Principal or Vice Principal Assistant Principal
Job Description
Position Title: Assistant Principal
F.T.E: 1.0
Location: Michigan
Reports To: School Principal
Start Date: July 2021
The Mission of Distinctive Schools, an educational practice leader committed to social justice and the elevation of access and achievement in historically marginalized communities, is to support each child in becoming an engaged and curious learner, a confident self-advocate, and a creative problem-solver by setting high expectations and nurturing a positive culture that honors diversity, collaboration, and optimism.
Position Description:
The Assistant Principal is a self-driven and motivated educational leader whose philosophy and beliefs align with Distinctive Schools’ mission, vision and values. This person has a keen instructional lens and is able to provide targeted and actionable feedback. They possess a growth mindset and build staff staff by motivating colleagues to work towards both the campus and network goals. The Assistant Principal is a fun-loving, hard-working individual who is interested in collaboration and growth.
The Assistant Principal leads school campus initiatives to ensure fidelity of the Distinctive Schools (DS) mission, vision and values alongside the DS Strategic Plan. The primary outcomes of the the Assistant Principal are to: 1) implement the DS instructional coaching model by supporting and fostering the development of individual teachers and the instructional coaches; 2) facilitate the formal and informal observations process; 3) oversee all MTSS efforts and processes to support student learning including data, planning, and problem solving meetings; and 4) support school-wide academic and social and emotional learning to reinforce safe, joyful, and personalized learning environments.
Assistant Principal roles and responsibilities include:
Culture
- Build and foster positive and professional relationships with all staff
- Honor teacher voice and autonomy in the coaching partnership
- Foster positive climate and culture among all team members
- Model and cultivate a strengths-based mindset and language
- Celebrate teacher and staff milestones, accomplishments, and growth towards goals
- Serve as a positive role model
- Promote safe, supportive learning and professional working environments with an equity conscious mindset
- Coordinate and lead special events in partnership with the School Director, including visits and tours
Instructional Leadership
- Serve as the model for instructional and social-emotional best practices
- Serve as a member of the school’s Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) to support alignment, including and performing other ILT duties (In Professional Learning and Leadership)
- Co-execute the Campus Growth Plan in alignment with DS Strategic Plan in partnership with the School Principal
- Develop, implement, and oversee specific projects based on the unique needs of the campus and in alignment with the campus growth plan efforts, and student centered learning initiatives in partnership with ILT
- Oversee campus implementation of DS MTSS processes, protocols, and tools with ongoing collaboration with network teams.
- Uphold and support successful implementation of core curriculum and assessments
- Meet with the Instructional Coaches at least bi-weekly to prioritize coaching caseload and determine action steps
- Provide feedback to instructional coaches and mentors to support their professional growth and development
- Meet with the Mentor Teachers at least monthly to problem-solve and determine action steps
- Provide feedback to teachers, including instructional coaches and mentors, to support their professional growth and development
- Conduct formal observations in adherence to regional expectations and protocols
- Coordinate and oversee all required testing administration in partnership with the school director/principal and Director of Data and Assessment
- Plan and present ongoing professional development and collaborative planning sessions
- Oversee the implementation and data analysis of instructional technology and online programs
- Monitor and ensure staff adherence to the norms outlined in the DS Professional Expectations and Responsibilities
Instructional Coaching
- Exemplify and support the DS instructional coaching model, including facilitation of deep coaching cycles based on teacher need and experience
- Move the performance of individual teachers through goal-setting, observation, co-teaching, modeling, and goal-specific feedback
- Model specific teaching skills or strategies for teachers through the use of video and classroom instruction
- Create coaching tools (e.g., checklists, observation protocols, conversation agendas, etc.) to support each teacher’s progress towards and achievement of the goal
- Prioritize the needs of teachers who need intensive and ongoing support (i.e. first-year teachers)
- Provide weekly (minimum) coaching for those teachers actively participating in a deep coaching cycle, including those on a Direct Support Plan (DSP)
- Provide directive coaching as an extension of the formal observation process
- Document and model documentation of deep coaching work
MTSS Processes
- Review lesson plans and provide feedback based on individual coaching cycles and/or school-wide professional development goals
- Lead MTSS initiatives, processes, and structures at the campus level and contribute to network MTSS design
- Facilitate campus and grade level problem solving meetings ensuring evidence-based decision making for Tiers 1, 2, and 3 responses and interventions
- Collaborate with school team to design, develop, document and implement a continuum of effective, research-based and innovative interventions and instructional supports as part of a multi-tiered system of supports
- Model and coach teachers in effective Tier 1, 2, and 3 instruction and implementation
- Support communication with parents on MTSS processes, intervention and student progress
- Pilot tools, resources, data collection and programs in partnership with the network Academic Team
Assessment and Data Analysis
- Review & analyze campus academic and behavior Tier 1, 2, and 3 data (e.g, universal screeners and core program assessments, digital program data, check-in/out, etc.). Update the ILT and DS Academic Team on progress.
- Assist with coordination of the campus’ universal screening process for both academics and behavior
- Maintain records of student progress toward standards, intervention progress monitoring, and digital program data in established network systems
- Collaborate with instructional coaches and mentor teachers to model and support strong data analysis, and lesson design during weekly planning meetings. Facilitate grade or team Data & Design meetings as assigned by the Director.
- Seek out, be receptive to, and respond to feedback
Professional Learning and Leadership
- Participate in all network and campus-based professional development and meetings, including AP huddles and Academic Planning days
- Meet with Director of Instructional Coaching at least biweekly to reflect on coaching caseload and discuss instructional coach development and support
- Serve as a member of the school’s ILT to support alignment and to perform additional ILT duties
- Plan and facilitate weekly campus professional development and collaborative planning, including Welcome Week
- Collaborate with instructional coaches and mentor teachers to ensure strong data analysis and planning
- Oversee the Professional Growth Plan (PGP) process
- Fulfill all Assistant Principal duties as assigned
Requirements:
Education and Certification
- Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s preferred
- Valid Michigan Teaching Certification
- Valid or working towards a General Administrative/School Principal Endorsement in the state of Michigan
Qualifications
- Ability to work outside of normal school hours as needed and/or determined by School Director
- Demonstrated ability to multi-task and meet numerous deadlines simultaneously
- Excellent organization, time management and follow-up skills; high sense of commitment; ability to work as part of a team
- Proficient in Google Suite
- Comfortable with social media administration
Why Join the Distinctive Schools Team:
- We are a collaborative team of professionals supporting each other to instill a love of learning in our students
- We empower students, families and staff to contribute to our mission in a meaningful way
- We make an impact in our communities by serving some of the most historically marginalized in the city
- We offer a great benefits package for full time employees (Medical; Dental; Vision; PTO; 403b match, discounted gym membership, tuition reimbursement options, referral bonus)
Distinctive Schools is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other personal characteristic protected by applicable law.
