Principal -Applied Learning Academy

Principal - Applied Learning Academy

Reports to: Executive Director – Middle School Leadership

Pay Grade: 308

Salary Range: $100,523 - $121,114

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Purpose

Fort Worth ISD is seeking a results-driven principal to lead the Applied Learning Academy community in alignment with our district’s Strategic Plan and commitment to academic excellence. Applied Learning Academy is a School of Choice for students in grades 6 - 8 serving approximately 330 students. The applied learning model asks students to learn curriculum content and to use what they learn in solving a problem or fulfilling an important need. Learn more about Applied Learning Academy here. As a key instructional leader, you will champion high-quality instruction, data-driven decision-making, and a culture of excellence and equity to ensure all students develop strong foundations for long-term success.

In Fort Worth ISD, principals play a critical role in implementing rigorous academic programs, developing strong educators, and fostering meaningful family and community engagement. The ideal candidate will be a strategic, equity-focused leader with a proven ability to drive student achievement, cultivate a positive school culture, and ensure effective instructional practices that strengthen literacy and learning in all subject areas.

If you are passionate about inspiring educators, empowering students, and making a lasting impact, we invite you to join Fort Worth ISD in shaping the future of education.

Essential Job Functions

Effective Instruction

• Implements highly effective routines, instructional strategies, and experiences for all students across all core content areas.
• Implements highly effective, evidence-based literacy practices and initiatives embedded into the campus improvement plan, ensuring robust instructional practices and targeted interventions support students in achieving grade-level reading proficiency.
• Collects, analyzes, and monitors multiple forms of data to inform instruction, and intervention decisions and maximize growth and achievement for all student groups.
• Leverages resources effectively to respond in a timely manner to all students’ needs.
• Ensures the implementation of high-quality, effective classroom instructional strategies that improve performance of all students and student groups, ensuring equity and eliminating achievement gaps.
• Ensures the use of student level data to drive continuous improvement ensuring every student has sufficient opportunity to meet and exceed standards.
• Ensures daily demonstrations of student learning to inform data-driven instruction and reinforce high-quality Tier 1 teaching practices to assess student mastery of state standards.
• Ensures fidelity to high-quality instructional materials by promoting teacher lesson internalization and alignment with state standards, assessments, and district curricula
• Facilitates access to high-quality instructional resources and professional development.
  
  

Positive School Culture

• Aligns the Fort Worth ISD’s vision, mission, and goals to a safe environment and high expectations.
• Establishes and communicates clear expectations and systems for behaviors, including social and emotional supports.
• Establishes and implements a shared vision and culture of collective responsibility with high expectations for staff and students.
• Communicates, collaborates, and builds strong relationships with teachers, staff, students, and parents, and community and business partners.
• Leads strategies to proactively provide and coordinate student support services.
• Involves and coordinates family and community involvement in productive activities.
  
  

Effective, Well-Supported Teachers

• Recruits, selects, assigns, and inducts highly effective educators.
• Conducts rigorous and calibrated observations.
• Provides support and real-time coaching to promote instructional improvement.
• Personalizes and aligns professional development.
• Coaches and develops teachers by providing actionable feedback to improve the quality of instruction.
  
  

Effective School Leadership and Planning

• Creates a high-performing, skilled leadership team through real-time coaching, observations, and professional development opportunities to increases student achievement and attendance.
• Adheres to and applies the Code of Ethics and Standard Practices for Texas Educators.
• Addresses leadership and instructional priorities through focused time and calendar meetings.
• Leads focused planning processes with strategic monitoring of outcomes.
• Productively manages change processes.
• Models personal commitment to developing self and others.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with all stakeholders.
• Strategically plans and ensures campus operations and resources promote the academic success and well-being of each student.
• Manages resources (people, financial, equipment) effectively to support the organizational 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, clerical support staff, and custodians.
  
  

Personal Work Relationships

• Maintains a commitment to the district’s mission, vision, and strategic goals.
• Exhibits high professionalism, standards of conduct and work ethic.
• Develops and uses effective conflict-management and consensus-building skills.
• Demonstrates high quality customer service; builds rapport/relationship with the consumer.
• Demonstrates cultural competence in interactions with others; is respectful of co-workers; communicates and performs as a team player; promotes teamwork; responds and acts appropriately in confrontational situations.
  
  

Other Duties As Assigned

• Performs all job-related duties as assigned and in accordance with Board rules, policies and regulations. All employees are expected to comply with lawful directives in rare situations driven by need where a team effort is required.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of federal and state guidelines and district policies and procedures regarding all students’ services and programs.
• Knowledge of best practices in administration, program evaluation, and staff supervision, including principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques, and coordination of people and resources.
• Knowledge of current teaching methods and educational pedagogy, as well as differentiated instruction.
• Knowledge of data information systems, data analysis and the formulation of action plans.
• Knowledge of middle school curriculum and concepts.
• Knowledge and understanding of evidence-based literacy instruction.
• Skill in judgment and creativity in decision-making, together with use of qualitative and quantitative data to make decisions about teaching and learning, including student and teacher assessment; considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Ability to consider academic, social, and emotional needs of students in making decisions about academic settings and accommodations for individual students.
• Ability to differentiate instructional support for experienced and new teachers.
• Ability to establish program goals and objectives that support the strategic plan and develop and implement plans in all areas of the instructional program.
• Ability to use computer network system and software applications as needed.
• Ability to organize multiple tasks and implement effective time management techniques.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing with students, parents, staff, community, and stakeholders in a multi-ethnic educational environment.
• Ability to engage in self-evaluation with regard to leadership, performance, and professional growth.
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with others contacted in the course of work.
  
  

Travel Requirements

• Travels to school district buildings and professional meetings as required.
  
  

Physical & Mental Demands, Work Hazards

• Tools/Equipment Used: Standard office and classroom equipment, including Promethean Board, computer and peripherals.
• Posture: Prolonged sitting and standing; occasional stooping, squatting, kneeling, bending, pushing/pulling, and twisting.
• Motion: Frequent repetitive hand motions, including keyboarding and use of mouse; occasional reaching.
• Lifting: Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds).
• Environment: Works in an office setting; works irregular and/or prolonged hours; works inside and outside (exposure to sun, heat, cold, and inclement weather); exposure to noise.
• Attendance: Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position.
• Mental Demands: Maintains emotional control under stress; works with frequent interruptions.
  
  

Minimum Required Qualifications

Education:

• Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in Education or a directly related field required.
• Degree in School Administration preferred.

Certification/License:

• Valid Texas Mid-Management or Principal Certification required for in-state applicants
• Out of state applicants must be currently certified from another state, attach a copy of your valid certification and become Texas Certified prior to being hired.
• T-TESS and T-PESS Certification required if hired

Experience:

• Five years of experience in education, with at least two years in a leadership role demonstrating successful impact required.
• Administrative experience as a Principal, Assistant Principal, or Dean of Instruction preferred.
• Experience in inner city schools with diverse populations preferred.
• Language: Bilingual proficiency (English/Spanish) preferred in some settings.
  
  

This document is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties that may be assigned or skills that may be required.