Principal for the Sheehan School (K-5)

Our Community:

Westwood is a welcoming suburban community with an exceptional track record of supporting and celebrating its public schools. As a district, we are committed to creating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, and we understand that a diverse team allows us to serve our community better. We welcome and encourage individuals of every race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status to seek opportunities within our school district.

You will join the strong professional learning community of the Westwood Public Schools. In our mission to prepare students for college, career,  and civic life, we work collaboratively to provide rich and rigorous curriculum, high-quality instruction, trusting relationships, and authentic educational experiences. We hold true to our core district values of academic excellence and a commitment to improvement; curiosity and tenacity; and respectful relationships in a caring, collaborative community.

With approximately 2,800 students in grades K - 12, as well as a thriving integrated preschool program, the district provides a close-knit sense of community while offering a comprehensive array of academic programs and co-curricular activities. We are particularly proud of the continuum of services available to support our students.

Our educators model and encourage a deep investment in learning. Coursework focuses on preparing students for college and careers while also providing them with opportunities to try new things and explore their passions in depth. Westwood is a proud METCO district, with strong program leadership and an unwavering commitment to supporting the values of the nation's oldest and most successful public school racial integration program.

Sheehan School:

Since opening its doors in 1948, William E. Sheehan Elementary School has been a cornerstone of the community. Today, Sheehan is a K–5 elementary school serving approximately 290 students and is known for its vibrant, close-knit community of educators, students, and families.

For more than 75 years, Sheehan School has been guided by strong leadership and a clear vision. We believe that education is about more than curriculum—it is about community. At the center of the Sheehan experience is our exceptional faculty. Our teachers are a steady presence in the lives of students, fostering deep roots within the community and strong, collaborative partnerships between home and school.

Sheehan educators operate with an unwavering belief in every child’s potential, working collaboratively to deliver high-quality instruction, create authentic learning experiences, and support diverse learning needs within a culture rooted in kindness, inclusion, and pride. This shared commitment ensures that every student feels seen, valued, and supported.

William E. Sheehan Elementary School is also home to two district-wide special education programs: the Language-Based Learning Disability Program and the STAR Therapeutic Program.

The Role:

The Sheehan School seeks a Principal to join a dynamic team of educators, dedicated to welcoming, challenging, and supporting a joyful and diverse student body.  The Principal leads a collaborative, skilled faculty, and works closely with WPS elementary principal colleagues. The Principal interacts with students, families and community members at co-curricular events; meetings with the school’s Site Council and PTA to support school improvement and student support efforts; and contributes to the growth of the district as a member of the district-wide administrative team. 

Qualifications 

• Master’s degree in education 
• Massachusetts principal/assistant principal license required
• SEI endorsement must be completed prior to start
• A minimum of eight (8) years of experience in K-12 education and some leadership experience within a school or community program required
• Previous classroom teacher experience and experience as a school administrator.
• Experience in staff supervision and evaluation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Deep understanding of how to effectively support students’ academic, social and emotional growth
• Ability to provide inclusive and effective educational leadership of general and special education instructional programs.
• Experience and demonstrated skill managing long-term projects and initiatives
• Demonstrated commitment to celebrating diversity, pursuing equity, and promoting integration 
• Familiarity with trauma-sensitive and restorative practices  

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Student Engagement and Behavior

• Cultivate authentic, supportive relationships with students and their families
• Promote student investment in academics and co-curricular activities 
• Communicate clear expectations and hold students to high standards both academically and behaviorally
• Implement, model and support school staff in approaches to student behavior management that develop students’ skills, promote empathy and responsibility, and build trusting relationships with children and families

Priority Management, Communication, and Culture

• Effectively communicate school and district vision, mission and values
• Create an environment that is welcoming, safe, supportive, and appropriately challenging for all students
• Build strong relationships with students, their families and other community members
• Distribute leadership and delegate effectively
• Demonstrate ambitious academic and personal expectations for oneself and others 
• Ensure the smooth daily operations of the school
• Supervise the maintenance of accurate records on the progress, behavior and attendance of students
• Lead the development and implementation of the school improvement plan
• Oversee budget development and maintenance and managing student activities accounts.
• Create a master schedule that meets students’ needs and makes the most of the community’s investment
• Perform other duties as may be assigned by the superintendent of schools

Student Learning and Achievement

• Demonstrate effective knowledge of MA curriculum standards and curriculum design.
• Demonstrate commitment to removing barriers for student learning, and depth of knowledge around culturally responsive pedagogy
• Demonstrate the ability to collect, monitor, analyze, synthesize and present data and use it to inform efforts to meet the needs of individual students.
• Assist teachers and departments in the use of both formal and informal assessment data to inform instruction and identify students in need of additional support.
• Work with staff and families to create a collaborative, team-based approach to student growth.

Educator Growth and Development

• Lead a collaborative and reflective professional community that is focused on student and adult learning.
• Recruit, hire, develop, and retain a diverse, highly qualified, and effective staff.
• Work with school and district leaders to design professional development that supports students’ academic, social and emotional growth and development.
• Supervise instructional staff, providing feedback that leads to professional growth and stronger student learning outcomes.

Engagement with Families

• Forge connections with students and families both in school and at co-curricular and community events.
• Partner with parents and caregivers in designing effective strategies for supporting students and addressing school improvement goals.
• Attend school and community events that celebrate and support the achievements of students and staff.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

• Demonstrates caring and concern for all students
• Conveys a love of learning to students
• Makes positive contributions to the larger school community
• Communicates clearly
• Uses good judgment

This is a 12 month position.  

JOB ENVIRONMENT

Work takes place in classrooms and other building rooms/areas, including offices, auditorium, gym, lunchroom and hallways, within a school building setting, primarily indoors.  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described below 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 the essential functions.

• Requires sufficient vision to read printed documents and to view detail on a computer screen for extended periods.
• Requires frequent standing, walking, sitting, bending, and reaching, as well as carrying and occasionally lifting up to 30 lbs.  
• Ability to speak in an understandable voice with sufficient volume to be heard in normal conversation, on the telephone, and in the classroom.
• Ability to hear sounds clearly up to twenty feet.
• Travel among buildings may be required.

The Westwood Public Schools are committed to creating an environment where diverse perspectives and backgrounds are embraced, and we understand that a diverse team allows us to serve our community better. To that end, we welcome and encourage individuals of every race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, and veteran status to apply for opportunities within our school district.