Allentown School District / Dieruff High School Principal

Position Type:
School District/Cooperative/Standard Application
Date Posted:
5/26/2023
Location:
Allentown School District
Salary Level: Based on Act 93 Agreement - Range I
Prepared Date: June 1, 2023
Contract/Benefits: Based on Act 93 Agreement
Prepared by: William A. Seng, Acting Executive Director of HR
Department or Area: High School
Approved By: Jennifer M. Ramos, Deputy Superintendent
Reports To: Executive Director, Secondary Education
Qualifications:

1. Master's degree with a major in educational leadership, educational supervision, or a related field; doctorate preferred.
2. Eligible or holds a Pennsylvania Principal Certification.
3. Minimum of three (3) years of experience as a High School administrator (principal preferred)
4. Experience in an urban, turnaround, and/or high-needs environment that serves large numbers of special education and English Learner students is strongly preferred.
5. Experience in a large High School preferred (over 2000 students and staff)
6. Cultural sensitivity, cultural competence and a commitment to equity in all aspects of the educational process is a must.
7. Ability to maintain confidentiality and proven ability to utilize discretion regarding matters involving students and families.
8. Strong interpersonal skills evidencing the ability to effectively interact and work with a wide range of constituents, including, but not limited to, students, staff, administrators, parents, and the community, evidencing high quality customer service, tact, patience, and courtesy under often stressful circumstances.
9. Satisfactory work record & criminal/child abuse clearances (Acts 34 and 151).
10. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with capabilities to perform the essential functions.
11. Such additional or alternatives to the above qualifications as the board or superintendents may determine appropriate and acceptable.

Summary
Directs and coordinates educational, administrative, and counseling activities consistent with the charge of improving student achievement and reducing achievement gaps by performing the following duties personally or through subordinate administrators.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Collaborates in establishing clear approaches to measuring student growth and measures it by individual student. Intentions of ensuring that every student has an opportunity to go to college or post-secondary schooling.
2. Provide transformational leadership necessary to plan, launch, and manage the turnaround process in a chronically underperforming school by designing and implementing strategies to dramatically improve student achievement.
3. Proven ability to build a positive school culture and climate that supports the whole student.
4. Leveraging research and data to drive initiatives and instruction.
5. Ability to build a high-performing staff and leadership team to achieve and sustain results through collaborative efforts.
6. Collaborates in designing and implementing rigorous, transparent, and fair evaluation system for the professional staff that (a) differentiate effectiveness using multiple rating categories that take into account data on student growth as a significant factor, and (b) are designed and developed with principal involvement.
7. Conducts annual evaluations of the professional and support staff that includes timely and constructive feedback; Use of the evaluations, at a minimum, to inform decisions regarding developing the professional staff, including providing relevant coaching, induction support, and/or professional development.
8. Collaborates in the development of a comprehensive instructional improvement system, fully aligned to standards, assessments, curriculum frameworks, instruction, resources and materials and interventions.
9. Effectively collaborates with parents, community members, school staff, district administrators, as well as other internal and external stakeholders to implement innovative strategies to accelerate student achievement.
10. Collaborates with staff, families, community members, and central office administrators to create, implement and monitor a school improvement plan that is aimed at reducing achievement gaps through analyzing strengths and needs, setting goals by student group, implementing evidence-based strategies, providing targeted professional development, and conducting continuous monitoring of implementation.
11. Ensures professional development is relevant to needs, on-going and differentiated.
12. Collaborates in conducting a summer staff data review meeting; quarterly staff data review meeting; bi-weekly leadership data team meeting and audits the weekly teacher collaborative planning meeting.
13. Develops and coordinates educational programs through meetings with staff, review of teachers' activities, and issuance of directives.
14. Confers with teachers, students, and parents concerning educational and behavioral problems in school; Ensures proper placement of students within the overall educational program.
15. Analyzes student data to identify achievement gaps, plan opportunities to accelerate learning to reduce the achievement gap, and monitor student progress.
16. Reviews and discusses the school's goals articulated in its school improvement plan and use data to assess whether the school is on track to achieving the goals.
17. Works collaboratively with the departments of Community & Student Services, ESOL, and Instructional Support Services in the design, and implementation of projects and programs that will meet the specific needs of students with specialized needs.
18. Works closely with the Executive Director of Secondary Education and Alternative Learning to execute the focused goals set forth by the Superintendent.
19. Works collaboratively with the Director of Grants and Development to ensure use of Title I funds, school improvement funds and other grants are aligned with ASD's Strategic Framework and the building's school improvement plan.
20. Provides supervision, leadership, and evaluation of each professional employee as designated by the Superintendent of Schools.
21. Remains current in studies of best practices in instruction and keeps informed of federal, state, and local regulations.
22. Helps parents/guardians/students in resolving student/parent/staff complaints and safety concerns.
23. Works collaboratively with principals in establishing safety net programs that will maximize opportunity for students to meet grade level expectations and State and ASD standards.
24. Presents information and responds to questions from professional staff, and the general public.
25. Works in establishing annual staffing plans to meet the enrollment and instructional needs of the school.
26. Interfaces with the Director of Assessment in using data to inform the work of each of the school supervised.
27. Develops and coordinates educational programs through meetings with staff, review of teachers' activities, and issuance of directives.
28. Confers with teachers, students, and parents concerning educational and behavioral problems in school.
29. Oversees initiation, design, and implementation of projects and programs that will meet the specific needs of students including those with disabilities.
30. Coordinates the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of curricula with the assistance of appropriate district facilitators and administrators.
31. Supervises building discipline, student, faculty, and staff attendance, and class schedules, cumulative records, and grade reporting ensuring that all are consistent with district policies and regulations.
32. Establishes and maintains relationships with colleges, community organizations, and other schools to coordinate educational services.
33. Administers educational programs for students with special needs.
34. Reads, analyzes, and interprets professional journals, studies of best practices, and federal, state, and local regulations.
35. Supervises extracurricular programs and evaluates these programs by regular attendance at these events.
36. Compute pupil/teacher ratios, percentages, and interprets bar graphs and other data pertinent to educational leadership and instructional achievement.
37. Defines problems, collects data, establishes facts, and draws valid conclusions.
38. Performs such other tasks and assumes such other responsibilities as may be assigned or delegated by the Superintendent of Schools, or designee.

Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
Interpersonal Skills
Manages difficult or emotional parent/community situations judiciously; Responds to parent/community requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments made to parents and the community; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Shows reasonable control of personal emotions; Exhibits objectivity and openness to the views of others; Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and solicits clarification; Responds appropriately to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Writes clearly and effectively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs of the audience; Balances team and individual responsibilities; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building positive morale; Puts success of faculty and staff above own interests and recognition;
Leadership Skills
Display instructional leadership and create a culture of learning and high achievement by providing vision and inspiration to peers, staff and students; Displays passion and optimism; Develops workable implementation plans; Communicates changes effectively; Prepares and supports those affected by change; Monitors transition and evaluates results; Provides recognition for results; Exhibits confidence in self and others; Consistently inspires excellence and promotes positive school climate and high morale; Effectively influences actions and opinions of others by communicating high expectations and create standards for excellence with students, teachers and staff; Fosters a professional environment and opportunities for teacher leadership through collaboration, delegation, and shared decision making; Takes responsibility for the performance of faculty and staff; Develops the skills of faculty and staff and encourages growth; Continually works to improve supervisory skills; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Fosters a focus on quality in others; Observes safety and security procedures when appropriate; Determines appropriate action beyond safety and security guidelines; Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes facts relating to the problem skillfully; Develops alternative solutions;
Organizational Skills
Works within approved budget; Conserves district/school resources; Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; Educates others on the value of diversity; Promotes a harassment-free environment; Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks and reports correctly and on time; Develops strategies to achieve district/school goals; Understands district/school's strengths & weaknesses; Aligns work with strategic goals; Set aggressive and transparent school, team and individual goals, and track progress against goals; Conduct classroom observations to analyze instructional design and delivery, and focus staff on continuous improvement; Take risks and display a "do whatever it takes" mentality to transform the school into a high-performing school.
Personal Competencies
Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions; Treats people with respect; Communicate a clear vision of success to engage parents, students, school staff and community members; Keeps commitments; Inspires the trust of others; Works ethically and with integrity; Sets and achieves challenging personal goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals; Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Treats others with respect regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Applies supervisor feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality; Follows instructions, responds to supervisory direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan; Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an administrator to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.
While performing the duties of this job, the administrator is regularly required to talk or hear. The administrator is frequently required to walk, climb stairs, bend, and lift. The administrator is required to use hands to fingers or handle documents, telephone, etc. The administrator is occasionally required to stand; sit and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.
Evaluation
The person filling this position will be evaluated according to the administrative evaluation procedure adopted by the Allentown School District.
Link to apply: https://hyasearch.com/job/high-school-principal-allentown-pa/