Principal or Vice Principal Principal
Job Description
Principal – Carbondale Community School
Carbondale, Colorado
The Carbondale Community School (CCS) is seeking applications for an experienced, self-directed, innovative leader to serve as the Principal for the 2025-2026 school year. The Carbondale Community School is one of two progressive K-8 charter public schools of Compass, whose mission is to foster lifelong learning and empower individuals to take responsibility for themselves, their learning and their community (www.discovercompass.org). CCS opened in 1996 as the only charter public school of the Roaring Fork School District. Its current enrollment is 140 students with a full time staff of 16. The school strives to provide a balanced, integrated curriculum that incorporates strong academic skills woven into project-based learning opportunities. This curriculum is achieved within the context of community, service, social-emotional development, outdoor education, and the visual and performing arts.
Ideal candidates will demonstrate significant skill and experience in:
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- Vision/Leadership – communicates mission/goals to the school community; models professionalism and accountability; problem solver; active listener; advocate for school with all constituencies; daily leadership.
- Overall Communication – coordinates school communication; ensures communications are timely and professional; maintains open lines of communication with the Roaring Fork School District and area charter schools.
- Community Relations – represents the school to the larger community and Roaring Fork School District and area charter schools; develops community partnerships.
- Staff Relations/Educational Program – supports and encourages a culture of excellence among teaching staff; fosters collaborative problem-solving and decision-making; establishes expectations with the faculty; establishes evaluation criteria; coordinates faculty meetings; encourages professional development; coordinates hiring process; makes decisions as to the renewal or nonrenewal of staff contracts.
- Curriculum, Assessment, Reporting Systems – oversees the curriculum; works with faculty to define curriculum; develops measures for meeting curricular goals; oversees faculty management of student portfolios; sets consistent standards for report writing; develops standards for educational program evaluation; develops coherence in all aspects of curricular life; oversees and ensures that services are provided to special populations; communicates curriculum to internal school and larger community; coordinates CMAS and other testing, collects and assesses data from assessment tools, ensures compliance, and communicates results effectively.
- Parent Relations – provides orientation to new families; coordinates parent meetings; facilitates opportunities for parent education; holds conferences with parents; hosts interviews and tours for prospective families; oversees overall parent/school communication.
- Student Relations – circulates throughout the school every day; develops positive relationships with students; establishes school-wide expectations and disciplinary guidelines for student behavior; arbitrates inter-school disputes; works to see that individual student needs are being met; works with staff to identify students with special needs; provides enrollment outreach.
- Administration Legal/Budget/RFSD – oversees: facility maintenance; non-instructional staff; transportation; technology; supply ordering; and is responsible for: budget oversight; working with COMPASS on the annual fund and individual fundraising efforts; writing grants; reviewing all school purchases; attendance reporting and adherence to enrollment policy; state and district reporting; produce and present Annual Reports to RFSD Board; submit annual Unified Improvement Plan to Colorado Department of Education; knowledge of school law; operating the school within contractual obligations of the charter agreement; communicating COMPASS and school policy to community.
- Risk Management/Safety – ensures that all activities of the school are undertaken to minimize risk and optimize safety; ensures that all outdoor education trips follow public land and permitting policies.
- COMPASS Board Relations – raises issues and concerns and provides adequate information to inform Board discussion and decision-making; recognizes the roles and responsibilities of the Board and Executive Director; evaluates policies with the Board and refines practices to ensure a quality and effective program; works with the Board to implement COMPASS vision.
Candidates should have experience as an educator in an elementary/secondary setting and leadership experience. Requires the ability to obtain and maintain an appropriate license through CDE for the position of School Principal.
Start Date: August 1, 2025
Salary: 90,000-125,000 based on experience
