Position Summary: The High School Principal serves as the educational and spiritual leader and chief administrator of the high school, responsible for implementing and managing the policies, regulations, and procedures to ensure that all students are supervised in a safe, child-centered learning environment that meets and exceeds the State Core Curriculum Content Standards, following the approved curricula and directives of the school. Achieving academic excellence requires that the High School Principal work collaboratively to lead and nurture all members of the school staff and to communicate effectively with parents, members of the community, and colleagues in other districts and schools. Inherent in the position are the responsibilities for planning, curriculum development, program evaluation, extracurricular activities, personnel management, financial management, emergency procedures, resource scheduling, and facilities operations.
Specific Training/Skills
- Working knowledge of curriculum and instruction
- Ability to evaluate instructional program and teacher effectiveness
- Ability to manage budget and personnel
- Ability to coordinate school functions
- Outstanding organizational skills and high attention to detail
- Outstanding written and oral communication skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Apps, and other technologies
- Demonstrates the ability to self-start, be dependable, and be goal-oriented
- Maintains confidentiality of information exposed to in the course of business regarding students, supervisors, or other employees
- Be driven to improve the minds and lives of students from underserved communities, and is dedicated to doing whatever it takes to help all students achieve academic success
- A self-aware leader who knows how to treat all members of the school's community with respect
- Strong, proactive problem solver who demonstrates initiative and teamwork
- Strong ethics coupled with an enthusiastic and passionate approach to one's work
- Commitment to the belief that all students can learn
- Demonstrates an excellent ability to analyze and interpret data and make recommendations to offer interventions and institute changes that lead to increased student achievement
- Strong leadership abilities including an encouraging, motivating presence to help with conflict management, team building, goal setting, prioritization, and strategic planning
- Demonstrates success in leading school improvement initiatives that close student achievement gaps between racial, ethnic, and economic groups
- Demonstrates success in leading strategic educational initiatives that result in measurable improved student achievement
- Proven ability to collaborate and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Ability to be flexible, resilient, and adaptable to changing priorities
Duties and Responsibilities
General/Visioning for St. Anthony
- Develops and implements a vision and school climate reflecting Catholic identity in collaboration with the school and parish communities.
- Administers the total school program.
- Supervises and evaluates, and provides for the development of teachers and maintains an instructional program of the highest quality.
- Assists the president in overseeing the operation of the school.
- Networks and collaborates with all campuses to enhance and enrich the full school continuum.
- Seeks counsel from the Office of Schools and Human Resources of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
- Serves as the spokesperson for the school.
- Works with all stakeholders to develop the School Improvement Plan for St. Anthony High School that focuses on building a culture around celebrating our Catholic faith and increasing student achievement.
- Works with all stakeholders to implement district-wide initiatives (International Baccalaureate Programmes) with fidelity.
- Represents St. Anthony High School in a variety of audiences and supports all necessary functions for the school's management and success.
- Promotes a positive and caring educational climate that celebrates our Catholic faith.
- Works collaboratively with the director of admissions to monitor student enrollment at St. Anthony High School.
Instructional Leadership
- Advises, supports, and mentors individual teachers to improve instruction through:
- Consistent classroom observation and feedback.
- Facilitating curriculum planning and evaluating unit and lesson plans.
- Promoting continuous, high-quality assessment as a means for evaluating student achievement.
- Reviewing and examining all school-wide data.
- Leads staff members to achieve high performance through goal setting and evaluation.
- Works with all stakeholders to create a comprehensive and evolving professional development program for the high school teachers. Seeks and plans collaboration with the assistant principals of each campus on professional development opportunities for all staff in the areas of Common Core, International Baccalaureate Programme, Sustaining the Mission, and other best practices that will benefit St. Anthony's academic and spiritual growth.
- In partnership with all stakeholders, evaluates school performance data to make holistic and individual recommendations for improving instructional practices.
Spiritual Leader
- Nurtures the faith and development of the school community through opportunities for spiritual growth.
- Ensures quality Catholic religious instruction of students.
- Provides opportunities for the school community to celebrate our faith.
- Collaborates with staff to give witness to the Catholic identity of the school with religious signs, symbols, and displays.
- Supports the president in interpreting the school philosophy, policies and regulations, and the religious and educational programs to the school community at large.
- Is a model of Catholic Christian spirituality, attitude, and behavior.
Staff Personnel
- Collaborates with the Human Resources department to interview, select, and orient new staff. Approves all personnel assigned to the school
- Defines expectations for staff performance with regard to instructional strategies, classroom management, and communication to the public.
