Principal or Vice Principal Principal
Job Description
Who is AUL Denver?
AUL Denver is a Denver Public Schools charter high school that serves Denver-area students ages 14-21. AUL Denver’s mission is to provide students with a positive school community, rigorous academic program, and the skill development necessary to succeed in the world. AUL Denver is a trauma-informed school that balances accountability and expectations with flexibility for its scholars. AUL Denver’s staff and students foster a community of joy, hope, and humor.
AUL Denver strives to develop and sustain a culture that centers equity, diversity, and inclusion in our organizational culture, norms, practices, and policies. AUL Denver values developing a staff that is rich with cultural, social, and intellectual diversity to reflect the student population served.
What are we looking for in our next leader?
The principal of AUL Denver serves the critical role of leading a culture of joy, hope, and humor in collaboration with staff, students, and the larger community. AUL Denver’s next leader must encompass these values, as well as a deep commitment to compassion and empathy. We are searching for a principal rooted in a deep understanding of trauma-informed practices, who can lead with empathy, and who rejects traditional, punitive methods of discipline. AUL Denver’s next leader will be as committed to cultivating a safe learning environment as they are to supporting students beyond the classroom, connecting them to wraparound services and additional resources. Successful leadership at AUL Denver also requires the ability to cultivate a learning environment which understands and addresses systems of oppression, including conversations about identity, anti-racism, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
AUL Denver strongly encourages applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ community members, especially those with Black and/or Indigenous identities.
Who you are:
- An anti-racist justice champion who will challenge the status quo.
- An advocate for students and systemic change to end the school-to-prison pipeline.
- A leader with experience in the special education system to support a large number of students with IEPs, as well as someone who can support school staff working with students with IEPs.
- A systems builder who can develop and implement structure, policies, and procedures which ensure transparency, consistency, and accountability, while being flexible to meet the school’s needs.
- A strong communicator who can develop meaningful relationships with staff, students, families, and community members.
- A strategic, visionary leader who can foster buy-in from the school community while developing and maintaining channels for ongoing feedback and evaluation.
- An effective relationship builder who can work with Denver Public Schools to ensure AUL Denver successfully navigates school district requirements and resources.
- A leader who can maintain a human-centered work environment, engaging staff in strategic collaboration as a team, working together to support scholars.
- A coach and mentor to staff who prioritizes observations, evaluation and feedback as mutually beneficial learning opportunities.
- A leader who can have hard, brave, and kind conversations.
- A clear delegator who relies on expertise in the building and trusts staff knowledge.
- Someone who can hold high expectations of scholars while simultaneously creating flexibility for the scholar’s desires.
Key Responsibilities:
- Create and foster a person-first culture of care that acknowledges the humanness of everyone in the building.
- Build and maintain strong family and community partnerships.
- Develop and sustain structures and systems to support continuous improvement, transparency, and accountability for the school community.
- Meet with the Board of Directors to provide updates, strategic planning and problem solving. Tap into the strengths of the Board to support the efforts of AUL Denver through a variety of venues (e.g., fundraising, community engagement, presence in school and at events, etc.). Additionally, work with the Board to develop annual and long-term budgets to promote fiscal responsibility and support the school’s programming.
- Establish and maintain a staff evaluation system that may include peer-to-peer evaluation, centered on coaching and supporting staff in instruction.
- Create and articulate clear roles in the school and a plan for accountability to those roles.
- Develop inclusive hiring policies and practices with the intention of aligning staff identities and experiences to those represented in the student population. Oversee all human resource processes with an equity lens.
- Creatively address physical space issues through a variety of avenues (i.e., fundraising, advocacy with Denver Public Schools, etc).
- Utilize data to understand which students are succeeding at AUL Denver and prioritize students who have not successfully passed classes. Engage the full school community in discussions about student success to ensure alignment and clarity.
- Create expectations around peer accountability among staff. This could include prioritizing time to be in one another’s classrooms and prioritizing collective evaluation and feedback.
- Ensure compliance with all legal and statutory obligations and requirements of Denver Public Schools as the school’s authorizer, including charter renewal requirements and processes, and maintaining the Alternative Education Campus designation.
- Oversee and manage school operations and facility management to ensure compliance, performance, and safety.
- Perform any and all other duties prescribed by the Board of Directors and state or federal law.
Qualifications:
- Licensure: Administrative endorsement and School Principalship
- Demonstrated classroom experience in K-12 education
- Demonstrated experience in special education and understanding of the IEP process
- An advanced degree and/or relevant experience
- Background check clearance
- Experience and commitment to diverse student populations, including English Language Learners, teen parents, and justice engaged youth (preferred)
Compensation and Benefits:
- Salary commensurate with experience: $100,000-$130,000 per year
- Full medical and dental insurance coverage with zero premiums for you and your family
- Competitive paid time off policy
How to Apply
To apply, email a cover letter and resume to AUL Denver’s Board Chair at marrisamora@gmail.com by Monday, February 27th. In the cover letter, please address the following questions:- Describe your experience in leading a trauma-informed organization. How would you uphold the school’s commitment to trauma-informed practice without punishment, while also building a culture of accountability?
- What are your strengths and experience in developing a staff that is rich with cultural, social, and intellectual diversity?
