HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
JOB SUMMARY:

Under the direction of the Superintendent or designee, the Principal serves as the educational, instructional, organizational, and cultural leader and chief executive of the school. The Principal provides leadership to ensure high levels of learning and achievement for all students; develops and implements a shared vision for continuous improvement; promotes a safe, inclusive, and positive school climate; and effectively manages the personnel, fiscal, operational, and instructional resources of the school.

The Principal is responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the California Education Code, California Code of Regulations, policies and administrative regulations of the Hemet Unified School District Board of Education, collective bargaining agreements, and other applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The Principal works collaboratively with students, staff, families, District departments, and community partners to advance District priorities and improve student and organizational outcomes.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides instructional leadership focused on high levels of student learning, academic achievement, engagement, and continuous improvement;
• Facilitates the development, implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of a shared school vision, goals, and priorities aligned with District strategic priorities and student needs;
• Uses multiple sources of quantitative and qualitative data to identify achievement and opportunity gaps, establish measurable goals, monitor progress, evaluate effectiveness, and adjust strategies to improve student outcomes;
• Ensures the effective implementation of standards-aligned curriculum, instruction, assessment, intervention, enrichment, and professional learning;
• Monitors instructional programs and classroom practices and provides feedback, coaching, support, and accountability to improve teaching and learning;
• Establishes and maintains high expectations for student achievement, behavior, attendance, engagement, and school participation;
• Leads and supports Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), intervention systems, positive behavior supports, restorative practices, and other strategies designed to address academic, behavioral, attendance, and social-emotional needs;
• Leads schoolwide efforts to improve student attendance, reduce chronic absenteeism, address truancy, and re-engage students and families in collaboration with appropriate District departments;
• Ensures effective implementation and monitoring of programs and legally required services for students with disabilities, students with Section 504 plans, multilingual learners, foster youth, students experiencing homelessness, and other students requiring specialized supports;
• Promotes equitable access to rigorous learning opportunities, programs, services, activities, and resources for all students;
• Creates and sustains a safe, inclusive, respectful, supportive, and academically focused school culture in which students and employees are valued and held to high expectations;
• Develops, implements, and monitors effective student discipline, behavior, supervision, and intervention systems consistent with applicable law, Board policy, District procedures, and principles of due process;
• Provides leadership for student safety, emergency preparedness and response, campus supervision, Comprehensive School Safety Plans, crisis response, and related District safety protocols;
• Selects, assigns, supervises, supports, coaches, develops, and evaluates certificated, classified, and management employees assigned to the school;
• Participates in the recruitment, selection, onboarding, development, recognition, and retention of high-quality employees;
• Establishes clear employee performance expectations, provides timely feedback and support, and addresses employee performance or conduct concerns through appropriate documentation, corrective action, and progressive discipline in collaboration with Human Resources;
• Builds leadership capacity among employees and develops collaborative teams characterized by shared responsibility, accountability, trust, effective communication, and a commitment to improved student outcomes;
• Plans, facilitates, and supports professional learning based upon identified student, employee, school, and District needs;
• Interprets and administers Board policies, administrative regulations, District procedures, collective bargaining agreements, and applicable laws and regulations;
• Works collaboratively and professionally with employee associations while effectively carrying out the District's management responsibilities;
• Develops, administers, monitors, and evaluates the school budget and expenditures and aligns fiscal, staffing, technology, facilities, and material resources with identified school and District priorities;
• Maintains appropriate fiscal controls and ensures that school resources and expenditures comply with District procedures and applicable funding requirements;
• Maintains a safe, efficient, clean, well-maintained, welcoming, and productive school environment that supports student learning and employee effectiveness;
• Develops effective organizational structures, systems, procedures, schedules, and communication practices that support efficient school operations and student achievement;
• Protects the confidentiality, privacy, safety, and legal rights of students and employees and ensures appropriate maintenance of school records and documentation;
• Communicates effectively, transparently, and consistently with students, employees, families, District leadership, and community stakeholders;
• Builds meaningful partnerships with families and community members, responds to community interests and needs, and mobilizes available resources to support students and the school;
• Creates meaningful opportunities for students, employees, families, and community members to provide input and participate in school improvement efforts;
• Collaborates effectively with Educational Services, Student Services, Special Education, Human Resources, Business Services, Safety/Risk Management, Facilities, Technology, and other District departments to address school needs and advance District priorities;
• Responds effectively to complex, sensitive, and potentially controversial student, employee, parent, community, and operational matters using sound judgment, professionalism, discretion, and appropriate consultation;
• Models professional and ethical behavior, integrity, fairness, accountability, cultural responsiveness, sound judgment, and a commitment to serving students and the community;
• Demonstrates effective leadership in decision-making, problem solving, conflict resolution, change management, organizational development, strategic planning, and continuous improvement;
• Reflects upon leadership practices, solicits feedback, participates in professional learning, and makes appropriate adjustments to improve personal and organizational effectiveness;
• Ensures that school programs prepare students to meet or exceed District and state academic expectations and successfully transition to subsequent grade levels, graduation, college, career, and postsecondary opportunities, as applicable;
• Represents the school and District professionally at meetings, events, committees, hearings, community activities, and other functions as assigned;
• Performs other professional duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• California Education Code, California Code of Regulations, federal and state laws, Board policies, administrative regulations, and District procedures applicable to public school administration;
• Current principles, practices, research, and trends in effective instructional leadership, curriculum, instruction, assessment, intervention, and student achievement;
• California academic standards, accountability systems, assessment systems, and school improvement processes;
• Data analysis, goal setting, progress monitoring, program evaluation, strategic planning, and continuous improvement methods;
• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), restorative practices, academic and behavioral interventions, and student support systems;
• Student attendance, chronic absenteeism, truancy prevention, student engagement, discipline, due process, and positive school climate practices;
• Special education, Section 504, multilingual learner programs, student civil rights, nondiscrimination requirements, and legally required supports for students;
• Effective supervision, coaching, evaluation, documentation, progressive discipline, professional development, employee engagement, and leadership development;
• Collective bargaining agreements, labor-management relationships, employee rights, and management responsibilities;
• Effective fiscal management, budgeting, resource allocation, internal controls, and school-site financial procedures;
• School safety, emergency preparedness, crisis response, student supervision, threat assessment processes, and Comprehensive School Safety Plans;
• Effective family engagement, community partnerships, conflict resolution, public communication, and culturally responsive leadership;
• Organizational management, change management, systems thinking, problem solving, decision-making, and team development;
• Effective use of technology to support instruction, communication, data analysis, school operations, and organizational effectiveness.

