Principal - RCHS - SY 2026-27

PRINCIPAL - ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL

Red Canyon High School

School Year 2026-2027

BENEFITS: Health, Dental and Vision insurance, 20-22% employer contribution to your PERA retirement plan, paid holidays, paid leave, tuition reimbursement, free CMC credits, amongst others. For full time employees.

HIRING SALARY RANGE: $103,495 - $124,194

Red Canyon High School (RCHS) is the alternative high school for Eagle County. There are two campuses, one in Edwards and one in Gypsum.

Mission Statement: RCHS is a community centered around meeting the diverse needs of our students in order to develop individuals who are: respectful, community-minded, hopeful, and self-aware.

Red Canyon provides a safe "non-traditional" learning environment, where all students acquire the skills, knowledge, and behaviors necessary to be productive citizens in an ever-changing world. We will prepare students to:

• Be in charge of, and apply, their academic knowledge
• Set and achieve academic and personal goals
• Communicate effectively
• Respect and work cooperatively with others
• Think critically and be creative problem solvers

RCHS Teaching and Learning: Our educational program is based on, and emphasizes, small group instruction, with a teacher-directed approach to each class. Students participate in teacher created high interest project based courses . Additional elective credit is earned for volunteer work and job hours. We also offer Dual Enrollment to Juniors and Seniors.

SUMMARY: As the instructional leader, the Principal is responsible for increasing student achievement by developing an aligned and coherent system that includes the Eagle County School District (ECSD) initiatives, Alternative Education, and standards based instruction. RCHS is different from our traditional high schools in that flexibility is important to meeting the unique needs of our students. In accordance with Board of Education (BOE) policies the Principal oversees and organizes the assigned school site operations, staff and budget.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATIONAL DELIVERY: This position supports the development of community and industry partnerships that provide educational experiences for students through career exploration and job training pathways. Working collaboratively with community and school stakeholders, Principal is responsible for:

• Developing dynamic, innovative programming to align with student needs as well as current employment demands and trends;
• Continuously monitor and be knowledgeable of current and future Alternative Campus Education (ACE) programs, opportunities, demands/trends locally, regionally, and nationally;
• Managing the development of curriculum and instructional programs that recognize the contributions of diverse groups and foster success for all students regardless of gender, sex, and/or disability;
• Understanding and leading the use of technology in performance based instructional programs;
• Using data to analyze the current status of student learning and to serve as a catalyst for, and benchmark of growth and continuous improvement.

INSTRUCTIONAL CURRICULUM: Leadership in this dynamic field requires an understanding of the philosophy of standards based education, the ECSD Learning Model, the processes of curriculum development and its effectiveness in the school. Responsibilities within this area include:

• Developing, implementing, monitoring effectiveness, maintaining, and growing the school’s instructional programs;
• Collaborating with community employers, industry professionals, vocational teachers and others to develop student performance-based standards that are relevant and applicable to the ECSD Learning Model and current environments;
• Oversees many alternative educational programs including but not limited to the Individual Education Plans (IEPs); GED, Teen Parenting, CTE.
• Offers On-line Program for all ECSD students. Principal supports staff, guardians, and District high school students with needs for credit recovery, grade replacement, and credit acceleration;
• Implementing supervisory and evaluative processes for staff that includes applicable measures of student learning and promotes the unique goals of each program and instructional outcomes.

STAFF SUPERVISION AND DEVELOPMENT: As a leader in the community, Principal is charged with designing a staff development program that recognizes:

• Student success as the primary focus;
• Applied principles of collaborative adult learning;

Principal directly oversees the supervision of all school personnel in accordance with the District policies and applicable laws. Supervising and evaluating vocational and academic teachers, counselors, support staff and administrators is conducted in the framework of instructional program goals and expectations including a variety of human resources responsibilities but not limited to:

• Interviewing, hiring, training, promoting, planning, and assigning work,
• Conducting performance evaluations, rewarding and disciplining employee conduct,
• Addressing employee/student complaints and resolving problems.

Principal may delegate some supervisory responsibilities to building Administrative Team as members are trained in human resource management skills and as appropriate.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in education
• Minimum of three years of experience in building administration role;
• Minimum of five years of teaching experience in a classroom setting and demonstrated leadership experience.

Note: RCHS represents a high percentage of at-risk students, experience in counseling, behavior coaching, trauma informed teaching or other related field is preferable.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS or CERTIFICATIONS:

• Valid Colorado Principal/Administrator’s License;

BUDGET AND/OR RESOURCE RESPONSIBILITY: Principal holds the fiduciary responsibility for developing, administering, monitoring, and coordinating the assigned school’s budget. Oversight and delegation of district account’s administration, grant compliance monitoring, and any other school assigned budgetary duties is at the Principal’s discretion in accordance with District policies and state and federal laws.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES:

Community Awareness – Must possess a basic knowledge of local cultural and educational diversity as it relates to understanding student learning, alternative and innovative teaching, and how services are provided. This position guides the development of collaborative community involvement that includes school stakeholders and is responsible for supporting District personnel in understanding the District’s Learning Model, Standards Based Education, and Alternative Campus Education philosophies and how to foster success for all students regardless of gender, race, or ability.

Knowledge Base – Must possess a working knowledge of, promote, and enact federal, state, and District education policies, standards, and procedures including ACE. A working knowledge of the following are also required:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• District and school student achievement data and Colorado State Standards

Other Abilities – Other skills and aptitudes required include but are not limited to:

• Strong ability to understand and communicate orally and in writing in English; preference for bi-lingual Spanish;
• Ability to be strong advocate for school needs with relation to students and staff;
• Ability to be adaptable and flexible with critical thinking and problem solving capabilities;
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and frequent interruptions in a timely manner;
• Ability to use de-escalation skills to diffuse and manage stressful and fluid situations;
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all aspects of the job;
• Ability to work with students from diverse backgrounds and with diverse abilities;
• Well-developed ability to promote and follow Board of Education policies, building and department procedures;
• Ability to recognize the importance of workplace safety and to report unsafe conditions to the appropriate administrator.

JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING: Work is self-directed, assigned by the Assistant Superintendent and guided by Eagle County School District, federal, and state policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and laws. Employee uses considerable independent thinking, judgment, and complex analytical skills. Requires observational, prioritization, strong listening skills, tact, and attention to detail to determine the urgency of situations and to accurately assess those situations in a timely manner. Employee must have a strong understanding of student behavior, district culture, and be able to quickly analyze the impact of decisions on students, staff, school district, and the community. Supervision is limited to assignment of duties, discussion of problems and review of results.

DIVERSITY OF DUTIES: Accountable for the final decisions and results at assigned school. Work is complicated by the diversity and severity of student needs, issues and situations combined with budget management responsibilities and multiple ACE Program demands. Contact occurs across organizational areas and involves input to decision making regarding policies, practices and procedures that have a broad organizational and community impact.

BEHAVIOR AND ACTIVITIES: Many of the behaviors and activities contained in this document were developed to support the Eagle County School District Mission. In addition to specific tasks or job related competencies, the Code of Conduct and other work principles will be recognized throughout this document. A high standard of personal conduct to uphold and maintain personal integrity and ethics is required as well as the avoidance of substance abuse and other risk taking behavior.