Job Title: Principal

Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Dept./School:   Assigned Campus

Pay Grade:    Administrative Professional (Grade 6-206 days)

Reports to: Deputy Chief of Schools

Date Revised:         February 1, 2024

Primary Purpose:

As the campus instructional leader, the principal must demonstrate strong instructional leadership skills, the ability to build authentic relationships with all stakeholders and implement a clear vision that focuses on student achievement. The ideal candidate will be a confident administrator who can provide decisive management and vigorous leadership through the change process at each school.  The school leader must be committed to improving educational options for all students and be prepared to take on the challenging work of systemic school improvement and change in positive school culture and academic programming clearly focusing on improving teaching practice and measurable student achievement gains.

Qualifications:

Education/Certification:

• Master’s degree in educational administration
• Texas principal or other appropriate Texas certificate
• Certified Texas Teachers Evaluation Support System (TTESS) appraiser or ability to obtain within 90 days of employment.           

 Experience:

• 3-5 years experience as a successful classroom teacher
• 3-5 years of successful experience in instructional leadership roles (Campus and/or district level experience including but not limited to: Instructional Coach/Specialist, Assistant Principal, District level Coordinator/Specialist, etc.)
• Demonstrated knowledge in Effective Schools Framework
• Principal experience highly preferred

 Special Knowledge/Skills:

The Principal will have primary responsibility for establishing his or her school as an active learning center with a focus on student engagement, professional support for teachers, instructional practices that lead to dramatic academic progress, and measurable results.  

Candidates should have:  

• A passionate belief in the capacity of all children to learn and succeed coupled with a sense of urgency around executing high-leverage leadership strategies that impact student outcomes.
• Demonstrated success in increasing student achievement. 
• Experience working effectively with urban schools, students, families, and outside partners to build student academic proficiency
• An understanding of competency-based learning with an emphasis on , and the key role this model plays in student mastery and learner-centered experiences
• Personal sense of accountability around student academic progress, carried out through relentless professional development of staff and evaluation of teachers 
• Ability to motivate and guide faculty in using data to inform instructional decisions as partners in creating a learner-centered school culture 
• Possess the ability to manage the details and rigorous evaluation tasks required to meet transformational goals 
• Consensus building, strategic and collaborative management skills, including the ability to manage the complex transformational process at the school building level 

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

Strong School Leadership & Planning 

1. Demonstrates personal and professional standards and conduct that enhance the image of the school and the educational profession 
2. Develops shared vision of rigor and high expectations for all students  
3. Ensures vision and mission drive school decisions  
4. Confronts low expectations and develops solutions utilizing a growth mindset 
5. Utilizes current technologies to communicate and support campus leadership teams 
6. Demonstrates an understanding of the change process  
7. Dedicated to strengthening personal professional growth through seeking and attending learning and collaboration opportunities that continuously model a commitment to excellence. 
8. Develop professional learning networks within schools, as well as local, regional, national and international communities  

Effective Instruction  

1. Utilizes the PLC process to drive data informed decisions, analyze data, determine the root cause for mastery and non-mastery, and implement plans for reteach and assessment 
2. 1 Creates, develops and sustains relationships that result in active student engagement in the learning process  
3. Designs instructional systems and protocols to develop, coach, and monitor leadership teams 
4. Leads and engages staff in shared vision for effective teaching and learning by implementing a standards-based curriculum, relevant to student needs and interests, research-based effective practice, academic rigor, and high expectations for student learning in every classroom  
5. Ensures the development of high-quality lessons plans through the implementation of a submission, feedback, and revision process 

Effective, Well Supported Staff  

1. Implements ongoing and proactive recruitment strategies that include a variety of sources for high-quality candidates 
2. Establishes clear selection criteria, protocols, hiring and induction processes are aligned with the district’s vision, mission, values, and goals 
3. Develops targeted and personalized strategies to support and retain staff, particularly high-performing staff 
4. Understands that teacher placements are strategic based on student need and teacher strengths 
5. Relentless in building teacher capacity through observation and feedback cycles 
6. Conducts crucial conversations based on student performance data for purpose of enhancing student learning  
7. Ensures professional learning for teachers that enhance student learning  

Positive School Culture  

1. Builds a culture of high aspirations and achievement for every student   
2. Utilizes meaningful feedback of students, staff, families, and community in the evaluation of school programs and policies  
3. Proactively engages families and communities in support of student learning goals  
4. Requires staff and students to demonstrate consistent values and positive behaviors aligned to the school’s vision and mission  
5. Leads a school culture and environment that successfully develops the full range of students’ learning capacities – academic, creative, social-emotional, cultural, behavioral, and physical  
6.  Builds an environment that considers all aspects of wellness: physical, nutrition, health, safety, decisions, mental and physical well-being. 

High Quality Curriculum  

1. Ensures fidelity of implementation with state and district curricula and assessments 
2. Ensures time for corrective instruction is built into the teaching and learning cycle 
3. Facilitates access to instructional resources and professional development  
4. Creates and implements content-focused professional development 
5.  Purchases and aligns resources to improve teaching and learning  

 Other:

1. Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Campus Assigned personnel.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Share supervisory responsibility for professional staff with the school principal. Supervise teachers, student advisors, maintenance, paraprofessionals, clerical personnel, and others as assigned.

Working Conditions:

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors :   Must maintain emotional control and exercise reasoning and problem solving skills while under stress. Must demonstrate ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written). Should be able to interpret procedures and analyze data for decision-making. Frequent in-district and occasional in-state or national travel. Occasional prolonged and irregular hours.

Safety:  Contribute to the prevention of accidents and injuries by observing safety rules and District policy, practicing the principles and skills taught in safety training, wearing personal protective equipment as required, reporting injuries and incidents immediately to supervisor, and being proactive in the ongoing efforts to improve and maintain workplace safety.

The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Texans Can Academies does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, military status, or on any other basis prohibited by law.  Employment decisions will be made on the basis of each applicant’s job qualifications, experience, and abilities.  The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required. 

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required. 

Approved by: Date

Reviewed by: Date