Administrator Mentor

Position Summary

The Principal Mentor is responsible for designing, coordinating, and facilitating Fitchburg Public Schools' Principal Induction and Mentoring Program for newly appointed principals and assistant principals. The Principal Mentor provides individualized coaching, leadership development, and job-embedded support that promotes effective instructional leadership, operational excellence, equitable school practices, and continuous professional growth.

Working in partnership with the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, the Principal Mentor ensures that new school leaders successfully navigate district systems while developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions outlined in the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) Principal Induction and Mentoring Guidance and the Massachusetts Standards for Effective Administrative Leadership.

The Principal Mentor serves as a confidential thought partner and instructional leadership coach, helping new administrators build leadership capacity, strengthen school culture, improve instructional practices, and successfully lead equitable learning environments that advance the district's mission, ALL Means ALL.

Qualifications

Required

• Master's Degree from an accredited college or university.
• Valid Massachusetts DESE licensure as one or more of the following:
• Principal/Assistant Principal (PreK–8 and/or 5–12)
• Supervisor/Director
• Special Education Administrator 
• SEI Administrator Endorsement.
• Minimum of five (5) years of successful experience as a school or district administrator.
• Demonstrated record of improving teaching and learning through effective instructional leadership.
• Experience mentoring, supervising, evaluating, or coaching school leaders.
• Thorough knowledge of Massachusetts educator evaluation regulations, curriculum frameworks, school improvement planning, and district leadership practices.
• Strong facilitation, communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred

• Experience coordinating administrator induction or mentoring programs.
• Knowledge of culturally responsive leadership, continuous improvement, and implementation science.
• Experience facilitating professional learning communities and leadership teams.
• Experience supporting leaders through organizational change and systems improvement.

Essential Responsibilities

Leadership Coaching and Mentoring

• Provide individualized coaching and mentoring to all first-year principals and assistant principals.
• Establish trusting, confidential coaching relationships that foster reflection, professional growth, and leadership effectiveness while maintaining accountability to district expectations.
• Develop individualized leadership growth plans aligned with district priorities and the Massachusetts Standards for Effective Administrative Leadership.
• Meet regularly with mentees to support instructional leadership, organizational management, family engagement, school culture, and operational leadership.
• Guide new administrators in reflective leadership practices through structured coaching conversations and evidence-based problem-solving.
• Support principals in analyzing multiple data sources to improve student outcomes and organizational effectiveness.

Principal Induction Program

Design, coordinate, and facilitate a comprehensive district Principal Induction Program that includes learning experiences focused on:

• District vision, strategic priorities, and instructional expectations
• School opening procedures and annual planning
• Curriculum, instruction, and assessment
• Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
• Instructional Leadership Teams (ILT)
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
• Professional learning planning and implementation
• Teacher supervision, observation, evaluation, and feedback
• Family and community engagement
• School Improvement Planning
• Budget development and fiscal management
• Staffing processes and interviewing protocols
• Student discipline, restorative practices, and student support systems
• School safety procedures and emergency protocols
• District operational systems and data platforms
• Leadership, communication, and organizational management

The annual induction program shall be aligned to the district Principal Mentorship Timeline and annual leadership priorities.

Leadership Learning and Professional Development

• Design and facilitate monthly Principal Induction meetings.
• Coordinate leadership workshops, seminars, collaborative problem-solving sessions, and professional learning experiences.
• Organize Leadership Learning Walks to provide new administrators with opportunities to observe effective instructional leadership practices across Fitchburg Public Schools.
• Facilitate structured reflection and collaborative learning following classroom visits and school-based observations.
• Develop resources that support the implementation of district initiatives and DESE expectations.
• Foster collaboration among school leaders to strengthen a district-wide professional learning community.

Instructional Leadership Development

Support new principals in developing effective systems for:

• Classroom observations and actionable feedback
• Instructional walkthroughs
• Curriculum implementation
• Professional development planning
• Professional Learning Communities
• Instructional Leadership Teams
• MTSS implementation
• Data-informed instructional decision-making
• Teacher leadership development
• School improvement planning
• Student achievement monitoring
• Equitable instructional practices for all learners

Entry Planning and Leadership Development

• Support each newly appointed principal in developing a comprehensive 30-60-90-Day Entry Plan that prioritizes relationship-building, instructional leadership, operational readiness, and school improvement.
• Assist new principals in establishing leadership priorities aligned with district strategic initiatives.
• Monitor progress toward leadership milestones throughout the first year.
• Provide coaching around organizational management, prioritization, delegation, and effective decision-making.

Leadership Portfolio

• Guide each new administrator in developing and maintaining a professional Leadership Portfolio aligned to the Massachusetts Standards for Effective Administrative Leadership.
• Support the collection of artifacts demonstrating growth in instructional leadership, organizational management, family engagement, and professional culture.
• Facilitate periodic reflection using portfolio evidence to celebrate successes, identify areas for growth, and establish future leadership goals.

Program Coordination

• Coordinate all aspects of the district Principal Induction and Mentoring Program.
• Maintain documentation of mentoring activities and participant progress.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and district leadership to support administrator onboarding.
• Collect participant feedback and evaluate program effectiveness using continuous improvement practices.
• Recommend annual revisions to strengthen the Principal Induction Program and ensure alignment with DESE guidance and district priorities.
• Prepare an annual report summarizing program outcomes, recommendations, and future priorities.

Other Responsibilities

• Attend district leadership meetings as assigned.
• Participate in district committees and initiatives supporting leadership development.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.

Terms of Employment: One-year non-aligned contract

Reports To: Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning

Compensation: Not to Exceed $34,000 (Unit B Per Diem Rate)

An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of NCBC (fingerprinting) and CORI prior to your start of employment. 

The responsibilities and duties listed are illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties may be assigned as required.

Notice of Non-Discrimination
The School Committee’s policy of nondiscrimination extends to students, employees, and the general public with whom it does business. Fitchburg Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability in admission to, access to, employment in, or equal treatment in its programs and/or activities in compliance with state and federal law.
Questions related to this policy must be addressed to: The Office of Human Resources, 376 South Street, Fitchburg, MA 01420, HR@Fitchburg.k12.ma.us