Position: Principal - Elementary (Montessori) School
Organization: Springfield Public Schools
Location: Springfield, MA
Springfield Public Schools seeks a highly effective Principal to lead a public Montessori Elementary School. The Principal is the chief administrative officer of the school and is directly responsible to the Superintendent for Schools, working under School Committee policies and the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This position is based in Springfield, MA.
Responsibilities:
Establish and maintain a learning environment in the school:
- Participates and maintains an effective learning environment among the entire school community (faculty, staff, support personnel, students, etc).
- Programs educational activity, within established parameters, designed to meet student needs; influences continuous improvement of existing parameters.
- Facilitates, with the guidance personnel and programs, continuous improvement of individual student education and development processes.
- Establishes standards and expectations for proper student conduct; supports the appropriate methods to encourage discipline and commitment to adhere to established guides; maintains high expectations and motivation for all students to engage in continuous learning and development.
- Attends special events held to recognize student achievement, attends school sponsored activities, functions and athletic events.
- Assures the effectiveness of the school teaching process.
- Manages the planning, organizing, and implementation of all school activities.
- Initiates, facilitates, designs and implements programs to meet school needs.
- Utilizes all available resources within the school system and the community to develop new and improve the effectiveness of existing educational programs.
- Maintains a clear and open communication process with all the school community. Keeps the school population informed of policy changes, new programs, opportunities, and the like. Makes use of any effective mechanism available (meetings, flyers, bulletin boards, technology, etc.)
- Assumes leadership in the direction of the school’s educated programs, athletic and extra curricular activities.
- Establishes and maintains favorable relationships with local community groups and individuals to foster understanding and solicit support for overall school objectives and vocational/academic programs; to interpret School Committee policies as well as Superintendent’s, and general administrative directives; to discuss and resolve individual student problems and opportunities.
- Within the School System: Acts as a liaison between the school and the Superintendent. Participates in required meetings as well as in those that will result in better opportunities for the student body of the school. Works with the various members of central administration to solve school problems of more than school import, such as transportation, special service, and the like.
- Acts as a liaison between the school and the local community encouraging the community to participate in the educational process as part of the overall school life. Develops a program of public relations in order to further the communities understanding and support of educational programs.
- Will be responsible to develop, implement and maintain a continuous improvement with concentration in the following areas: Improved grades and test scores, reduced dropout rate, increased attendance, reduce tardiness, increased ability to measure improvement indicators with greater certainty, increased student involvement in meaningful extracurricular activity, other outcomes related to student and school performance.
- Provides a formal orientation process for newly assigned staff members (and overall personnel) and facilities their induction and development as appropriate.
- Cooperates with college and university officials for teacher training and preparation.
- Provides and supports appropriate developmental opportunities to school personnel in order to keep an updated and competent faculty and staff.
- Sets clear expectations and provides ongoing feedback, advice, counseling and support to all staff members regarding their individual and group performance.
- Keeps abreast of changes and developments in the profession by attending professional meetings, reading professional journals, and other publications and discussing problems of mutual interests with others in the field.
- Coordinates and supervises support services such as maintenance, security, food services, recreational programs, library activities and financial and accounting functions.
- Prepares and submits school budgetary requests and monitors expenditures of funds.
- Maintains and controls the various local funds generated by student activities.
- Keep the Superintendent of Schools informed of school activities and the problems.
- Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Licensure as a Principal by the Massachusetts Department of Education in the grades covered in a K-8 school.
- Familiarity with Principles of Learning and a comprehensive background and experience in the focus areas of the school, especially language arts, science, mathematics, technology (including computers).
- Experience with a diverse student body preferably in an urban area.
- Shall have a broad knowledge of the recent and established legislation related to secondary education including the Massachusetts Education Reform Act, Goals 2000: Educate American Act, etc.
- Shall have a broad knowledge of the Montessori experience and implementations in the Springfield Public Schools.
- Successful classroom teaching experience at the elementary and/or middle school level. Teaching at a college or university may be substituted for the requirement.
- Understanding of the place and function of the K-8 school in the educational process.
- A broad knowledge of the organization of school personnel, demonstrates a sound philosophy of education, and shows flexibility in approaches to school organization.
- Possesses experience or educational background in professional development programs for a learning organization.
- Strong knowledge of learning theories and has the ability to apply them; successful experience in improving student achievement.
- Demonstrated skills in evaluation and assessment of teacher performance and knowledge of clinical supervision.
- Demonstrated experience with or knowledge of School Centered Decision Making.
- Demonstrated skill in promoting multicultural awareness and commitment.
Salary and Benefits:
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, and includes excellent benefits.
To Apply:
Springfield Public Schools has engaged Koya Consulting to help with this hire. Please email a compelling cover letter and resume to Molly Brennan at executivesearch@koyaconsulting.com.
It is the policy of the Springfield Public Schools not to discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation in its educational programs, activities or employment policies as required by Title IX of the 1972 Education Amendments, Chapter 622 of the Massachusetts General Laws, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.