Catholic Elementary School Principal

Job Title: PRINCIPAL

Qualifications: 1. Catholic faith, professed and practicing
2. Master's degree
3. Illinois professional educator license
4. Endorsements in teaching and administration
5. Approval of the Superintendent of Schools

Reports to: Pastor

Supervisor of: Teachers, school staff, and students

Job Goals:
1. To foster the school faith community in the context of the larger parish faith community.

• To ensure successful teaching and learning within a safe and welcoming environment for students, teachers, and school staff.
• To establish effective relationships with faculty, staff, students and parents.
• To motivate teachers and students to do exemplary work.
• To articulate the school's mission and philosophy to teachers, staff, parents, and members of the parish community.
• To help create an environment where there is harmony, high morale, excellent communication, and cooperative teamwork.
• To be an example of Catholic faith for teachers, staff, parents, and students.

Employment in and by the Catholic Church is substantially different from secular employment. A principal must conduct himself/herself in a manner consistent with and supportive of the mission of the Church. His/her behavior must not violate the faith, morals, laws, policies, or regulations of the Catholic Church or the Diocese of Peoria. It is required that the principal be an active, participating Roman Catholic in good standing with the Church.

General job duties include:

1. Administration

• Comply with the policies, directives, and regulations for nonpublic schools as provided by the State of Illinois.
• Recruit, interview, and recommend teachers and staff for initial employment.
• Make recommendations to the pastor regarding continued employment of all teachers and school staff.
• Provide school staff (aides, cafeteria workers, etc.) with an annual summary of benefits.
• Develop and maintain communications among all groups associated with the school: teachers, students, school staff, parish staff, education commission, Home and School Association, parents, parishioners, Diocesan staff, and local public school officials.
• Interpret educational goals and school policy for all of the above-mentioned groups.
• Assist the education commission in the development and/or revision of school policy.
• Formulate the annual school budget with representatives of the education commission and the parish finance committee.
• Hire and supervise substitute teachers.
• Direct the work of teachers and school staff.
• Coordinate programming and special services with local public school officials.
• Review and order materials requested by teaching staff.
• Attend required meetings. This includes meetings of the parish council, finance committee, education commission, Home and School Association, regional and diocesan principal meetings.
• Meet with the pastor to review and coordinate school ministry with that of the greater parish community.
• Supervise daily operation and maintenance of the school.
• Provide vision and direction to school-related committees and organizations.
• Manage the revenue and expenditures of the budget.
• Ensure the health and safety of the students.
• Ensure cooperation and compliance with the policies and regulations of the Diocese of Peoria, the Office of Catholic Schools, and the local parish/school.
• Confer with the pastor/pastors' board about appropriate administrative concerns.
• Maintain accurate files of all teachers, school staff, school policies, and student records.
• Handle special disciplinary cases referred by the teachers.
• Update parent/student and faculty handbooks.

2. Supervision of Students

• Provide and demonstrate a caring relationship with all students.
• Know the backgrounds, abilities, and special needs of all students.
• Ensure the health and safety of all students.
• Direct and support recruitment and registration of new students.
• Direct and support teachers in establishing an appropriate discipline philosophy for the school.
• Direct and support teachers in coordinating student activities such as field trips, school programs, student retreats, school service projects, etc.
• Direct and support teachers in pupil evaluations, assessments, and coordinate parent-teacher conferences.

3. Organizing and Supervising Instructional Programs

• Coordinate curriculum and schedules.
• Provide for curriculum evaluation and development.
• Work with teachers to determine effective curriculum approaches and methodology of teaching.
• Work with teachers to design staff development programs.
• Assist teachers in designing appropriate classroom assessments and analyzing all school standardized test data.

4. Supervision of School Programs

• Visit classrooms to affirm and assist teachers in developing their teaching skills.
• Orient new teachers and other new school staff members.
• Provide leadership through teacher meetings, teacher in-services, and other forms of communication.
• Formally evaluate teachers and school staff on an annual basis. Provide for discussion and goal-setting during annual evaluation process.

5. Faith Leadership

• Give priority to fostering the school faith community in the context of the larger parish faith community.
• Involve members of the school faith community in events that will enhance their spirituality.
• Foster quality interpersonal relationships in an atmosphere of Christian love and concern.
• Encourage service consciousness of the entire school faith community.
• Emphasize the Catholic mission and philosophy of the school.

6. Director of Professional Growth of Teachers and School Staff

• Provide for growth, development, and evaluation of teachers and school staff.
• Recruit, interview, and recommend for hire both teaching and non-teaching school staff.
• Conduct regular teacher meetings and communicate with school staff and maintenance staff regularly.
• Provide orientation for new teachers and school staff.
• Establish clear job position descriptions.
• Maintain up-to-date personnel files.
• Conduct annual teacher and school staff performance reviews.
• Develop a pool of volunteers from parents and parishioners.
• Ensure the completion of required background checks for all employees and volunteers.

7. Educational Leadership

• Facilitate development/review of school mission, philosophy, and goals in light of Church documents on Catholic education.
• Pursue academic excellence.
• Initiate and facilitate ongoing curriculum review and development with the teachers.
• Involve teachers, school staff, parents, and students in decision-making.
• Collaborate with the staff of the parish religious education and youth ministry programs to facilitate cooperation wherever possible.
• Promote interaction and cooperation with the principals within the region and diocese.
• Initiate and/or actively participate in long-range planning for the school and parish.
• Supervise and assist in determining special student needs for referral to qualified personnel: i.e., psychologists, physicians, and/or special education teachers.

8. Public Relations

• Communicate actively with school and parish staffs, parents, students, school and parish organizations, and the broader community.
• Disseminate information through bulletins, letters, web sites, conferences, Home and School Association, education commission, open houses, parish events, etc.
• Direct overall marketing program for the school, both within and outside the parish community.
• Direct efforts of the school to secure grants, entitlements, endowments, and refunds.

Pay: $57,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person

Salary : $57,000 - $70,000