What are the responsibilities and job description for the Founding Principal position at Cristo Rey Charleston?

About Cristo Rey Charleston High School :

Cristo Rey Charleston High School is a college preparatory, Catholic school for students of all faiths, that will educate young people of limited resources to become persons of faith, purpose, and service. Cristo Rey Charleston is the 42nd Cristo Rey model school in the United States and will welcome the founding class of students in August of 2026. The school will be located in North Charleston, SC and will serve approximately 400 students in grades 9-12 from across the greater Charleston area. Each student participates in the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), an integral part of the Cristo Rey model in which every student works one day a week throughout their four years at the school. The one day per week students are at work, teachers have extended planning and collaboration opportunities.

Cristo Rey Charleston High School’s Mission and Vision Statements :

Mission : Cristo Rey Charleston High School, a Catholic college preparatory school open to students of all faiths, delivers rigorous academics and real-world work experience to students from families with limited resources. Our goal is clear : to ensure every student is accepted into college and supported through graduation and beyond.

Vision : Cristo Rey Charleston strives for a world where our students, guided by God’s love and grace, use their talents to create positive change and serve others.

Cristo Rey Charleston High School Ideal Job Candidate :

Cristo Rey Charleston attracts and hires capable individuals of character who are called to cultivate the God-given talents within each student. We've chosen to answer the call because we are committed to helping develop students who will impact the world through showcasing their excellence.

An ideal candidate should have an appreciation of the school’s mission, a commitment to the values of Catholic education, and be comfortable modeling an active and inspiring faith life for all in the community.

Job : Founding Principal

Position Summary :

Cristo Rey Charleston High School seeks a Catholic, mission-driven, innovative, collaborative, student focused, and community-centered Principal to serve as the academic and educational leader. The Founding Principal reports directly to the school’s President and serves as a critical member of the school’s senior leadership team. As the Founding Principal, you will have an opportunity to build and develop one of Charleston’s most unique educational institutions and shape the future leaders of our community.

Primary Responsibilities :

Catholic Identity and Cristo Rey Mission :

Responsible for fostering a culture of academic excellence and Gospel values. Advances a spirit conducive to prayer and study across the school community.
Actively work to create a loving environment that is focused on what is best for students. Ensure that all members of the school community are treated fairly, equitably, and with respect and compassion; positively support all stakeholders.
Actively participate in and support the school's leadership team; promote and support the importance of integrating academics with the Corporate Work Study Program as part of a college preparatory experience; ensure clear communication of shared expectations for students.
Work with the school's Catholic endorser, Cristo Rey Institute, to develop and sustain the school's identity as a Catholic School for students of all faiths.

Instructional Leadership :

Serve as the lead learner in the building : provide personal and visible leadership to all members of the learning community and seek continuous improvement in a student-centric environment.

Improve Teaching and Learning : Oversee and support intellectually rigorous and coherent systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each student’s academic success and well-being. This includes curriculum alignment to academic standards; regular cycles of observation and feedback for individual coaching; professional learning, aligned to the school’s Academic Vision, for all faculty.

Establish a shared understanding of team (grade level, content, and all faculty) purpose and effective team practices, observe and coach teams, and distribute leadership to teams.

Lead the implementation of school-wide formative / interim assessments, analysis of data, and monitoring of student progress; identify and prioritize needs and determine team and individual interventions; communicate academic data to stakeholders.

School Culture and Family Involvement :

Foster and promote a school culture, rooted in relationships, that values diversity and the unique gifts that all staff, students and families bring to the school community.

Ensure that parents are welcomed and acknowledged as partners with the school. Develop and implement strategies for meaningful and reciprocal family and community engagement.

Cultivate a positive school culture defined by shared purpose and vision, high expectations, professionalism, and accountability to ensure the success and well-being of each student.

Serve as a model of the school’s values and mindsets and hold self and others accountable to maintaining high standards and high support; actively promote the regular exchange of affirming and constructive feedback among members of the school’s staff.

Work with the school staff and community to create and implement the necessary systems to ensure a safe and productive environment and that support the ongoing achievement of School and Network improvement priorities.

Strategic Planning :

Lead the school community to develop a detailed, concrete, and compelling vision for excellence that encompasses academics, school culture, community engagement, alumni engagement (when applicable), and partnership with the Corporate Work Study Program. This vision must reflect a critical understanding of the students’ varied cultural identities, along with the school’s Catholic identity; consult with the President and other stakeholders to incorporate their understanding of the school’s context and to secure their investment in the school’s vision for excellence.

In consultation with the President and other key stakeholders, develop a multi-year strategic plan that is aligned to the school’s shared vision of excellence, that leverages the resources of the Cristo Rey Network, and incorporates knowledge of current realities and progress-to-goals.

Predict the needs of staff, students, and families in pursuing the strategic plan, adjusting over time, as necessary; anticipate barriers, and develop measures of effectiveness and plan for contingencies.

Design and execute processes and systems for progress-monitoring with goals and metrics across all critical areas of the strategic plan.

Establish concrete, ambitious, meaningful medium- and long-term goals that serve as qualitative and quantitative indicators of students’ college-readiness.

Developing Professional Capacity of Instructional and Student Support Personnel :

Directs the recruitment, selection, and retention of faculty, assistant principals, other instructional and extracurricular staff who are best fitted to the mission of the school.

Develops the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s academic success and well-being.

Qualifications :

Master’s Degree or higher

Minimum five years experience in high school leadership position, including teacher observation and coaching; Minimum 3 years of high school teaching experience

Commitment to Catholic education, demonstrated ability to serve as a faith leader

Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse communities and proven experience working with individuals and families from limited resource communities

Principal’s license (or commitment to complete licensure within one year of hire)

Fluency in Spanish preferred

How to Apply :

All interested and qualified applicants with a passion for Cristo Rey’s mission are invited to apply by March 1, 2025. Please include the following :

Cover Letter (not longer than one page).

Resume

References : Please include 3 professional references

Responses to the following THREE questions (no longer than 1000 words total)

What past experiences in educational leadership have prepared you to serve as founding principal of Cristo Rey Charleston High School?

What qualities and dispositions will you look for when hiring teachers and staff? How do you plan to support, evaluate, and train teachers?

How do you see our Catholic identity impacting how you would develop an academic vision for the school and lead continuous quality improvement?

Please email your completed application as an attached PDF to careers@cristoreycharleston.org and include the position title in the email subject line.

Equal Opportunity Employer :

Cristo Rey Charleston High School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions, policies, and practices are made in accordance with applicable federal, state and local anti-discrimination laws. Cristo Rey Charleston will not engage or tolerate unlawful discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristics.

Salary : $120,000 - $140,000

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