The dean system at Harvard-Westlake is unique. At the Middle School there is one male and one female dean for each grade level. The deans' offices are open to students and double as a student lounge and study hall. Deans lend academic, social, and emotional support daily to the students. At the Middle School, the 7th grade deans work with each new 7th grade class. The 8th and 9th grade deans alternate and stay with their class for two years.
At the Upper School, a student is assigned to one of nine Upper School Deans who he/she stays with for all three years of Upper School. This dean is the person the student will go to for all academic, personal and disciplinary counseling; the dean is also the college counselor. There is a great deal of individualized attention, because each dean has only 30 counselees in each grade level.