Lower School Principal
Job Summary :
The Lower School Principal is the spiritual and educational leader of the Lower School. The principal’s first concern shall be to administer and conduct a Christian-Lutheran lower school realizing that the school will have little value if the spiritual values are neglected in the instruction, worship, and training of its students.
The principal shall foster high moral Christian character and academic skills within the school. The Lower School Principal should have the following attributes : Spirit Led, Organized, Strong Communicator, Enjoys Collaboration, and Joy-Filled.
As head of the Lower School, the Lower School Principal shall take the lead in formulating and practicing sound Scriptural educational policies, supervising the daily operations of the lower school and all its programs in a manner that implements the Prince of Peace Christian School and Early Learning Center mission statement, "Provides a Christ-Centered Exemplary Education, equipping students for leadership, service and success" reflecting the philosophy and objectives of the school.
Supervisory Responsibilities : Lower School faculty and staff, kindergarten thru 5th grade
Responsibilities / Duties :
- Update, articulate and implement a vision of an exceptional, school of choice lower school, philosophy, and ministry
- Oversee daily operations of kindergarten through grade 5
- Supervise and evaluate school faculty and support staff for kindergarten through grade 5, including professional growth plans for each team member, ensuring exceptional teachers and leaders at each grade level
- Recruit, interview, make recommendations, and assist in the hiring and termination processes, for staffing of kindergarten through 5th grades in cooperation with the Associate Head of School
- Care for, develop, and meet regularly with the teachers
- Work with faculty and parents to resolve discipline and classroom situations that are unable to be resolved at the teacher level
- Strengthen and further develop relationships, and collaborate with the PS and MS Principals
- Actively participate in the update of curriculum and accreditation program, with PS and MS Principals and Curriculum Director, and Associate Head of School
- Conduct regular staff meetings for the Kindergarten-5th grade faculty
- Work with the faculty to develop the daily schedules (i.e. high school, middle school, physical education, music, recess, lunch, and Spanish, etc.)
- Work with the Administration and Curriculum Director to develop and schedule in-service for the faculty
- Work with the faculty to organize Lutheran Schools Week activities and other special events
- Supervise non-athletic enrichment program leaders, including Summer and Camping in the ZONE
- Ensure current student and incoming student candidates are assessed for ability and readiness
- Ensure the Lower School is intentionally vertically aligned to other divisions and horizontally aligned to itself
- Conduct or oversee regular classroom observations
- Ensure testing data is used for teaching and curriculum reflection & change
- Oversee the chapel program for Lower School
- Be responsible to remove students guilty of a serious infraction of school rules and fully keep Associate Head of School in the know
- Develop a positive morale for both students and faculty
- Assist the Associate Head of School in the administration of faculty policies
- Make recommendation on policies, practices, and programs
- Maintain a confidential professional file on each teacher. These files shall be made available to Human Resources
- Meet weekly with the Associate Head of School and other administrative staff as part of the leadership team.
- Oversee mentor training and placement for each lower school teacher new to the campus
- Communicate weekly with parents through an email communication (once every two weeks if Director of Communication prefers)
- Champion character development, leadership development, and academic skill development with Associate Head of School
- Provide leadership directly or through delegation of extra-curricular and co-curricular programs for Kindergarten through Grade 5
- Understand that beyond regular office hours, attendance at staff meetings, in-service training hours, open houses, and other special events may be required by school administration
- Build strong relationships with parents, students, teachers, and administration
Preferred Qualifications, Education, and Experience :
- Hold or be in the process of obtaining a Masters Degree, preferably in administration and / or supervision
- Be on the roster of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, or willing to obtain colloquy through the LCMS
- Be an experienced teacher and administrator with at least five (5) years of experience as an administrator, preferably serving most of those five years as an elementary school administrator
- Be an active member of a Christian church and willing to become a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Key Characteristics / Attributes :
- Person of prayer, strong and growing prayer and faith walk, daily Christian servant
- Optimistic, positive, joy-filled, model of professional excellence
- Professional in appearance, dress, confident
- Academically focused and proactive in preparations
- Develop, articulate and implement a vision for 21st century ministry and learning in the lower school
- Nurture the heart and mind
- Love children, approachable, understanding of child development stages, engaging, visible, relational, respected
- Able to have difficult, yet tactful, conversations with parents (parent coach), faculty, other school leaders
- Willingness to lead boldly, coach, equip, grow and challenge faculty, recognize and reward exceptional teachers, proactively replace to best serve the community
- Awareness of part-whole mentality. Desire the LS to be the focus, yet understanding of how it fits into the overall ELC-Grade 12 ministry
- Desire to be part of a team leadership ministry model
- Communicate with others
- Have integrity and be willing to do what it takes to get the job done right the first time
Physical Requirements :
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and sit; use hands to handle or feel, to talk, and to hear.
The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms and is required to stand and walk.
The employee must occasionally lift and / or move up to 50 pounds.
Schedule :
- Necessary scheduled onsite operational hours to meet the needs of Prince of Peace Christian School, including additional hours as required / needed to complete tasks and / or projects that are assigned or arise