Deans and Advisors

A Robust Support System of Trusted Adults

At Castilleja, every student has a dean—who organizes community-building activities, leads the retreat, and serves as a touchpoint for students as they rise into different leadership roles within the class. Every student also has an advisor—who gets to know the small group of peers in the advisory very well, becoming a trusted adult to celebrate achievements with and seek guidance from when challenges arise.

Grade-Level and Class Deans

At some schools, grade-level deans work with the same age group every year. In this model, the 6th grade dean is always the same person and that person works with a new group of 6th grade students each year. At other schools, class deans move up as their students do, so the Dean for the Class of 2030 would remain with those students from one year to the next. 

At Castilleja, we see the benefits of both models, so we use both. In 6th through 9th grades, there are grade-level deans who specialize in everything from developmental milestones to important study skills to joyful community traditions associated with that grade and stage in life. Then in 10th through 12th grades, the class deans travel with their students, getting to know the grade as a community and the individuals within that group extremely well, gaining a deeper understanding of them as they become more independent and rise into leadership roles. This flexible approach is a perfect example of the adults at Castilleja modeling the Learning and Leading Competencies—including Agility, Collaboration, and Valuing Multiple Narratives.

The Role of a Dean

Marcella Ramirez teaching

7TH GRADE DEAN MARCELLA RAMIREZ
As a grade-level dean, I plan engaging and growth-oriented activities for advisories on Mindset Monday, Task Tuesday, and Thoughtful Thursday. I also keep students informed about schedule shifts and work with the 7th grade team of teachers to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. Being a grade-level dean allows me to make sure students are organized and not worried about the minutia, so they can focus on the important work growing into themselves. It also allows me to support my grade-level colleagues in their work with students.

CLASS OF 2027 DEAN JEFF MAYFIELD
class dean, I strive to be seen as an approachable adult, student advocate, behind-the-scenes coordinator, and faithful fan of extracurricular endeavors. I like being a dean because it allows me to engage with more students and support them in various ways, whether academic, socio-emotional, or extracurricular. Furthermore, being a grade-level dean presents many opportunities for me to work with other community members in meaningful ways.

Advisors


In the Middle School, students meet in advisory groups daily. Some days they might play lighthearted games and other days they might be asked to step outside their comfort zones by taking on a leadership role or exploring complex issues of the day together. No matter what, this daily practice of coming together is extremely grounding, helping students to feel known and gain confidence at the same time. 

In the Upper School, students meet in advisory groups on a rotating schedule during community time. Like in Middle School, some of that time is spent in relaxed conversations, allowing bonds to grow and students to feel more at ease with each other and their advisor. At other times, they explore more complex questions related to current events or global issues. Upper School advisors also help students navigate the academic and extra-curricular landscape, supporting them as they select their classes and make choices about after school, leadership, and other opportunities.     

In both divisions, these groups are built carefully, trying to make sure that students have people they can count on as friends and people they can build new relationships with over the course of the year. 

The Role of an Advisor

6TH GRADE ADVISOR EVELYNE NICHOLAU
At first, we help the girls connect with each other, navigate a new school, and feel  a sense of belonging. The girls are very busy, and advisory gives them time to think, hear from each other, and realize that they have the same concerns or dreams. We talk about their expectations of themselves, what success means to them, and how their attitude can impact their experiences. Some of the girls are very serious in class, and during advisory I discover other aspects of their personalities and see how creative they are. Being an advisor also influences my choices as a teacher—during advisory they might share concerns that they would not mention in class, and as a result sometimes adapt what I do in the classroom. Advisory allows me to get to know the whole child.

9TH GRADE ADVISOR CHRISTY STORY
Advisory is where connection happens. I love being part of a student's journey to build resilience, practice compassion, take risks, and stretch beyond their comfort zones—all while creating a safe space for laughter, growth, and authentic relationships. Through shared experiences like retreats, campus-outings, and playful games in advisory, 9th graders grow socially, emotionally, and academically throughout their first year in high school while building friendships outside their usual social circles. Being an advisor means getting to know students in a completely different way, acting as a trusted adult mentor, connecting students to resources, and helping them determine what they need to thrive.