Principal, New Visions Charter High Schools - Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens

Organizational Mission and Vision

New Visions Charter High Schools (NVCHS) provide all students the highest quality education in an atmosphere of respect, responsibility and rigor. We ensure that our students have the skills and knowledge to graduate ready for college, pursue a career, and engage with the 21st century economy. We develop learning experiences that allow risk-taking, cultivate students’ imaginative and creative abilities, and celebrate achievement. NVCHS is committed to preparing students for success in college, careers, and life. Through an intensive study of math and science concepts in our math and science schools and literature and English, social studies and arts concepts in our humanities schools, students learn how to generate research questions, develop the skills necessary to answer those questions, create products that demonstrate understanding, and defend their knowledge publicly.

Position Summary

The Principal is the organizational leader, supervising all aspects of the school including instruction, budget and finance, staffing, social emotional learning, safety and community/family engagement. The Principal reports directly to the New Visions Charter Superintendent and to the Board of Trustees. The Principal is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the school provides students with the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to succeed academically and socially. The principal must have the skills needed to adeptly facilitate and collaborate with students, faculty and staff and families, the ability to identify and use diagnostic and formative assessments and the ability to engage in and support classroom and organizational level inquiry to inform decision making.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated leadership in previous roles. Preference will be given to candidates who are currently serving as Assistant Principals in a New Visions affiliated school and/or graduated from a recognized leadership certification program. Leading candidates will have demonstrated alignment with the New Visions mission to empower young people by challenging them academically and providing them with the support they need to excel.

The principal must work closely with the school’s Director of School Operations (DSO) and the New Visions Charter Management Organization (CMO) to ensure that the school embodies the NVCHS model and implements best practices in all instructional and operational areas.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

• Deliver the academic preparation and requisite support for all students to be prepared to succeed in college and career.
• Ensure mandated supports and interventions are in place and delivered with fidelity for students with disabilities and English Language Learners.
• Create a professional community that focuses on instruction and assessment as the primary vehicles for improving student achievement and school culture.
• Reinforce and institutionalize the implementation of New Visions Charter School practices. Foster connections between academic learning, the community, and the world.

Staff Supervision and Development

• Collaborate with the Board of Trustees and the New Visions CMO to support development efforts to expand instructional and operational capacities of the school.
• Hiring talented staff who will develop and implement programs to meet school objectives and achieve student success.
• Provide ongoing observation, coaching and evaluation to guide leadership and instructional staff development.
• Motivate teachers to continue to develop their content knowledge and instructional repertoire, and to provide the resources needed for them to do so.
• Uses multiple sources of data to develop a plan for continuous improvement

School Culture

• Ensure a safe, supportive and productive environment for students, staff and families.
• Build a school culture that evidences high expectations for courtesy, respect, compassion and an intellectually-engaged environment for both students and adults.
• Integrate school climate, social emotional learning (SEL) and behavioral intervention strategies
• Model effective instructional practices in staff meetings, professional development sessions and team meetings.

Community and Family Engagement

• Prepare for and attend regular Board Meetings
• Lead recruitment and enrollment efforts through sustained outreach and marketing of school programs to meet enrollment targets.
• Collaborate with the Board of Trustees and NV Community and Family Engagement to cultivate strong partnerships with community organizations and regional and national partners.
• Initiate and implement community support and advisory groups.
• Leverage community relationships to strengthen and support the school’s instructional and operational programs.
• Ensure effective, timely and frequent engagement, communications and relationship cultivation with families regarding student progress, performance and development

Accountability

• Understand accountability metrics and annual reporting required of charter schools and oversee the submission of all accountability metrics while meeting or exceeding such targets.
• Communicate to the Board of Trustees successes, challenges, and highlights to define and achieve academic and fiscal success for the school.
• Develop and implement the school’s budget along with the New Visions CMO and the school’s DSO, to ensure a balanced budget and sustainable operations.

Education and Experience

• Master’s degree in School Leadership Administration/Management.
• Possession of or in the process of obtaining the New York State School Building Leader certification.
• School leadership training, certification, and/or experience that is consistent with the core concepts of the New Visions Charter School model.
• 5-10 years of Urban school teaching experience, preferably at the high school level, with a history of improving student achievement.
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including management and team-building skills.
• Experience with the supervision, evaluation and professional development of teachers and teachers-in-training.
• Experience implementing pedagogical strategies and developing curriculum relevant to the New Visions Charter School model including, but not limited to: data-based decision making, analysis of student performance on an ongoing basis, alternative use of time through scheduling and programming, systems of adult learning.
• Experience developing schedules and budgets.
• Experience working in a shared DOE space, a plus.

Required Skill Sets and Knowledge Base

• Demonstrated commitment to the New Visions vision and mission.
• Rigorous approach to problem-solving - collecting all relevant information, consulting diverse perspectives, and creating feedback systems.
• Recognition of self as a learner and reflective practitioner, able to identify areas for growth and commitment to working in these areas.
• Experience and zeal for working in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Passion for creating a school community that supports the development and achievement of all students, particularly those underserved and at risk in other school settings.

Cover letter and resume are required with the application. Only candidates who fit closely the qualifications will be contacted for an interview.

New Visions for Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer.