TITLE Principal, Elementary School
QUALIFICATIONS Professional Educator License (PEL) with General Administrative or Principal Endorsement required
Earned Master’s Degree
Minimum five years teaching or administrative experience at the elementary level
REPORTS TO Assistant Superintendent, Elementary Education
PRIMARY To meet the primary responsibility of improvement of
RESPONSIBILITIES instruction and to spend at least fifty-one (51) percent of time
on curriculum, instruction and staff development. To maintain
a safe and positive environment for students and staff. To
assist in the accomplishment of District 203 goals and policies.
PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Living a Mission and Vision Focused on Results
- Facilitate efforts to establish and implement a shared mission and vision for the school that leads to academic growth for all learners;
- Ensure that the school’s identity, vision, and mission drive all school decisions;
- Set priorities in the context of improving student achievement
- Align the educational programs, plans and actions to the district’s vision and goals for student learning;
- Create symbols, ceremonies, and activities that support the vision and mission of the district
- Develop communication strategies to inform stakeholders of progress towards the vision and mission of the district;
- Conduct difficult but crucial conversations with individuals, teams, and staff based on student performance data in a timely manner for the purpose of enhancing student learning and achieving improved results.
2. Leading and Managing Systems Change - Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of school improvement targets which measure school wide academic achievement and school climate indicators;
- Establish and maintain a safe, effective learning environment;
- Collaborate with district and school staff to allocate personnel, time, material, and adult learning resources appropriately to achieve school improvement plan targets;
- Support district and school goals by managing fiscal and physical resources of the school responsibly, efficiently and effectively;
- Utilize current technologies to support leadership and management functions;
- Demonstrate an understanding of the change process and use leadership and facilitation skills to manage it effectively.
3. Improving Teaching and Learning - Collaborate with staff to develop and implement a consistent framework for effective teaching and learning that includes a rigorous and relevant standards-based curriculum, research-based instructional practices, and high expectations for student performance;
- Establish a continuous improvement cycle that uses multiple forms of data and student work samples to support individual, team, and school-wide improvement goals, identify and address target areas for improvement, measure outcomes and celebrate successes;
- Ensure that differentiated instructional practices which address identified student needs are implemented with fidelity;
- Select and retain teachers with the expertise to deliver instruction that maximizes student learning;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of instruction and of individual teachers by conducting frequent formal and informal observations and provide timely, specific feedback on instruction as part of the district teacher appraisal system;
- Ensure the development of high performing instructional teacher teams by providing training and support grounded in best practices which are designed to advance student learning and performance;
- Ensure that professional growth plans are linked to data derived from school improvement plan results and teacher evaluations;
- Develop and revise as needed his/her own professional development plan for continued improved performance
4. Building and Maintaining Collaborative Relationships - Create, develop and sustain relationships that result in active student engagement in the learning process;
- Utilize meaningful feedback of students, staff, families, and community in the evaluation of instructional programs and school practices;
- Engage families and communities proactively in supporting student learning and the school’s shared mission, vision and learning goals.
5. Leading with Integrity and Professionalism - Treat all people fairly, equitably, and with dignity and respect;
- Demonstrate personal and professional standards and conduct that enhance the image of the school and the educational profession;
- Create, model behavior, and support a climate that values, accepts and understands cultural diversity and multiple perspectives;
- Protect the rights and confidentiality of the students and staff
6. Creating and Sustaining a Culture of High Expectations - Establish and monitor a culture of high aspirations and achievement for every student;
- Require staff and students to demonstrate consistent values and positive behaviors aligned to the school’s vision and mission;
- Lead a school culture and environment that successfully develops the full range of students’ learning capacities – academic, creative, social-emotional, behavioral and physical.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT 260 day contract; salary and fringe benefits established annually by the Board of Education. Starting Salary - $108,000 annually or higher commensurate with equivalent work experience
EVALUATION Performance evaluated annually in accordance with District procedure
