Duties
Summary:
The Assistant Principal supports the District in building a culture of care by establishing a safe, healthy, and inclusive learning environment that empowers all students to develop the skills aligned with the Portrait of a Sears Graduate.
This leadership role is highly visible and student-centered, requiring strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. The Assistant Principal collaborates closely with the Principal and Superintendent to implement a shared vision for student success, overseeing both instructional and social-emotional systems of support. Responsibilities include co-leading school-wide initiatives; coordinating academic, behavioral, and social-emotional interventions; supervising staff and programming; managing student discipline and restorative practices; facilitating parent and community engagement; supporting extracurricular and co-curricular programming; and ensuring safe and effective daily operations. The Assistant Principal plays a key role in advancing inclusive practices, upholding high expectations, and fostering a reflective, growth-oriented school culture.
Essential Duties:
- Living a Mission and Vision Focused on Results. The Assistant Principal assists the principal in working with the staff and community to build a shared mission and vision of high expectations that ensure all students are on the path to college and career readiness and holds staff accountable for results.
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- Supports the coordination 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
- Ensures that the school’s identity, vision, and mission drive school decisions
- 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.
- Specific Responsibilities:
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- Supports the implementation of the Portrait of a Sears Graduate in collaboration with the Principal
- Co-Leads the District Whole Child Committee and Stakeholder Partnership groups
- Co-Leads data collection and analysis with the Principal, including the annual School Report Card
- Leading and Managing Systems Change. The Assistant Principal supports creating and implementing systems to ensure a safe, orderly, and productive environment for student and adult learning toward achieving school and district improvement priorities.
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- Supports the creation of a safe, clean and orderly learning environment
- Collaborates with staff to appropriately allocate personnel, time, material, and adult learning resources to achieve the school improvement plan targets
- Employs current technologies.
- Specific Responsibilities:
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- Collaborate with the Superintendent and Principal on District Policy and Procedures
- Lead behavior and discipline practices, including the development and oversight of incident reports, referrals, and related data systems
- Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of Tier 1 social-emotional systems, including Caring Schools Community programming
- Co-lead Threat Assessment and Crisis Response planning and implementation
- Lead the Attendance Review Board and oversee attendance and tardy practices and procedures
- Oversee substitute hiring, training, and management
- Support front office operations and schoolwide management systems
- Improving Teaching and Learning. The Assistant 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.
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- Evaluates the effectiveness of instruction and of individual teachers by conducting frequent formal and informal observations by providing timely feedback on instruction as part of the district teacher appraisal system
- Ensures the training, development, and support for high-performing instructional teacher teams to support adult learning and development to advance student learning and performance.
- Advances Instructional Technology within the learning environment
- Specific Responsibilities:
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- Conduct formal and informal educator evaluations and provide timely, actionable feedback to support instructional growth
- Lead the evaluation and professional development of instructional assistants
- Support the implementation of district assessments and data-informed decision-making
- Lead the development, coordination, and facilitation of Tier 2 and Tier 3 academic and behavior intervention plans in alignment with the MTSS framework
- Coordinate and monitor 504 Plans in collaboration with staff and families
- Co-lead Summer School programming and extended learning opportunities
- Building and Maintaining Collaborative Relationships. The Assistant Principal creates a collaborative school community where the school staff, families, and community interact regularly and share ownership for the success of the school.
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- Creates, develops and sustains relationships that result in active student engagement in the learning process
- Utilizes meaningful feedback of students, staff, families, and community in the evaluation of extracurriculuar programs and policies
- Proactively engages families and communities in supporting their child’s learning and the school’s learning goals
- Demonstrates an understanding of the change process and uses leadership and facilitation skills to manage it effectively
- Specific Responsibilities:
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- Lead the planning and coordination of school events, traditions, and field trips in collaboration with the Principal
- Facilitate restorative practices and reflection processes to strengthen student relationships and community culture
- Lead student travel experiences (e.g., Washington D.C., Springfield)
- Oversee the Athletic Director, athletics, extracurriculars, and duty assignments, including training for coaches and sponsors, and implementation of sportsmanship curricula
- Lead student voice and culture initiatives, including Student Ambassadors
- Serve as co-liaison to the Joseph Sears School Parent Volunteer Association (JSSPVA)
- Leading with Integrity and Professionalism. The Assistant 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
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- Treats all people fairly, equitably, and with dignity and respect
- 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
- Creates and supports a climate that values, accepts and understands diversity in culture and point of view
- Creating and Sustaining a Culture of High Expectations. The Assistant 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
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- Supports a culture of high aspirations and achievement and for every student
- Requires staff and students to demonstrate consistent values and positive behaviors aligned to the school’s vision and mission
- Co-leads a school culture and environment that successfully develops the full range of students’ learning capacities—academic, creative, social-emotional, behavioral and physical
Salary/Benefits
10-12 Month Contract, Base Salary is Commensurate with Experience and Contract Length ($100,000 - $135,000)