The Dansville Central School District seeks a relationship-centered and collaborative educational leader to serve as High School Principal for grades 7-12. The Principal will lead a learning community focused on preparing every student for a successful future through meaningful learning experiences aligned with the district's Strategic Plan and NY Inspires.

This leader will cultivate a school culture rooted in trust, collaboration, and shared leadership, ensuring that educators feel supported, valued, and empowered to contribute to the direction of the school. The Principal will focus on strengthening instructional practices, teacher engagement, and school culture. Together, these roles form a leadership structure that ensures students benefit from strong academic programs, meaningful engagement opportunities, and a supportive school environment.

The High School Principal serves as the instructional and cultural leader of the building, creating conditions where both students and educators can thrive.

Reports to: Superintendent of Schools

Core Responsibilities:

Instructional Leadership & Student Achievement

Leads the continuous improvement of teaching and learning by:

• Promoting high-quality instructional practices that support engagement, rigor, and meaningful learning.
• Supporting teachers in strengthening instruction through collaboration, reflection, and data-informed decision-making.
• Aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment with district priorities and the Portrait of a Graduate competencies.
• Encouraging innovative instructional models that connect learning to real-world applications and future pathways.
• Collaborating with the Executive Director to ensure instructional practices align with career-connected learning, technology integration, and experiential opportunities.

Teacher Engagement & Collaborative Leadership

• Creating structures that promote teacher voice, shared decision-making, and distributed leadership.
• Facilitating collaborative teams that support instructional improvement and student success.
• Encouraging educators to contribute ideas and help shape the evolution of the high school experience.

School Culture & Relational Leadership

Fosters a positive and inclusive school culture by:

• Building strong relationships with students, staff, and families through visibility, listening, and authentic engagement.
• Promoting a school environment grounded in trust, belonging, and mutual respect.
• Supporting proactive and restorative approaches to student behavior.
• Creating a culture where students feel connected and teachers feel supported.
• Encouraging collaboration between student programs, athletics, extracurricular activities, and academics.

Student Engagement & Program Alignment

The Principal works collaboratively with the Executive Director of Student & Community Engagement to:

• Ensure athletics, extracurricular programs, and career pathways support student belonging and leadership development.
• Expand opportunities for career exploration, hands-on learning, and community partnerships.
• Align school programs with emerging state initiatives, including NY Inspires and graduation pathways.
• Strengthen connections between academic learning and real-world experiences.

Why This Role Matters

The High School Principal plays a critical role in shaping the daily experience of both students and educators at Dansville High School. While many district initiatives focus on long-term vision and program development, the principal ensures that those priorities are realized in classrooms, hallways, and the relationships that define the school community.

Dansville High School serves students across a wide developmental span—from early adolescence in grade 7 to young adulthood in grade 12. Supporting students effectively across these years requires strong instructional leadership, consistent expectations, and a culture built on trust and collaboration.

Equally important, the principal helps create the professional environment in which teachers work. In schools where educators feel heard, supported, and empowered to collaborate, students benefit from stronger instruction, greater engagement, and a more positive school climate.

This role is especially important as the district continues to strengthen:

• Teacher collaboration and staff engagement
• Instructional innovation and student-centered learning
• Career-connected pathways and postsecondary readiness
• Positive school culture and student belonging

• New York State School Building Leader (SBL) (or equivalent) certification required
• Successful secondary-level leadership experience preferred
• Demonstrated ability to build positive school culture and collaborative teams
• Experience supporting instructional improvement and innovation
• Commitment to fostering teacher voice and shared leadership