School Names Head of Middle School

“I can’t imagine anyone better suited to lead our Middle School into the future than Dean Clayman. An experienced and gifted educator, Dean brings a wonderful mix of fun, intellect, strength, and humility to his daily work with the boys and his colleagues,” said David Dini. “It has also been great to watch Jason Lange step into his new role in the Middle School. Well-known for his inspiring work in and out of the classroom, Jason has made a seamless transition and formed a great partnership with Dean.”

Dean Clayman joined St. Mark's in 2007 as the Assistant Director of Admission. In 2012, he began teaching Middle School humanities and joined the Middle School Office as Assistant Head. He worked with Head of Middle School Warren Foxworth ’66 until Warren's retirement. Since then, Dean has served as Interim Head of Middle School and teaches humanities.

“St. Mark’s Middle School is replete with talented, caring people, and it is such a joy to be part of this community,” Mr. Clayman said. “My role here is the most invigorating, challenging, and rewarding work of my entire career, and I feel fortunate to come to this School each and every day.”

Dean received his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his master’s degree in education from California State University at Dominguez Hills. He began his career with the Teach for America program in Southern California and served as a classroom teacher, language resource teacher, technology specialist, and Professional Development Coordinator. Prior to his relocation to Dallas, Dean worked as a Program Director for the California Department of Education, leading a teacher training and evaluation project. A native of Boston, Dean resides in Dallas with his wife Jennifer and two sons, Ben ’18 and Sam ’17.

Jason Lange joined St. Mark's in 2014 as a sixth-grade humanities teacher. Since then, he has become an integral part of the Middle School, coaching, advising, and working with the Wilderness Program. This summer, he moved into the Middle School Office as Interim Assistant Head and still teaches humanities. Jason is an avid world traveler, having visited nearly 100 countries across all seven continents. Over the summer of 2017, he spent more than 40 days traveling with Marksmen, leading student trips through Bhutan and the Pecos Wilderness. He also served as the lead chaperone of the Choir's International Tour to England.

“It’s a great privilege and honor to have the opportunity to continue the good work that Dean and I have begun,” Mr. Lange said. “I can’t imagine a better place – or a better group of colleagues and boys – to continue my journey as an educator.”

Jason earned his undergraduate degree in history and English at Tulane University in New Orleans and a master’s degree in education from Webster University. He began his career in education at Chaminade College Prep, an all-boys school in his hometown of St. Louis. There, he taught middle school English and history to grades six and eight, developed an outdoor education program in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, coached lacrosse, and became an advocate for boys’ education. After 11 years at Chaminade St. Louis, Jason was offered a position at Hong Kong International School in China. He continued his role in the classroom, gaining a healthy Eastern perspective on Western education.