- Observes employee performance, records observations, and conducts evaluation conferences with staff.
- Assigns and promotes school personnel.
- Makes recommendations to the school president on termination, suspension, or non-renewal of employees assigned to the school.
Curriculum Development
- Ensures that the theology curriculum conforms to Archdiocesan standards by assisting the teachers in applying knowledge of religious content and methods of faith formation.
- Provides in-service opportunities and other means for the school to foster understanding of cultural and religious differences.
- Encourages teachers to use a variety of educational and pedagogical skills and is aware of the developmental stages of the students.
- Assists in the direction, supervision, and evaluation of the building instructional program.
- Assists in the maintenance and improvement of the quality of the instructional program by being responsible for teacher implementation of the curriculum and other educational school initiatives
- Manages school-wide academic programming, including course development, academic goal setting, and test scheduling.
- Ensures that all systems are in place to monitor attendance and grades.
- Works with the principal, departments, and programmer to review and approve new course proposals that align with the Catholic mission of St. Anthony
- Works with all campuses to develop a yearly school calendar and subsequent paperwork that needs to be completed for DPI.
- Works with all stakeholders to assist with and/or coordinate visitations of WRISA, International Baccalaureate application, affiliation, and visitation process.
Pupil Personnel
- In collaboration with the president, invests in effective marketing and student recruitment/retention strategies and uses programs to maximize enrollment, optimize efficient use of facility capacity, and build an enduring positive image or "Brand Equity" for the school.
- Works with faculty and students to develop a student discipline management system that results in positive behavior and enhances school climate.
- Ensures that school rules are uniformly observed and that student discipline is appropriate and equitable in accordance with the student/family handbook.
- Conducts conferences about student and school issues with parents, students, and teachers.
- Works with all stakeholders to maintain a safe environment conducive to learning.
- Works with all stakeholders to monitor school data, which includes attendance, GPA, standardized testing scores, etc.
- Supports the implementation of a strong co-curricular program at St. Anthony.
- Works with all stakeholders to support all students academically and spiritually.
- Works to implement all Title programs with integrity.
Public Relations
- Articulates the school's mission to the community and solicits its support in realizing the mission of our Catholic faith.
- Demonstrates awareness of school and community needs and initiates activities to meet those needs.
- Uses appropriate, supportive, and effective techniques to encourage community and parent involvement.
Resource Management/Budget
- Complies with appropriate canonical, federal, state, and local laws in harmony with Archdiocesan policies and procedures.
- Plans and manages the high school's financial resources, including development.
- Under the direction of the president, oversees and monitors the budget and distributes resources to maintain a balanced budget.
- Assists the president in seeking volunteer resources and financial support beyond the school community in collaboration with development personnel.
- Works with the director of finance on monitoring the school budget.
- Compiles, maintains, and files all physical and computerized reports and other documents required, including accurate and timely reports.
- Manages use of school facilities. Supervises maintenance of facilities to ensure a clean, orderly, and safe campus.
- Develops and implements building policies and procedures.
Professional Growth
- Participates in professional growth activities that include but are not limited to: weekly professional development, Sustaining the Mission, Schools That Can activities, International Baccalaureate training, St. Anthony retreats for staff, etc.
- Participates in St. Anthony committees, high school leadership meetings, Milwaukee Archdiocese meetings, and leadership monthly meetings for all administrators.
- Collaborates with professional development and school management organizations, such as Schools That Can, to network and identify resources that can help St. Anthony High School reach academic and climate goals.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Supervises and evaluates the performance of staff assigned to campus, including assistant principal(s), teacher(s), counselor(s), librarian(s), instructional aides, and clerical support staff.
Qualifications
- Effective oral and written communicator
- Bilingual in Spanish Preferred
- Knowledgeable and supportive of Catholic School Mission and Philosophy
- Committed to evangelization through excellence in Catholic education
- Master's degree and Administrator's License required or in process
- Minimum 5 years of successful experience in teaching (elementary, middle, secondary)
- Experience as an administrator in a high-performing urban K-12 school
- Ability to work collegially with faculty, parents, and parish community
- Excellent organizational, communication, budgetary, and management skills
- Must be a practicing member of the Roman Catholic Church, able to partake in the sacraments
- Must be able to listen to teachers and staff and attempt to understand their perspective
- Must be able to resolve conflicts in the spirit of a Catholic faith climate and foster academic professionalism among the staff
- Continues his/her own professional development
- Significant experience with curriculum development and instructional methodology
