High School Principal

Job Title:                  Principal

Department:             Administration

Reports to:               Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent

Classification:          Exempt

Summary

The principal is the instructional leader for his or her building and is responsible for the daily operation of the building.  This individual must sincerely believe their mission is to serve, motivate and ensure that students/teachers perform at their optimum.

The Seneca R7 school district believes in the Professional Learning Community (PLC) concept and is committed to a team environment among teachers and administrators. A principal in the district must be a champion of PLC and willing to assist in the implementation of PLC practices including development of essential standards, standards-based grading, responses to intervention and academically challenging opportunities for those who have mastered the standards.  

Essential Skills

This individual must possess the following abilities:

1. Strong human relation and people skills (sincerely care about the welfare of students and teachers under your leadership)
2. Ability to motivate students and staff to achieve at the highest level
3. Understands the essential need for morale building
4. Must possess excellent written and oral communication skills

These skills will enable the principal to build and maintain a positive/productive atmosphere of mutual trust and respect within the school building and between the school district and the community at large.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

An individual who holds this position is responsible for:

Supervision of instruction

• Monitor instructional procedures to ensure that classroom activities are aligned to projected outcomes and use findings to make improvements.
• Review often with teachers and committees about planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation of the building education (Include students and community representatives when appropriate).
• Use instructional data to make decisions that will improve student achievement or modify educational programs.

 Motivation of staff

• Communicate and promote expectations for high-level performance to the staff and recognize excellence and achievement.
• Conference with staff regarding their professional growth and work with them to develop and accomplish improvement goals.

 Training of staff

• Promote collegiality and team building among staff.
• Encourage their active involvement in decision-making processes.
• Build common vision for school improvement.
• Direct planning activities and put programs in place with staff to ensure attainment of the school's mission.
• Communicate expectations for staff performance with regard to instructional strategies, classroom management, and working with the students.

 Implementation of the professional development plan

• Meet with committees to plan professional development activities.

 Making hiring recommendations to the Board

• Recommend people who are excited about their job, who love working with children and are highly qualified for the position.
• Interview, select, and orient new staff to your expectations and building personnel.
• Make recommendations to superintendent on termination, suspension, or non-renewal of employees assigned to their supervision.

 General supervision of students

• Conference with parents, students, and teachers about student matters as appropriate.

 Positive interaction with students

• Treat students fairly, equitably, and with dignity.
• Attend student activities.

 Administration of student discipline

• Meet with faculty and students to develop a student discipline plan that results in positive student behavior that improves the school climate.

 Supervision of student activities and events

• Evaluate co-curricular and extra-curricular programs.
• Supervise or delegate "all" after school activities and events.

Maintain building records

• Accurately compile/maintain all reports, records, and other documents required.

• Develop your building budget based on documented program needs, estimated enrollment, personnel, and other fiscal needs. Keep programs within budget limits, maintain fiscal control, and accurately report fiscal information.

Create and update student handbooks

• Ensure that school rules are uniformly observed and that students are disciplined appropriately in accordance with the building discipline plan.

Evaluation of staff

• Observe employee performance, record observations, and conduct evaluation conferences with personnel.

An individual who holds this position is expected to attend:

Board meetings as requested

Admin team meetings

Student activities and events

IEP meetings

Qualifications

Education

Master's degree or higher in educational administration

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Valid Missouri principal's certificate for the appropriate grade levels

Skills and Abilities

Language

An individual who holds this position must have the ability to:

Present information to staff members, other administrators and the board of education

Respond to common questions and complaints

Interview students and staff

Read, analyze and interpret professional journals, government memos, board policy, administrative procedures and statutes

Write newsletter articles, staff memos and ordinary business correspondence

Keep information confidential when required by law, policy or a particular situation

Computation

Ability to compute ratios, percentages and create and interpret graphs and figures

Reasoning

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions

Technology

Basic computer word processing, spreadsheet and research skills

Ability to access and create reports using the district's student information software

Physical Demands

An individual who holds this position must frequently move in and around buildings and grounds to visit classrooms, attend meetings and supervise bus loading and unloading areas and sit for an hour or more at a time.

Hearing

Must be able to hear a conversation in a noisy environment

Attendance

Consistent and regular attendance is an essential function of this position

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Conditions and Environment

The work environment is consistent with a typical office environment; however the individual who holds this position will occasionally be required to be outside in temperatures below freezing and above 100 degrees.

The individual who holds this position is frequently required to work irregular or extended hours.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

Eleven months

Holiday leave

New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Holiday (Thursday

and Friday), Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day, Good Friday (providing school is not in session),

(Snow days are not contract days)

Sick leave (10 days)

Three may be used for personal leave Sick leave pool available

Evaluation

Annually by the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent