INNOVATION CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

Principal Job Description

OUR MISSION

Innovation Charter High School (“Innovation”) nurtures students to be academically successful, mature, emotionally healthy, and equipped to lead self-directed and fulfilling lives. We embrace all students and we empower them to adapt, excel, innovate and lead. By instilling our core values of collaboration, tolerance, respect, activism, safety, and innovation, students will graduate prepared for success in college and careers.

ABOUT INNOVATION

Innovation Charter High School opened in 2010 to meet the needs of underserved youth in East Harlem, Upper Manhattan, and the Bronx. Since its founding, Innovation students have applied what they learn in the classroom to the real world, through project-based and experiential learning. These experiences are transformative, and prepare them for life after graduation.

Today, Innovation’s 50 instructional and student support staff serve just over 400 students. About 30% of our students have IEPs and over 90% are economically disadvantaged. We embrace all students, address their needs, and help them to realize their potential, through creative and engaging instruction with a college and career readiness focus. Innovation takes a restorative approach to discipline and focuses on building a collaborative school culture. We have developed close ties with the East Harlem community and with our co-located neighbor schools. We were the first charter school in New York City with a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program (in the culinary arts) and the only charter school to participate in the NYC DOE’s Software Engineering Pilot (SEP). Innovation students participate in a wide variety of sports, clubs, and extracurricular programs including performing arts, STEM, National Honors Society, hydroponic gardening, and many more.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Principal is the instructional leader of Innovation Charter High School. The Principal supervises all instructional staff, counselors, and deans, and ensures that the school is meeting the educational, counseling, and school culture goals outlined in its charter. The Principal is a member of Innovation’s highly collaborative School Management Team (SMT), along with the Executive Director, Assistant Principal, and Director of College & Career Success and CTE. The Principal works hand-in-hand with the Executive Director and the Board of Trustees to ensure that the school is well managed, adheres to its mission, and effectively pursues the goals in its strategic plan and charter.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Innovation’s Principal is tasked with the following responsibilities:

Instructional Leadership

• Set an academic vision that prioritizes the strengths and needs of Innovation students and is aligned to the school’s charter and internal school goals
• Lead instructional staff in the development and improvement of a clear, cohesive academic program tailored to Innovation students, including evidence-based, standards-aligned curricula, rigorous and relevant assessment, and instructional practices that are culturally responsive, developmentally relevant, and aligned to best practices for serving high school students
• Develop and implement processes that support the professional growth of instructional staff, including observation and feedback cycles, instructional coaching, walkthroughs, and professional learning communities or other peer/collaborative learning
• Collaborate with other instructional leaders to identify and engage external professional learning providers with an emphasis on effective adult learning for educators and relevant, practice-oriented professional learning content
• Directly supervise the Assistant Principal, the Director of CCR & CTE, all Department Chairs, and Deans
• Ensure that Innovation classrooms are inclusive and all instruction is supportive of Multilingual Learners and students with IEPs or Section 504 plans; work with the Assistant Principal and special education staff to ensure that students receive mandated services and accommodations
• Develop key performance indicators related to student outcomes, based on academic performance, student engagement, and school culture and climate
• Monitor progress toward charter goals and other long-term goals and make targeted, data-informed adjustments to instructional planning, delivery, and interventions across the school

School Culture & Climate

• Lead Innovation’s work to create a positive school culture and climate for all students, families, and staff
• Maintain a consistent, visible presence throughout the school and model healthy adult-youth relationships and other behaviors that exemplify Innovation’s core values
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous reflection, and improvement to enhance student outcomes
• Supervise the school’s Deans, Counselors, and other student support staff
• Collaborate with key staff to oversee and refine the school’s disciplinary system, employing a restorative approach, and integrating social and emotional learning skills to help students develop responsible decision-making, social-awareness, and self-regulation

