Office of the Dean of Students

 

 

Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB
Dean of Students
Email: oblatejames@ourladyoftepeyac.org
Phone: 773-522-0023 x113

 

What to contact the Dean of Students about:

  • Attendance 
  • Campus safety
  • Discipline
  • Driver’s Education
  • Medical 
  • Positive student culture
  • Restorative Justice
  • Student social emotional well-being (in collaboration with the Student Services Team)

New from the Dean of Students Office

Effective 2025-2026 school year - all available in the HandbookNew and Updated Policies

  • Phone-Free Policy
    • In order to create a positive and present learning environment, the school will now be a phone-free environment from 8:00 am-3:00 pm. 
  • Birthday Policy
    • Students will be allowed to come out of uniform on their birthday and it will be announced on the PA during morning prayer and pledge. 
  • Swearing Policy
    • Students will be offered an alternative accountability option to detention when they use language they are not supposed to, which is putting $1 in the Community Swear Jar. 
  • Social Media Policy
    • Updates made to our social media statement further explaining expectations of students when using social media and their relationship to the school. 
  • Attendance/Tardy Policy
    • Updated tardy policy outlining new steps for accountability based on a tiered system after a certain number of tardies. 

Detention Updates

  • Detention will now take place twice a  month on Saturday from 9 am-12 pm. Students will serve detention for the amount of time they have received. 
  • Students will be expected to bring school work and a book to read as the following will not be permitted during detention: using personal electronic devices, eating, or sleeping. 
  • It is strongly recommended students wear appropriate comfortable clothing as they may be asked to help with a project for a teacher or other staff member that may require movement. Students should not wear non-gym shoes (no heeled shoes, flip flops, crocs, etc.). 
  • Students who are tardy between 5-8 times within a quarter will receive a detention during Formation each time they receive a tardy between 5-8 times. 

Safety Updates

  • Updated safety plans in conjunction with Archdiocesan templates. 
  • All rooms are now equipped with a walkie talkie for urgent and emergency situations.
  • All people in the building will wear an ID or visitor badge when in the building. 
  • All non-email text-based communication has transitioned to Google Chat, a safe environment approved tool through our school’s Google Space. 
    • Student cell phone numbers will only be available to Administration and will be kept on file in the Main Office for emergency purposes.

Dean's Office Leadership

The Dean’s Circle is a student leadership group committed to fostering a culture of accountability, empathy, and community at Our Lady of Tepeyac High School. Rooted in the values of Catholic Social Teaching and the Gospel call to reconciliation, the Dean’s Circle serves as a vital bridge between students and administration in upholding a safe, respectful, and restorative school environment.

The Dean’s Circle includes Peer Mediators, specially trained student leaders who support their peers in navigating conflicts and repairing harm through restorative justice practices. These mediators facilitate structured conversations that promote mutual understanding, encourage personal responsibility, and help rebuild relationships impacted by conflict. 

The Restorative Justice Action Team is a leadership group of faculty and staff formally trained in restorative justice action. The team exists to promote, implement, and support restorative justice practices across the school community, fostering a culture of accountability, healing, and relationship-building. This team collaborates closely with the Dean’s Circle.

2025-2026 Dean’s Office Leadership Goals:

  • Increase student awareness of human wellness through the promotion of a “whole person mindset”: body, mind, and spirit. 
  • Reduce disciplinary incidents through updated policies and procedures rooted in restorative justice. 
  • Improve relationships among students, faculty, and staff.
  • Foster empathy, accountability, and respect throughout the school community.

Restorative Justice and Social Emotional Learning
Restorative Justice and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) will become the foundation of policies, procedures, and programs that will help build a positive student-centered and led school culture at Tepeyac.