Job Title: Principal
Location: 2021 St. Mary's Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102
Reports To: Principal Supervisor
Work Schedule/FLSA Status: 12-month / Exempt
Salary Schedule: Omaha School Administrators Association Level 9 / Salary credit may be awarded for applicable experience. Placement on the salary schedule will follow the applicable agreement.
Time Frame: The position would begin August 1, 2027, with time in July designated for preparation, planning, and meetings.
Position Purpose: The principal is the leader for all functions on campus and is the instructional leader of the school. OPS seeks excellent leaders who can prepare all students for college, career, and community leadership.
Essential Performance Responsibilities:Achievement and Results: Leader articulates clear expectations and holds self and others accountable for achieving high results for all students.
- Demonstrates high expectations and an unyielding belief that all students can and will achieve at high levels.
- Holds self and others accountable for reaching high academic achievement of all students.
- Articulates a clear and compelling vision to prepare all students for college, career, and community leadership.
- Sets challenging goals, continuously monitors progress, and demonstrates persistence to overcome obstacles to achieve goals.
- Proactively develops and implements school improvement plans to accomplish student achievement goals.
- Helps teachers reach and engage each student based on individual needs and interests.
Equity Leadership: Leader demonstrates awareness and conviction to address inequities and holds adults accountable for doing the same.
- Creates urgency and develops plans to close achievement gaps and prepare all students for college and career success.
- Addresses biases, engages in courageous conversations, and makes difficult decisions in the best interest of students.
- Supports teachers and staff to skillfully address race, culture, class, language acquisition and unique student learning needs to ensure all students achieve at high levels.
Instructional Leadership: Leader helps all students master standards through data-driven instruction and staff evaluation and development.
- Promotes student mastery of standards by implementing rigorous instructional strategies and assessments aligned to curricula.
- Uses - and enables others to use - multiple forms of student achievement data to inform instruction and advance learning.
- Ensures that teachers check for student understanding and clarify, reteach, or adjust instruction.
- Partners with staff to provide students the appropriate scaffolds and interventions to meet their individual learning needs.
- Evaluates staff and teachers. Observes classrooms to support effective teaching practices that result in improved student achievement.
- Provides coaching and timely, targeted, actionable feedback to ensure growth in practice.
Talent Management: Leader promotes professional learning, maximizes staff talent, and appropriately matches talent to student needs.
- Differentiates approach based on performance: recognizes and retains high performers, provides targeted support to mid-performers, and develops or exits low performers.
- Strategically selects and assigns staff to meet students' unique needs.
- Provides targeted professional development and support based on observation and student data.
School Culture: Leader creates a culture that promotes learning, collaboration, respect, and safety for all.
- Creates a positive, safe, respectful, and welcoming school culture that focuses on each student's development.
- Promotes collaboration among students, families, staff, and the community.
- Shares leadership or delegates appropriately, leveraging individuals' strengths and interests.
- Sets and maintains clear expectations for students that inform positive behavior management strategies.
- Engages families as integral partners in their children's education.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Leader skillfully and appropriately engages diverse constituents to meet student needs.
- Actively listens, solicits input from diverse stakeholders, and seeks to understand and address others' perspectives and needs.
- Effectively communicates with students, families, staff, and the community.
- Moves adults to take action and ownership. Manages change, gains buy-in, and overcomes resistance.
- Resolves conflict in a direct but constructive manner, seeking "win-win" solutions.
- Develops and navigates school and district relationships and understands implications of actions.
- Reflects, accurately assesses own strengths and growth areas, solicits candid feedback, and seeks ongoing growth opportunities.
Problem Solving and Strategic Thinking: Leader assesses situations, defines action plans, and solves problems to accomplish goals.
- Collects, analyzes, and uses multiple forms of data to make informed decisions.
- Identifies problems, analyzes root causes, and develops effective solutions.
- Executes effectively: develops and implements action plans, anticipates risks, and adapts to changing circumstances.
Operational Leadership: Leader develops school systems, procedures, and protocols to maximize instructional time and attain school goals.
- Prioritizes, aligns, and effectively manages people, time, and resources (e.g., budget, facilities, etc.) to improve student outcomes and attain school goals.
- Establishes clear systems and structures to maximize instructional time and student learning.
- Delegates and monitors school operations to ensure a safe learning environment and asks for support to resolve issues as appropriate.
Additional Duties:Performs other related tasks as assigned by the Superintendent or designee.
Equipment: This position may require the ability to use technology including iPads and Apple TVs, as well as basic office equipment such as computers, copiers, scanners, and fax machine. Must always comply with OPS's guidelines for equipment use.
Travel: Limited travel may be required.
Physical and Mental Demands, Work Hazards: - Must be able to respond rapidly in emergency situations.
- Must have organization, time management, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Work in school building environments.
Interrelations: - Contact with personnel within the district and with customers and vendors.
- Will be working under the indirect supervision of the principal supervisor in order to lead individual buildings to meet goals as outlined by the district, state, and building.
- Will be working with a diverse population requiring the ability to handle all situations with tact and diplomacy.
- Must understand and respond appropriately to customer needs and maintain a positive attitude with all customers and colleagues.
- Expected to interact with all internal and external customers in a friendly, professional manner and provide quick, responsive customer service.
Employee Punctuality and Appearance: - In order for schools to operate effectively, employees are expected to perform all assigned duties and work all scheduled hours during each designated workday, unless the employee has received approved leave.
- Any deviation from assigned hours must have prior approval from the employee's supervisor or building administrator.
- All employees are required to report to work dressed in a manner that reflects a positive image of Omaha Public Schools and is appropriate for their position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: - Minimum of Master's Degree with major emphasis in educational administration.
- A valid Nebraska teaching certificate with endorsement in the area of administration for education is required.
- A minimum of five years of successful teaching experience in an urban school district is preferred.
- Bilingual, Spanish and English, preferred.
- Demonstrated evidence of proficiency in the OPS Principal Competencies.
- The vision and courage to ensure every student, regardless of background, can achieve college and career success.
- A demonstrated track record of increasing student achievement.
- Instructional expertise in K-12 education with proven ability to support, coach, and develop teachers to improve instructional practice.
- A record of success in leading adults and students.
- Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
- Problem-solving and strategic thinking skills.
Terms of Employment This position is treated as a full-time exempt certified position. The terms of your employment will be governed by applicable state laws regulating employment or teaching in a Nebraska public school and Board of Education policies, as those laws and policies may change from time to time. If your position is represented by a collective bargaining representative, then your employment will also be governed by a negotiated agreement between OPS and that collective bargaining representative.
Terms of employment are contingent upon:
- Verification of a valid Nebraska Teaching License or other required license.
- A background check which demonstrates background is acceptable for the position sought and working with or around students.
- Verification of U.S. Citizenship or legal authorization to work in the United States.
- Successful completion of a tuberculosis skin test (if required by federal law for your position).
- Execution and delivery to OPS of an Administrator Contract presented by OPS.
