollment Management Susan Emory.
Mrs. Loeb reviewed more than 60 applications, narrowing the candidates down to around 15. The faculty committee then interviewed each of the 15 finalists on Zoom for one hour and filled in a standard rubric. “We met right before December break to determine the criteria for the candidates,” Mrs. Loeb said. “We asked, ‘What is going to be important for us?’”
After these online interviews were completed, faculty members discussed which finalists would come to KO for an in-person interview with various students and teachers. Of the two finalists who visited campus, Mrs. Baker was selected for the position.
On the day of those interviews, Mrs. Baker met with a student panel, the Upper School Leadership Panel, and the Wellness Team. “I tried to forget that I worked here and approach it from the perspective of coming to the school as an outside candidate,” she said. “I really wanted to look at us as a school from an outsider’s perspective, and I wanted them to know that I was taking it seriously.”
Sophomore Ella Golino said she enjoyed getting to know the candidates and participating in the interview process. During the day of meetings, Mrs. Loeb guided her and other students in asking questions and provided information about the general role of Dean of Students. “We were all walking in thinking of the Dean of Students as someone to be intimidated by, someone who sets the rules, someone who’s unapproachable,” Ella said. “That’s not really the case. The Dean is someone to go to, just like any other teacher, for help or guidance.”
Mrs. Baker said she deeply valued working with students through this experience. “It’s extra validating to know that not only all the adults that I met with but also the group of kids wanted me to stay in this role,” she said.
Mrs. Loeb was also glad that student input was a part of the process, explaining its significance in setting a precedent for the school. “I think it teaches them about our school and how important student voice is here,” she said. “It was also an authentic assessment for kids to see what a job applicant has to do, specifically answering potential questions when interviewed.”
Ella agreed and believes that she came away from these conversations with more preparedness. “I’d like to think that I contributed thoughtful questions,” she said. “I put time into asking the questions that I did, and I think that they elicited a good response from the candidates.”
Moving forward, Mrs. Loeb hopes to implement a similar application and interviewing process for the open position for Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. “[Head of the Middle School] Ms. Scig and I will be running that search together,” she said. “I just finished one hire, and now we’ve got another!”
