Primary Purpose:

Direct and manage the instructional program and supervise operations and personnel at campus level.  Provide leadership to ensure high standards of instructional service.  Oversee compliance with district policies, success of instructional programs, and operation of all campus activities.

Qualifications:

Minimum Education/Certification:             

Master’s degree in educational administration

Texas Principal or Mid-Management Certification

Certified Texas Teacher Evaluation & Support System (T-TESS) appraiser

Satisfactory outcome of fingerprinting background check. Non-refundable fee (approximately $50) paid by employee.

Knowledge/Skills:

Working knowledge of curriculum and instruction

Ability to evaluate instructional program and teaching effectiveness

Ability to manage budget and personnel

Ability to implement policy and procedures

Ability to analyze and interpret data to make instructional decisions

Ability to coordinate campus functions

Strong organizational, communication, public relations, and interpersonal skills

Experience:        

Three (3) years’ experience as a classroom teacher

Three (3) years’ experience in instructional leadership roles (non-classroom)

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

(The following statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned and should not be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions that may be assigned or skills that may be required.)

Professionalism

The Educators' Code of Ethics is set forth in Texas Administrative Code to provide rules for standard practices and ethical conduct toward students, professional colleagues, school officials, parents, and members of the community.

• Rule §247.1 Purpose and Scope; Definitions
• Rule §247.2 Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators

Instructional Management

The administrator promotes improvement of instruction through activities such as the following:

• Monitor student achievement and attendance.
• Diagnose student needs.
• Help teachers design learning experiences for students.
• Encourage the development and piloting of innovative instructional programs.
• Facilitate the planning and application of emerging technologies in the classroom.
• Monitor instructional processes to ensure that program activities are related to outcomes and use findings to take corrective actions where necessary.
• Provide instructional resources and materials needed to accomplish instructional goals.
• Establish clear expectations for staff performance with regard to instructional strategies, classroom management, and communication with the public.
• Foster collegiality and team building among staff members. Encourage their active involvement in decision-making process.
• Solicit regular input from campus-level committee about planning, operation, supervision, and evaluation of campus education program. Include students and community representatives when appropriate.

Organization Improvement/Management

The administrator promotes leadership in efforts to improve the school or organization through activities such as the following:

• Collaborate in the development and articulation of a common vision of improvement.
• Direct planning activities and implement programs to ensure attainment of school’s mission.
• Encourage appropriate risk-taking.
• Ensure continuous renewal of curriculum, policies, and methods.
• Obtain broad-based input for fiscal or financial analysis.
• Compile reasonable budgets and cost estimates.
• Ensure that facilities are maintained and upgraded as necessary.
• Manage a broad range of school operations (for example, attendance, accounting, payroll, transportation).
• Build a common vision for school improvement with staff. Direct planning activities and implement programs to ensure attainment of school’s mission.
• Establish campus performance objectives for Academic Excellence Indicators using the campus planning process and involving site-based decision-making committee. Demonstrate campus progress using results to promote school improvement.
• Provide opportunities for interactive communication with superintendent, staff, students, parents, and community.

Student Management

The administrator promotes positive student conduct through activities such as the following:

• Help students develop a sense of self-worth.
• Develop and communicating guidelines for student conduct.
• Ensure rules are observed uniformly.
• Discipline students for misconduct in an effective and fair manner.
• Support collaboration by working with faculty.
• Encourage the participation of students and parents.
• Act as campus behavioral coordinator in accordance with state laws and regulations.
• Work with faculty and students to develop a student discipline management system that results in positive student behavior and enhances the school climate.
• Ensure that school rules are uniformly applied and that student discipline is appropriate and equitable in accordance with Student Code of Conduct and student handbook.
• Conduct conferences about student and school issues with parents, students, and teachers.

Personnel Relations/Management

The administrator manages personnel effectively through activities such as the following:

• Delegate appropriately.
• Recognize exemplary performance of teachers and staff.
• Encourage personal and professional growth and leadership among the staff.
• Comply with applicable personnel policies and rules.
• Secure the necessary personnel resources to meet objectives.
• Evaluate the job performance of assigned personnel.
• Select, train, supervise, and evaluate staff and make recommendations relative to assignment, retention, discipline, and dismissal. Approve all personnel assigned to campus.
• Observe employee performance, record observations, and conduct evaluation conferences with staff.
• Coach staff and help them identify and develop appropriate professional growth opportunities as well as accomplish improvement goals.
• Work with campus-level planning and decision-making committees to plan professional development activities.
• Comply with district policies, state and federal laws, and regulations affecting schools.
• Develop and administer campus budgets based on documented program needs and estimated enrollment ensuring that operations are cost effective and funds are managed wisely.
• Compile, maintain, and file all reports, records, and other documents required including accurate and timely reports of maximum attendance to requisition textbooks.
• Manage use of school facilities. Oversee maintenance of facilities to ensure a clean, orderly, and safe campus.
• [Secondary Principals: Direct and manage extracurricular and intramural programs including management of multiple activity funds.]

Communication and Community Relations

The administrator promotes a positive tone for school or community relations through activities such as the following:

• Articulate the school’s mission to the community and solicit its support in realizing the mission.
• Demonstrate awareness of school and community needs and initiate activities to meet those needs using appropriate and effective techniques to encourage community and parent involvement.
• Foster collaborative educational efforts among members of the total school community.

Professional Growth and Development

The administrator provides leadership in professional growth and development through activities such as the following:

• Participate in professional development to improve skills related to job assignment.
• Lead campus data-driven and research –based professional activities aligned to district and campus goals.
• Participate actively in professional associations.
• Disseminate ideas and information to other professionals.
• Seek and use evaluative information for improvement of performance.

Qualities of Effective Administrators

The administrator exhibits qualities such as the following:

• Demonstrate behavior that is professional, ethical and responsible.
• Comply with district and campus policies and procedures, as well as state and federal laws and regulations.
• Comply with the standards of conduct set out in Board Policy DH (Legal) and (Local) and with any other policies, regulations, and guidelines that impose duties, requirements, or standards.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Demonstrate a high level of personal integrity, a collaborative leadership style, and high ethical standards.
• Keep informed of and comply with state, district, and campus policies affecting schools.
• Compile, maintain and file all reports, records, and other required documents.
• Daily attendance and punctuality at work are essential functions of the job.
• Correct unsafe conditions in work area and school building.
• Establish and monitor safety and security measures.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Supervise and evaluate the performance of staff assigned to campus including assistant principal(s), teacher(s), counselor(s), librarian, instructional aides and paraprofessional/clerical support staff.

Equipment:

Computer, computer software programs and peripherals, teacher resource materials and equipment, printer, copier, fax and other equipment applicable to the position.

Working Conditions

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors:

• Maintain emotional control under stress.
• Work with frequent interruptions.
• Work irregular hour and extended work hours to include holidays and weekends.
• Frequent walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, lifting, and carrying (may lift and move textbooks and classroom equipment).
• May be required under specific circumstances to provide physical restraint of students in danger of causing harm to themselves or others.
• Occasional district wide and statewide travel.
• Use computer for prolonged period resulting in repetitive hand motion.
• Frequent exposure to: temperature extremes (hot and cold), humidity extremes, noise, low or intense illumination vibration.
• Occasional exposure to: biological hazards (communicable diseases, bacteria, etc.), work outside, work around moving objects or vehicles, work on uneven surfaces.

The foregoing statements describe the general purpose and responsibilities assigned to this job and are not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.