Assistant Principals (24-25 SY)

Assistant Principal (AP)

The mission of Independence Mission Schools is to provide a transformative Catholic education that develops students intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually and that provides children of all faiths across the City of Philadelphia with the opportunity to learn in an academically rigorous environment and to grow in a culture of love, setting them on the path to a promising future.

Our vision is that IMS students will leave our school community emotionally and spiritually formed by our Catholic example, performing at or above grade level, and enrolled in an academically rigorous high school program ready to achieve their dreams.  We strive to become a top-tier academic destination for all children in Philadelphia.

The ideal candidate will be committed to the development, achievement and well-being of the school's students and the pursuit of academic excellence by those students. The AP will directly report to the Principal and will work closely with the Principal as part of the leadership team to establish the culture and direction for the school.  The AP will model Catholic values through interactions at all levels with faculty and staff, parents, central office members, and other community partners.  The ideal candidate will be committed to the development, achievement, and well-being of the school’s students and the pursuit of academic excellence by those students.

Position Competencies

1. Catholic Identity, School Mission and Vision
1. Committed to ensuring opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to encounter God and the beauty of our Catholic Faith.
2. Supports a schoolwide compelling vision of academic excellence and equity through strategic planning, change leadership and school improvement, and innovative practices and balancing time-tested, researched strategies.
3. Cultivates and upholds the mission, vision, and values of the school. Ensures this lives in all actions, communications, and plans. 
2. Leading Learning
1. Supports the Principal in ensuring that all students engage in rigorous and personalized learning and demonstrate high academic achievement.
2. Collects and assesses data to make decisions and determine the most pressing needs of their schools. 
3. Drives results using strategic action plans that center on achieving school goals. 
3. Talent Management and Development
1. Supports the Principal in developing a culture of continuous learning that maximizes staff and student morale and performance.
4. School Culture, Community, and DEI
1. Supports a positive, diverse, and inclusive school community that helps the development of the whole person and meaningfully engages all students, families and community members.
5. Strategic Organization and Operations
1. Supports school goals by maximizing resources and ensuring effective management of school systems and operations.
2. Supports a year-long school action plan that targets all areas of the school rubric to achieve goals. 
3. Makes decisions with a focus on balancing short-term payoffs and long-term improvement and considers all stakeholders and implications to plan accordingly. 
6. Personal Development, Decision-Making, and Self-Management
1. Dedicated to continuous learning and improvement which is demonstrated by an awareness of their own strengths and areas for improvement and has the capacity to manage them appropriately, seeks and gives feedback and is self-motivated. 
2. Manages time in a way that seeks to consistently prioritize goal-impacting work while balancing the immediate needs of the school and school community. 
3. Handles setbacks, mistakes, and difficult situations with confidence and poise and seeks to learn, adapt, and adjust to these situations.
7. School Advancement
1. Serve as an ambassador and advocate of the school's mission, goals and achievements
2. Support school development and community relations, including public relations and fundraising activities for the school as needed.

Educational and credential requirements

• Current PA School Administrator's License (K-12) – preferable but not required
• A minimum of 5-7 years of experience in the field as a teacher, instructional leader, or other leadership role
• Clearances on all background checks

Qualifications

• Experience in teaching and/or coaching teaching staff to use Common Core Standards-aligned curriculum materials
• Demonstrated success as a teacher/school leader, backed by data-driven instruction, recommendations, and outcomes
• Possessed of deep capability to effectively build, develop and maintain strong relationships with internal and external constituents including staff, teachers, parents, students, board members, and community stakeholders
• Strong leadership and staff development skills including an encouraging, motivating presence exhibited in team building, staff engagement and successful conflict resolution
• Ability to self-direct and prioritize among competing goals, exhibit flexibility and good judgment, and drive results in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Capable of representing the organization and its goals effectively in both oral and written communications to diverse audiences