What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal position at Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School?
Opportunity Statement
Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School seeks a genuine school leader who will honor its roots while embracing opportunities for growth and who is excited to work within a shared leadership model as we tackle our fourth decade. Parker’s principal will find a grade 7-12 public charter school that is highly collaborative, student-centered, and a model of progressive education. Firmly rooted in the work of Ted and Nancy Sizer, the school is mission-driven, with a faculty that is democratic, dedicated, and masterful at interrelating academic subjects and skills. The school embraces systems and structures that ensure fidelity to a progressive model, including performance-based promotion standards, restorative justice, and a strong, tight-knit sense of community. A tone of trust and decency defines the school culture. At Parker, students are accepted for who they are and supported in setting and achieving meaningful goals, and the community functions well with few rules and high expectations. The welcoming nature of the school attracts a wide variety of students and families who appreciate the deliberate structures that allow students to be known well. An intentionally flat organization, the administrative team is small and high-functioning. The job requires both fidelity to existing deeply-held practices as well as nimble adjustments to real world, fast-moving changes. As a public charter school, Parker looks forward to its new principal bringing passion for learning and leading, exceptional emotional intelligence, and strong organizational, technical, and communication skills to the team. The School Principal is a full-time, 12-month employee, hired, supported, and evaluated by the Executive Director. The Principal serves as the instructional leader whose collaborators within a shared leadership model include: Academic Dean(s), Domain Leaders, Assistant Principal, Business Manager, Director of Special Education, and Divisional Coordinators.
Desired Qualities and Skills
Skills and traits desired in the next principal:
- An instructional leader who is a teacher-at-heart and who can leverage a deep appreciation of the progressive school model to build on innovation and current program strength internally while representing the school with external audiences as well.
- A skilled facilitator who builds community and democratic voice while trusting the faculty and admin team to do their best work for the students and the school.
- An emotionally-intelligent communicator and thought leader who moves fluidly between conversations with multiple constituencies and is excited to think and communicate about the school’s mission and programs with new and known audiences.
- A culturally competent leader who will extend the school’s culture of belonging and lead on-going diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
- A highly competent and confident steward who models dedication to continuous improvement and growth for all.
- A creative educator who can support programs of internal and external teacher learning and professional development that are integral to the school’s design.
- Deep experience in the field of public and/or progressive education, including experience in administration and teaching
- Demonstrated competencies in secondary school (Gr. 7-12) administration/instructional leadership
- Master’s degree from an accredited college or university expected
- Certification as a Principal/Assistant Principal by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts preferred but not required
- Letter of interest to the Parker Charter Essential School Principal Search Committee
- Current resume/CV
- Statement of leadership philosophy
- List of four references with email addresses and telephone contact (references will not be contacted unless/until candidates move to the second round of consideration)