ABILITY TO:

• Provide visionary, instructional, organizational, and cultural leadership for a comprehensive school program;
• Establish and maintain a clear focus on student achievement, well-being, engagement, attendance, and continuous improvement;
• Analyze student, employee, operational, and program data; identify patterns and areas of need; establish measurable goals; and implement appropriate improvement actions;
• Lead, supervise, coach, support, develop, and evaluate certificated, classified, and management employees;
• Address employee performance and conduct concerns appropriately, consistently, and in collaboration with Human Resources;
• Interpret, apply, and communicate laws, regulations, Board policies, administrative regulations, collective bargaining agreements, and District procedures;
• Develop and maintain collaborative, high-performing teams and foster shared responsibility and accountability;
• Lead effective professional learning, meetings, committees, improvement teams, and collaborative decision-making processes;
• Develop, manage, monitor, and align budgets, staffing, facilities, technology, and other resources with student and organizational priorities;
• Establish and maintain effective systems for student learning, intervention, discipline, attendance, safety, supervision, and school operations;
• Communicate clearly and effectively orally and in writing with students, families, employees, administrators, Board members, employee associations, community partners, and the public;
• Develop positive and productive relationships with diverse students, families, employees, and community members;
• Manage conflict, complaints, sensitive situations, emergencies, and competing priorities with professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, and appropriate urgency;
• Make independent decisions while recognizing when consultation, collaboration, or District-level support is appropriate;
• Organize work, establish priorities, manage multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines, and effectively delegate responsibilities;
• Facilitate change, build organizational capacity, develop leadership in others, and sustain improvement efforts over time;
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional and ethical judgment;
• Model high standards of professional conduct, communication, reliability, collaboration, accountability, and service;
• Work collaboratively as both the leader of a school community and a member of the District leadership team.

EDUCATION:

• Master's Degree from an accredited college or university, including coursework necessary to meet credential requirements.

EXPERIENCE:

• Five years of successful certificated educational experience, including successful teaching experience;
• Demonstrated successful experience in educational leadership, instructional leadership, or school administration;
• Experience supervising, coaching, supporting, or evaluating certificated and/or classified employees is desirable;
• Successful administrative experience at the elementary, middle, or high school level is preferred.

CREDENTIALS AND LICENSES:

• Valid California credential authorizing certificated service;
• Valid California Administrative Services Credential authorizing service as a school administrator;
• Possession of and ability to maintain a valid California Driver's License may be required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:

The physical requirements indicated below are examples of the physical aspects this position classification must perform to carry out the essential functions.

Physical Demands: Sit, stand, walk, bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, climb stairs, use hands and fingers to operate computers and other office equipment, read written and electronic materials, and communicate effectively in person, by telephone, electronically, and through public speaking. The position may require lifting and carrying materials weighing up to 25 pounds.

Working Conditions: Work is performed in school offices, classrooms, meeting spaces, school grounds, District facilities, and community settings. The position requires frequent interaction with students, employees, families, and members of the public; use of technology; travel to District and community locations; attendance at evening and occasional weekend activities; and response to urgent student, personnel, safety, or operational matters. The position may involve exposure to emotionally charged situations, confidential information, inclement weather, noise, and other conditions typically associated with a comprehensive school environment.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilit