Title: Head Principal
Work Location: District Wide
Work Hours: 7.5 hours/Day
Contract Length: 236 Days
Salaries; Elementary: $110,572 Middle School: $116,715 High School: $122,858
Position Purpose
Under the general supervision of the Superintendent of Schools, to provide leadership and supervision in administering the educational program of a School in order to promote the educational development and achievement of students in accordance with Board of Education policies, administrative procedures, rules and regulations, and applicable law.To direct, coordinate, and administer the administrative, educational and counseling activities, to provide equal educational opportunities for all students; ensures that the educational programs comply with State and District education standards and other appropriate agencies.
Supervision Received and Exercised
Receives general administrative direction from the Superintendent or designee.
Exercises direct supervision over supervisory, professional, technical and clerical staff.
Essential Function Statements - Essential duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Develops, evaluates and coordinates, within District policy, an educational program. Ensures that objectives for student education are met through meetings with staff, review of teachers' activities, educational needs of students, District and State standards, and issuance of directives.
- Complies with state-approved Code of Ethics of the education profession and upholds administrative directives and regulations, school board policies, and local, state and federal regulations. Safeguards confidentiality of privileged information.
- Develops site curriculum guide based on state competencies, including objectives, assessments methods, and ordering of instructional materials.
- Directs the preparation of class schedules, cumulative records, and attendance reports.
- Supervises and conducts performance evaluations of professional school staff and support staff.
- Confers with teachers, students, and parents concerning educational and behavioral problems in school.
- Administers educational programs for the students with mental or physical disabilities, facilitates services and ensures that needed services are provided by the appropriate specialist.
- Establishes and maintains relationships with colleges, community organizations and surrounding schools to coordinate educational services.
- Plans and monitors school budget.
- Plans and directs building maintenance, and ensures that all facilities are in compliance with appropriate health and safety regulations.
- Attends required meetings, conducts staff meetings, and participates in assigned committees.
- Prepares required state and district reports.
- Requisitions and allocates supplies, equipment and instructional material as needed.
- Performs related duties as required.
Qualification Requirements:
Knowledge of:
- Operations, services and activities of an educational program.
- Principles and practices of education administration and curriculum development.
- Educational foundations of a school district, including the organization, administration, funding resources, and record keeping.
- Principles and practices of program development and administration.
- Methods and techniques of career education and educational partnerships.
- Principles and practices of school budgets preparation and administration.
- Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluation.
- Pertinent Federal, State and local laws, codes and regulations.
- Native American communities in the southwest.
- Cultural diversities of the local area and the traditional Native American beliefs of students and families.
Ability to:
- Manage and direct an educational program, and related programs and services.
- Identify and respond to sensitive community and organizational issues, concerns and needs.
- Plan, organize, direct and coordinate the work of lower level staff.
- Delegate authority and responsibility.
- Select, supervise, train and evaluate staff.
- Participate in the development and administration of District goals, objectives and procedures.
- Prepare clear and concise administrative and financial reports.
- Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions and implement recommendations in support of goals.
- Prepare and administer school budgets.
- Interpret and apply applicable Federal, State and local policies, laws and regulations.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Maintain mental capacity which allows for effective interaction and communication with others.
- Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities.
- Understand and respect the cultural diversities, and Native American traditional beliefs and practices, of students and their families.
Experience and Training Guidelines
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience:
Five years of licensed experience (teaching, school administration, counseling or other related professional education experience) in a school system. A minimum of three years 9-12 teaching experience is preferred.
Education:
Equivalent to a Masters degree in education from an accredited college or university.
Licensure:
Must have a Level 3A Instructional Leader license; and possession of, or ability to obtain an Education Administrative License (Type 100 Level 3B) from the NM Public Education Department. Must provide verification of successfully passing the NMTA administrator test and provide verification of completion of Education Leadership program of study.
Qualifications to get an EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, PRE K-12 License.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Minimum of 18 semester hours of graduate credit in an Educational Administration program.
- Completion of an Administrative Apprenticeship/Internship through either:
- A college or university program, or
- Supervision by a local superintendent.
- Valid Level 3A New Mexico Teaching License.
- Passage of the New Mexico Teacher Assessment (NMTA).
Content Knowledge Assessment (CKA) in Educational AdministrationAll GMCS schools are eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).
Gallup-McKinley County Schools: 2025-2026 SY
Relocation Expenses
Principals:
300 + miles: $3,000
Signing Incentice Head Principals
Principals
All new head principals: $10,000
Relocation incentive for all new teachers, counselors and administrators will be paid in full on the first paycheck of the school year.
All other incentives for teachers and counselors will be paid out over the course of two school years in four installments. Payment will be made ¼ in December of the first contract year, ¼ in May of the first contract year, ¼ in December of the second contract year and ¼ in May of the second contract year. The incentive will be prorated for hires made after the official work calendar start date but prior to December 31, 2025. Any hires made on or after December 31, 2025, will not be eligible to receive the signing incentives listed above. Failure to complete the terms of the employment contract in either/both of the two school years will result in the forfeiture of the entire signing incentive and relocation incentive. Signing Incentives are effective February 3, 2025.
All other incentives for administrators (principal, director, or assistant principal) will be paid out in two installments over the course of one school year. Payment will be made ½ in December of the first contract year and ½ in May of the first contract year. The incentive will be prorated for hires made after the official work calendar start date but prior to December 31, 2025. Any hires made on or after December 31, 2025, will not be eligible to receive the signing incentives listed above. Failure to complete the terms of the employment contract of the one school year will result in the forfeiture of the entire signing incentive and relocation incentive. Signing Incentives are effective February 3, 2025.
Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for the signing incentives, you must be a new employee who was not employed in any position or certified capacity by GMCS during the 2024-2025 school year. For the relocation incentive, you cannot have received a relocation incentive within the last two (2) years to qualify for the Relocation Incentive for SY 25-26.
· Exception: Employees moving job class level up to new position (EA to Teacher or Teacher to Principal)
Administration will provide processes and administrative clarification/decision-making for specific situations involving these incentives. This includes creating rules to support the incentives' successful implementation. The superintendent or his designee will make any final decision on implementing these incentives.