Avon Public Schools

Position Title: Elementary School Principal

Qualifications: Successful experience as a certified teacher at the elementary level; certified as an intermediate supervisor (#092) in Connecticut; demonstrated knowledge of best practices in instruction, curriculum, and assessment that promotes continual improvement of student learning and the professional development of staff; experience with and knowledge of data-driven instruction and decision-making; demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with all staff, other administrators, and parents; demonstrated ability to problem solve and reach consensus; a minimum of three years as a building level or district level administrator; strong written and oral communications skills and an understanding of systems thinking and its implication for change and improvement.

Reports to: Superintendent of Schools and/or designee

Evaluator: Superintendent of Schools and/or designee

Job Goal:  Under the supervision of the Superintendent of Schools and/or designee, the Elementary School Principal will lead the students, faculty and staff to create and maintain a positive environment for teaching and learning.

Compensation and Work Year: In accordance with the Agreement between the Avon Board of Education and Avon Administrative & Supervisory Association.

General Responsibilities: The Elementary School Principal is the instructional leader and chief administrative officer of the school; adheres to all policies of the Board of Education; coordinates curriculum and instruction between the grades; supervises and evaluates personnel in accordance with Board of Education policies; ensures the safety and health of students and staff; works to support the district’s and school’s mission and goals and develops procedures to monitor those goals; prepares and monitors a school budget and promotes a vision of learning that is shared and supported by teachers and parents.

Specific Responsibilities:

Curriculum and Instruction

• Ensures that the curriculum is coordinated between the grades and assists other district administrators with the coordination of curriculum between the schools.
• Regularly visits classrooms, confers with teachers, and provides leadership for curriculum and instructional improvement.
• Ensures that the curriculum is implemented as written.
• Ensures that all students are provided with an appropriate educational program and instructional materials to support student learning.
• Promotes the use of multiple school level and classroom assessment strategies to monitor student progress.
• Provides leadership in the use of technology to improve teaching and learning.

Personnel

• Responsible for planning programs, schedules, and assignments of all certified and non-certified staff.
• Assists district administrators with the recruitment, screening, and hiring of school personnel.
• Ensures effective and appropriate evaluation and supervision of all school personnel.
• Ensures the availability of capable substitute teachers.

Student and Staff Relations

• Implements procedures to provide the best educational conditions under which a student and teacher may work to ensure student success.
• Ensures that school regulations and procedures promote the safety and health of all students and staff.
• Maintains a positive rapport with students.
• Maintains a positive school environment that promotes and celebrates the success of students and staff.

Finance and Business Management

• Records and maintains accurate records as required by state and federal government, and local policies and regulations.
• Responsible for the school’s total needs in planning a school budget; requisitioning instructional materials, equipment, and services with the funds allocated.
• Held responsible for the supervision of expenditures within the appropriated school budget.
• Supervises the collection and depositing of all funds associated with school activities and events.

School Buildings and Equipment

• Works cooperatively with the Director of Operations in supervising and maintaining the building, grounds, and school equipment.
• Works with school personnel to ensure a safe and healthy school environment.

School Culture and Climate

• Uses multiple strategies to influence school culture including school goals, leadership opportunities for teachers within the school, and shared understanding of authority and responsibility.
• Collaborates with members of the school community to establish a climate of reflection and learning to improve the learning environment for students and the teaching and learning environment.
• Leads the staff to develop shared values that create a positive school climate of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.

Community and School Relations

• Maintains a cooperative relationship with other schools in the district.
• Recognizes the achievement of students and teachers.
• Works effectively with the parent-teacher organization to promote school goals, student achievement, and a positive climate.
• Maintains an effective public relations program.

Professional Development

• Works with staff to plan and implement a professional development program that promotes the district goals, and school goals, while encouraging and supporting staff as they assume responsibility for their professional development.
• Values staff members as expert sources of information and provides opportunities for faculty to learn from each other and take responsibility for their own growth.
• Creates opportunities for staff to engage in discussion about teaching and learning to support district and school goals.
• Uses evidence of student learning as the basis for evaluating the success of the professional development program.

Co-curricular Activities

• Manages all aspects of co-curricular activities.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this coordinator position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Essential to this position, the individual must meet and interact with members of the faculty, the leadership team, the Board of Education, and the community at large.

Work Environment: The placement environment characteristics here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The level of physical activity as required by the description above is light to moderate. The information contained in this position’s job description is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of duties performed for this position. Additional duties may be assigned.

Alignment with District Strategic Plan: The Elementary School Principal position aligns with the Strategic Plans of the Avon Public Schools.

Date approved by Avon Board of Education: December 18, 2012