PRINCIPAL

Job Description

Rowan-Salisbury Schools – Principal, Rowan Achievement Center Position

Title: Principal, Rowan Achievement Center

Term of Employment: 12 months

Position Overview:

The Principal of The Rowan Achievement Center serves as the instructional, cultural, and organizational leader of a multi-program secondary learning environment designed to provide flexible, student-centered pathways to success for students in grades 6-12. The Rowan Achievement Center is a behavioral and academic support program that includes Eagle Academy, Ascend Academy, and Renewal Academy, each designed to meet varying student needs through alternative placement, transition services, accelerated credit attainment, small setting instruction, and individualized pathways toward graduation and postsecondary success.

Guided by the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Strategic Plan and aligned to the North Carolina School Executive Standards, the Principal establishes a shared vision, builds systems of support, develops staff capacity, and ensures that all students have access to rigorous academics, strong relationships, and meaningful opportunities connected to Enrolled, Enlisted, and Employed pathways.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership

- Develops, communicates, and sustains a compelling vision and mission for The Rowan Achievement Center aligned to district priorities and the school’s purpose as a flexible, non-punitive academic support option for students in grades 6-12.
- Leads the implementation and continuous refinement of a three-program model that includes:

•      Eagle Academy for alternative placement,
•      Ascend Academy as a small setting school with accelerated credit attainment, and
•      Renewal Academy as a transition school with short-term placement support.

- Uses qualitative and quantitative data to monitor student outcomes, evaluate program effectiveness, and support strategic decision-making related to student access, credit recovery, graduation progress, and school improvement.
- Drives systematic improvement efforts that expand individualized pathways and challenge traditional barriers to student success, especially for over-aged, under-credited, retained, or transition-needing students.

2. Instructional Leadership

- Implements and monitors high-quality, standards-aligned instruction that is personalized, flexible, and responsive to diverse student needs.
- Supports staff in delivering instruction through online platforms, self-paced coursework, targeted interventions, and authentic learning opportunities that accelerate student progress toward graduation.
- Ensures instructional systems support students earning credits at an increased rate, recovering lost credits, and successfully transitioning between educational settings.
- Promotes innovative learning experiences, including internships and pathway-based opportunities connected to student interests and future goals.
- Leads staff in analyzing student data and progress monitoring information to ensure students remain on track academically, behaviorally, and socially.

3. Cultural & Equity Leadership

- Creates a safe, inclusive, and affirming school culture rooted in Rowan-Salisbury Schools values: Honor, Include, Innovate, Execute, and Serve.
- Establishes a culture that emphasizes student dignity, second chances, accountability, and personalized support within a behavioral and academic environment.
- Ensures students have voice in their educational journey and access to flexible options that support persistence, belonging, and postsecondary readiness.
- Promotes equitable access to small-setting instruction, transition supports, credit acceleration, and alternative pathways for students whose needs may not be met in traditional structures.

4. Human Capital & Talent Development

- Recruits, retains, and develops high-quality staff to support the school’s specialized instructional and transitional programming.
- Provides coaching, feedback, and evaluation in accordance with state and district expectations.
- Builds the capacity of teachers and support staff to serve students in flexible, relationship-driven, and nontraditional learning environments.
- Leads staffing implementation aligned to program growth, including certified teachers, internship coordination, and support staff. Continued growth of staffing as programming expands.
- Fosters a collaborative culture in which staff share ownership for student growth, transition planning, and pathway development.

5. School Operations & Organizational Management

- Ensures effective, efficient, and safe day-to-day operations of The Rowan Achievement Center, including scheduling, staffing, transportation coordination, safety protocols, facilities, compliance, and student placement processes.
- Oversees a flexible school-day structure that may include multiple student tracks, including full-day and partial-day options, with transportation aligned to student schedules and needs.
- Supports implementation of calendar models and scheduling options that increase access and responsiveness to student circumstances, including traditional, balanced, and mini-mester concepts.
- Uses data systems and operational structures to ensure transparency, efficiency, and continuous improvement across all three programs.

6. Community Engagement & Communication

- Builds strong relationships with students, families, staff, community partners, and district leaders to support student success and program growth.
- Communicates clearly and consistently about the purpose, expectations, and opportunities within The Rowan Achievement Center.
- Partners with schools, district staff, and families to support referrals, transitions, student placements, and pathway planning.
- Cultivates partnerships that expand student opportunities, including internship and workforce-connected experiences.
- Represents the school positively and advocates for innovative, flexible supports that strengthen student outcomes and dropout prevention efforts.

7. Wellness Leadership

- Prioritizes the well-being of students, staff, and the school community.
- Implements proactive systems that support mental health, school connectedness, behavioral stability, and successful student transitions.
- Leads a school culture that balances high expectations with individualized support and emphasizes resilience, restoration, and growth.
- Ensures students in transition or in need of additional support have access to caring adults, structured interventions, and pathways toward long-term success.

Qualifications

Required

- Valid North Carolina Principal License.
- Successful teaching experience and prior leadership experience.
- Demonstrated effectiveness in instructional leadership, collaboration, communication, and student-centered problem solving.
- Experience working with students who require alternative, transitional, flexible, or accelerated academic pathways.

Preferred

- Experience leading alternative learning, nontraditional secondary programs, credit recovery, transition programming, or small setting school environments.
- Experience with innovative scheduling, online learning platforms, internships, and individualized graduation planning.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

- Deep understanding of North Carolina School Executive Standards and evaluation processes.
- Knowledge of flexible learning models, credit recovery systems, transition supports, and strategies for serving over-aged, under-credited, and academically disengaged students.
- Ability to lead change, inspire stakeholders, and build systems that support student success in nontraditional school settings.
- Skill in data-informed decision-making, master scheduling, program implementation, and continuous improvement.
- Commitment to equity, student agency, and inclusive school culture.
- Excellence in communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, and ethical leadership.

Working Conditions

- School-based setting with district and community commitments.
- Frequent interactions with students, staff, families, school partners, and community organizations.
- Extended hours as needed to support school functions, student transitions, family engagement, internships, and operational responsibilities.

Physical Requirements

- Must be physically able to operate a variety of equipment including computers, copiers, calculators, cell phones, etc.
- Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle and hold a NC driver’s license.
- Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, and pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body.
- Light Work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree.

DISCLAIMER

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required

Salary : $77,792 - $97,239