Elementary Principal: Amber Charter Schools
Bostock Education Consulting is excited to support Amber Charter Schools in their search for an elementary school principal.
POSITION:
Elementary Principal
REPORTS TO:
Co-CEO
LOCATION
East Harlem, NY
About Amber Charter Schools
Amber Charter Schools (ACS) provides our students with an academically rigorous and well-rounded education, along with strong character development, which will enable them to prosper in their future endeavors.
By 2025, the ACS network will serve over 2,000 students across three NYC neighborhoods.
Amber Charter School East Harlem was founded in 2000 as the first Latino-led charter school in New York State. It currently serves 400 K-5 students.
Amber Charter School Kingsbridge opened in 2016 and serves 620 K-7 students, and will grow to serve 840 K-8 students.
Amber Charter School Inwood opened in 2021 and serves 110 K-2 students, and will grow to serve 923 K-8 students.
Anyone who joins our team must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The Principal executes the academic vision and strategic direction of the school. The Principal supports and holds leaders and teachers responsible for academic results and facilitates the evolution of all instructional practices. The Principal ensures that all students achieve at least grade level proficiency, are well prepared for high school, and subsequently, ready for college and career. The Principal serves as a thought leader and spokesperson on behalf of the school and students.
Assume Leadership of Academic Programs
Establish, maintain, and passionately communicate high academic expectations, at or above grade level proficiency standards, for all students.
Strive to ensure that the school achieves the absolute academic goals included in the charter accountability plans and align strategy and measurable growth and outcome goals to make progress towards them.
Works closely with Chief Schools Officer and Chief Academic Officer to establish and execute plans to achieve annual school-wide goals.
Create a climate of inquiry that challenges the school community to continually re-purpose itself by building on its core values and beliefs about its future and develop the necessary pathways to achieve it.
Hold all staff members accountable for effectively enforcing all ACS policies and expectations.
Prepare reports, data overviews and presentations for various stakeholders (Board of Trustees, authorizer)
Hire, on-board, develop, and retain highly qualified staff members.
Contribute to the development of, and closely monitor, the annual school budget, ensuring the school is well-resourced and fiscally responsible, in collaboration with the ED, CScO, CAO and SST Finance Team.
Ensure the smooth daily operations of the school, which includes but is not limited to scheduling, enrollment, attendance, meals, transportation, building safety procedures and the purchase and inventory of all materials and supplies.
Ensure Effective Instructional Practices and Systems are Employed
Build cohesion, facilitate shared decision-making, and employ a distributed leadership approach with the school leadership teams.
Leverage the strengths and facilitate the growth of all leadership team members to increase individual and collective effectiveness.
Effectively and rigorously monitor and address the professional growth needs, challenges, and interests of all instructional leaders and teachers, in close collaboration with the CScO, CAO and other SST members:
Monitor teacher performance and growth data at the individual, team and school levels.
Implementing consistent instructional professional development protocols and plans (e.g. PD calendar, walkthroughs and observations, data and student work product reviews, etc.).
Ensure staff developers and other leaders are closely guided and monitored in the delivery of impactful, data-driven coaching to teachers, and instructional consultants are effectively deployed.
Ensure Amber Charter School is Data-Driven
Monitor student progress against grade-level proficiency benchmarks, by any and all subgroups (e.g. class, grade, gender, race, disability, English language learner, at risk, etc.), in close collaboration with teachers, school-based leaders, the CScO, CAO and SST members.
Systematically use formative and summative student learning data to guide learning support and drive adjustments in instruction implementation, curriculum materials utilized, and professional development priorities.
Ensure Rigorous Curriculum Programs and Materials are Utilized Effectively
Ensure all leaders and teachers have access to and are guided by clearly-articulated scope and sequence documents for each content area, at each grade level.
Facilitate the effective adoption of new curriculum materials, through formal trainings and ongoing supports.
Recommend investments in Common Core aligned, high-quality, evidence-based curriculum materials and technology that adequately support and challenge all students
Contribute to network-wide processes to evaluate and improve the quality, rigor and accessibility of curriculum materials, as well as vertical and horizontal alignments.
Ensure Amber Charters School Meets the Academic and Social Emotional Needs of All Students
Support leaders and teachers to establish, implement and monitor a comprehensive, data-driven Response to Intervention (RtI) framework of tiered academic supports.
Ensure all intervention resources and programs are meeting the needs of students.
Ensure summer and afterschool programs meet the academic needs of the students.
Create opportunities for academically advanced students to extend their learning.
Monitor the assessments, service provisions and compliance requirements for all students formally identified within special populations (students with disabilities, English language learners, students who are homeless or otherwise at-risk).
Establish a Strong Amber Charter School Culture and Community
Establish and maintain a culture of mutual respect and excellence through dialogue and relationships with all stakeholders (students, families, school-based and network staff, community members).
Be a visible presence and model, and communicate openly and often, with all community members.
Ensures a safe environment for teaching and learning.
Ensure the Amber Way is evident and well established.
Advance the social-emotional development, learning and practices of all students and staff members, in collaboration with the CAO and other SST members.
Monitor student trends in behavioral challenges, incidents, discipline practices and trends.
Collaborate with and support the Parent Association.
Contribute to the cultivation of ACS as an authentically diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.
The Principal may also assume other tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief Schools Officer.
We are seeking candidates with the following experience, competencies and assets:
Experience:
Minimum of 5 years as an effective, impactful classroom teacher, preferably in the elementary grades.
Minimum of 2 years leading, coaching and consulting with teachers.
Experience planning, developing, facilitating and evaluating high-impact professional development.
Familiarity with remote learning systems (e.g. Google Classroom, on-line curriculum platforms).
Strong command of all Microsoft Office and Google Suite programs.
Track record of achieving impressive quantitative and qualitative outcomes.
Experience in charter schools in urban communities strongly preferred.
Competencies:
Solution-oriented. Maintains optimism, perseverance and patience around changes, challenges and ambiguity.
Data-driven, ambitious and outcomes-oriented.
Communicates clearly and persuasively.
A high degree of comfort and confidence modeling effective classroom management and instruction.
Knowledge of best practices in adult learning.
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple obligations and initiatives, strong attention to detail and excellent time management.
Knowledge of change management theory and practice, team building, and group dynamics.
Models life-long learning through professional development and individual growth activities.
Assets:
Holds a deep belief that all students can learn and achieve, and all families deserve access to high-quality public schools.
Capacity to develop strong relationships based on trust, respect, effective communication, and common goals.
Entrepreneurial mindset with a commitment to preserving a bold, can-do culture that sustains the organization’s core values.
Collaborative decision-making style, with a proven track record of working effectively with individuals at all levels to drive decision-making and results.
Commitment to leveraging the existing strengths and supporting the continuous evolution of our communities, students, families and staff members.
Alignment to the Amber Charter Schools mission and core values.
Master’s degree in an education field/administration and supervision.
NYS Teacher certification. Administrative certification [SBL] preferred.
Spanish-speaking strongly preferred.
Work Environment
Traditional in-person school environment
Salary Range
$135,000 - $145,000 based on years of experience
Amber Charter Schools offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including but not limited to:
Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits
403(b) Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off
Professional Development