Strategic Leadership & Collaborative School Governance

• Work in close collaboration with the Executive Director to build strong relationships and a shared understanding of the school’s mission, vision, and values among all internal and external stakeholders in the Innovation community including students and families
• Work in close collaboration with the Executive Director to lead the implementation of a clear, cohesive approach to collaboration among all Innovation stakeholders including community partners, the Parent Organization, Student Government, and participants in our Collaborative School Governance meetings
• Foster a close, working relationship with the Board of Trustees, actively participate in Board and Committee meetings, and make periodic presentations to the Board
• Meet with Innovation families regularly to promote parent engagement, resolve issues that they or their students are experiencing, and identify opportunities for Innovation to effectively support them
• Work closely with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees to lead Innovation’s annual and long-term strategic planning including the identification and development of objectives that will have a substantial impact on student achievement. 
• Engage with academic and school culture leaders throughout the school to implement the strategic plan by establishing milestones and metrics to track progress

School Operations & Compliance

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees to represent the school to its authorizer and and any other compliance or oversight entities
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, HR staff, and other leaders throughout the school to recruit, hire, and retain highly qualified, mission-aligned staff
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Finance staff, and other leaders throughout the school to develop and monitor an effective school budget that is aligned to Innovation’s priorities and resources
• Collaborate with the Assistant Principal, Executive Director, and other staff to generate and submit reports to the school’s authorizer, the New York State Education Department, and other oversight entities

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience

• A minimum of five years of experience as a classroom teacher with a strong track record of results for students is required; seven or more years of experience as a classroom teacher is preferred
• A minimum of three years of experience and demonstrated success in an instructional leadership position such as Assistant Principal or Principal is required; Five years of experience in an instructional leadership position or more is highly preferred
• Experience facilitating effective professional learning: instructional coaching, workshops, walkthroughs, professional learning communities, and other methods, with a track record of improving teacher practice
• Experience leading teams to plan culturally responsive, school-wide curricula, instruction, and assessment for grades 9-12, including alignment through grade levels and across content areas
• Experience leading teams to intentionally develop an inclusive, affirming school culture and climate
• Experience with social and emotional learning, restorative practices, and attendance interventions is highly preferred
• Experience working in schools that support underserved communities and/or student populations is required; experience supporting over-aged/under credited students, and students with disabilities, is highly preferred
• Experience with college and career readiness programming is preferred
• Experience with family engagement and collaboration with community partners is highly preferred

Skills & Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of evidence-based instructional strategies including practices that support underserved students, such as cultural responsiveness, differentiation, effective co-teaching, and practices aligned to Universal Design for Learning; demonstrated ability to use project-based learning, service learning, and other experiential learning approaches is highly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to use data to improve student, staff, and school performance
• Knowledge of relevant learning standards and content
• Strong understanding of instructional leadership best practices and demonstrated ability to identify levers for change in the classroom and across a school
• Strong capacity to motivate and inspire teams around mission, vision, and values; demonstrated ability to effectively lead multi-layered teams through empowering others and providing a balance of clear expectations, support, and accountability
• Interpersonal leadership skills such as strong ability to establish relationships, communicate collaboratively, set boundaries, hold space for difficult conversations, and build investment with a variety of stakeholder groups and individuals across a school community
• Ability to knit together stakeholder groups to create a strong school community where all identities are recognized and valued
• Knowledge of educational program design, the ability to create and implement action plans, and to effectively manage school-wide initiatives and projects

Values & Mindset

• Passion for Innovation’s core values of collaboration, tolerance, respect, activism, safety, and innovation; persistence at consistently modeling these values by example
• Deep held belief in the power of diversity and community; an assets-based orientation to students, families, community, and staff, and a commitment to a school environment that fosters and respects the voices and opinions of students
• Deeply held belief in inclusive classrooms, in the value of high expectations, and in the idea that all learners deserve to have their needs met
• Adaptability, a solution orientation, and openness to new ideas and perspectives
• Commitment to authentic collaboration and to the development and empowerment of leaders throughout the school community
• Belief in the importance of holistic support for young people, including restorative practices to strengthen relationships, and a full-service community school approach to meet the wide-ranging needs of students and parents

Other Qualifications

• Masters degree in education or equivalent required; Ed.D or equivalent preferred
• New York State School Building Leader certification required
• Authorization to work in the United States

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, 12-month position and the ideal start date is Summer 2024, though an earlier start date is possible. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications and is in the range of $170,000 to $190,000 per year. Innovation offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental and vision coverage, life insurance, and a 401(k) retirement plan with an employer matching contribution of up to 5%.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Innovation provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

*This search is being supported by talent consultant, Mike Jolley. Any questions or referrals can be directed to Mike at mike.jolley@gmail.com.