Principal

St. Michael School in Fall River, MA is seeking a principal with visionary leadership, passion, commitment and effective educational skills ready to lead this vibrant Catholic school. The principal shall be accountable for the following areas of responsibility. These areas may be modified at the discretion of the Pastor. Spiritual Leader The principal is a believing and practicing Catholic, loyal to the Church, prayerful, a person of hope, faith filled and committed to spiritual growth. The principal will work in collaboration with the Pastor in the following ways: Faith Community/Catholic Identity • Contribute to the spiritual and sacramental life of the school. • Coordinate sacramental preparation. • Coordinate prayer, worship, and service opportunities. • Ensure that the school provides a rich liturgical and devotional life and that all Catholic identity programs are comprehensive and age-appropriate. • Coordinate adult faith formation and service opportunities for the spiritual and professional growth of all faculty and staff. • Ensure that the school is an integral part of the mission of the parish. • Assist faculty and staff with the integration of the school’s mission into academic, student, and extra-curricular programs. • Ensure that the rationale for discipline is consistent with the school’s mission and Catholic identity. Instructional Leader The principal is an educator committed to Catholic education who remains open to professional growth. He/She is able to articulate educational values and demonstrates clear leadership qualities. The principal will work in collaboration with the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) in the following ways: • Gather and submit academic data to the CSO for continuous improvement. • Oversee the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of the curriculum against Diocesan standards. • Assess how the school is meeting the needs of diverse learners and proposing plans to meet these needs. • Assess the school’s professional development needs and propose strategies to meet these needs. • Oversee and coordinate the instructional supervision and evaluation of teachers utilizing a diocesan-wide instructional observation and coaching protocol. • Conduct programmatic and curricular reviews. • Enhance the curriculum based on the experience of community engagement efforts. • Hire, supervise, and evaluate all school professional staff with input from the school’s pastor. • Ensure that curriculum includes a domain for Educating for Eternity Faculty and Staff • Coordinate the recruitment of new faculty and staff members. This includes organizing and monitoring all application materials and correspondence and making the final recommendation for hiring to the Catholic Schools Office. • Provide recommendations, strategies and interventions for faculty members requiring assistance with classroom management. • Prepare and update the faculty handbook, ensuring that it is consistent with Diocesan policies. • Coordinate and preside at faculty meetings. • Provide opportunities for building and sustaining faculty morale. • Approve all requests for personal and/or vacation days for faculty and staff. Managerial Leader The principal is mature, intelligent, organized yet flexible, challenging yet affirming, a critical thinker and possesses interest in youth and their future. The principal will work in collaboration with the Pastor and Catholic Schools Office in the following ways: • Oversee the preparation of the student handbook, ensuring that it is consistent with Diocesan policies. • Ensure that all school policies, rules and procedures regarding student life are enforced. • Preside over all school gatherings. • Coordinate necessary training sessions for all volunteers and host families (i.e. Safe Environment Training, CORI compliance). • Provide regular communication with the school community through School Messenger, RenWeb, monthly parent newsletters, weekly newsletter, and parent/teacher conferences. • Determine the daily school schedule and adjust times accordingly for assemblies, liturgies, presentations, etc. • Coordinate and oversee required evaluations and reporting by outside agencies (NEASC, Diocese of Fall River, NCEA, etc.). • Maintain a visible presence during the school day. • Oversee the school’s master calendar, making adjustments when necessary. • Be present at all major school functions outside of the school day. • Prepare an annual operating budget in consultation with the Pastor, CSO and Diocesan Finance Office, as well as an updated 3-year business plan and capital budget, specifically addressing key Operational Vitality Criteria. • Manage an annual operating budget. • Oversee the daily internal operations of the school in accord with published human resource and personnel policies. • Provide clarity for responsibilities, expectations, and accountability to members of the school community including faculty, staff, and parents. • Oversee the general maintenance and cleanliness of the facilities and report major concerns and needs to the Pastor. • Direct family and community engagement efforts. • Collaborate with the parent organization. when appropriate, • Participate in the development and implementation of strategies to increase enrollment. • Participate in the development and implementation of strategies to increase recruitment of a diverse teaching corps. • Provide professional development to teachers that makes them responsive to the needs of the local parish community. • Prepare school updates for advisory board meetings. In Summary: The Principal, as the educational leader of the school, is responsible for the school’s day-to-day operations in all areas dealing with faculty and staff. In this capacity, the Principal is responsible for implementing and enforcing all school policies, regulations, and procedures to ensure that the school environment fosters educational excellence and student/staff accountability. Inherent in this position are the responsibilities for integrating the school’s Catholic faith and culture in all aspects of school life; developing and maintaining a rigorous academic program consistent with the needs of all students; managing, evaluating and coordinating academic personnel; providing opportunities for professional development; establishing and coordinating emergency and safety procedures; overseeing facility maintenance; disseminating school news and pertinent information to the school community; and overseeing the recruitment, admission, and retention of qualified students. Required Qualifications: • Practicing Catholic in good standing with the Catholic Church • Three to five years successful teaching experience at the elementary school level • State approved teaching licensure • Possesses a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership or related area OR willing to obtain a Master’s Degree in near future All interested candidates should send a current resume and letter of interest to Sharon Sampson at ssampson@catholicsa.org.