2025-2026 Elementary School Principal - Northbrook School District 28
Salary Range: $120,000-$145,000, or commensurate with experience
Benefits Eligibility: Eligible for full-time benefits for certified personnel, including insurance for medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability; tuition reimbursement; sick, personal and vacation days
Work Year: 7/1/2025 - 6/30/2026
Qualifications:
1) Master's Degree in Education; Advanced Certificate or Doctorate is preferred
2) Illinois Professional Educator License with General Administrator or Principal Endorsement
Reports to:
Superintendent of Schools
Major Responsibilities & Duties:
The Principal is the instructional leader of the school and is responsible for its day-to-day operations. The Principal administers duties under the supervision of the Superintendent, and in accordance with rules, regulations, and policies of the School Board. The Principal is responsible for performing such other duties as the Superintendent may delegate.
The Principal is accountable for meeting the standards as outlined in the Illinois Performance Standards for School Leaders. These standards are used as the basis for principal evaluation and include:
1) Living a Mission and Vision Focused on Results - The principal works with the staff and community to build a shared mission, and vision of high expectations that ensures all students are on the path to college and career readiness, and holds staff accountable for results.
a. Coordinates efforts to create and implement a vision for the school and defines desired results and goals that align with the overall school vision and lead to student improvement for all learners.
b. Ensures that the school's identity, vision, and mission drive school decisions.
c. Conducts 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 results.
2) Leading and Managing Systems Change - The principal creates and implements systems to ensure a safe, orderly, and productive environment for student and adult learning toward the achievement of school and district improvement priorities.
a. Develops, implements, and monitors the outcomes of the school improvement plan and school wide student achievement data results to improve student achievement.
b. Creates a safe, clean and orderly learning environment.
c. Collaborates with staff to allocate personnel, time, material, and adult learning resources appropriately to achieve the school improvement plan targets.
d. Employs current technologies.
3) Improving Teaching and Learning - The principal works with the school staff and community to develop a research-based framework for effective teaching and learning that is refined continuously to improve instruction for all students.
a. Works with staff to develop 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.
b. Creates 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 areas of improvement and celebrate successes.
c. Implements student interventions that differentiate instruction based on student needs.
d. Selects and retains teachers with the expertise to deliver instruction that maximizes student learning.
e. Evaluates the effectiveness of instruction and of individual teachers by conducting frequent formal and informal observations providing timely feedback on instruction as part of the district teacher appraisal system.
f. Ensures the training, development, and support for high-performing instructional teacher teams to support adult learning and development to advance student learning and performance.
g. Develops systems and structures for staff professional development and sharing of effective practices including providing and protecting time allotted for development.
h. Advances instructional technology within the learning environment.
4) Building and Maintaining Collaborative Relationships - The principal creates a collaborative school community where the school staff, families, and community interact regularly and share ownership for the success of the school.
a. Creates, develops and sustains relationships that result in active student engagement in the learning process.
b. Utilizes meaningful feedback of students, staff, families, and community in the evaluation of instructional programs and policies.
c. Proactively engages families and communities in supporting their child's learning and the school's learning goals.
d. Demonstrates an understanding of the change process and uses leadership and facilitation skills to manage it effectively.
5) Leading with Integrity and Professionalism - The principal works with the school staff and community to create a positive context for learning by ensuring equity, fulfilling professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity, and serving as a model for the professional behavior of others.
a. Treats all people fairly, equitably, and with dignity and respect.
b. Demonstrates personal and professional standards and conduct that enhance the image of the school and the educational profession. Protects the rights and confidentiality of students and staff.
c. Creates and supports a climate that values, accepts and understands diversity in culture and point of view.
6) Creating and Sustaining a Culture of High Expectations - The principal works with staff and community to build a culture of high expectations and aspirations for every student by setting clear staff and student expectations for positive learning behaviors and by focusing on students' social emotional learning.
a. Builds a culture of high aspirations and achievement for every student.
b. Requires staff and students to demonstrate consistent values and positive behaviors aligned to the school's vision and mission.
c. Leads a school culture and environment that successfully develops the full range of students' learning capacities—academic, creative, social-emotional, behavioral and physical.
Required Skills/Abilities:
- Excellent supervisory and leadership skills.
- Effective interpersonal skills with the proven ability to professionally communicate with educators, parents, and community leaders.
- Ability to collaborate with a variety of different stakeholder groups.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to present information in front of both large and small groups using a variety of mediums.
- Ability to administer multifaceted operations in a school setting.
- Thorough understanding of applicable local, state, and federal educational laws, regulations, policies, and requirements.
- Deep understanding of instructional pedagogy, curriculum trends, and best practice in professional learning.
- Critical thinking and problem solving skills.
- Ability to analyze and organize data into meaningful, actionable reports.
Application Procedure:
Please upload to your application academic transcripts, cover letter, resume and at least three letters of reference
District 28 Statement:
Northbrook District 28 is a four-school district with approximately 1,800 students. The community is committed to excellence in education, which is evidenced by the programs and opportunities available to our children. We are guided by the mission to Empower Every Learner.