Orange County Founding Principal Fellow

At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential and it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.At Rocketship Public Schools, we believe in the infinite possibility of human potential. We believe that every student deserves the right to dream, to discover, and to develop their unique potential. And it is our responsibility and our privilege to unleash the potential inside every Rocketeer we serve. Our non-profit network of public elementary charter schools propels student achievement, develops exceptional educators, and partners with parents who enable high-quality public schools to thrive in their community. We are a collective of parents, teachers, leaders, and students working together to transform the future for underserved communities across our country. At Rocketship Public Schools, we are unleashing potential.In 2027–2028, Rocketship is seeking to open its first school in Orange County, California- a major step in expanding our impact across the state. We are seeking an extraordinary Founding Principal to bring that vision to life.TimelineYear 0 (2026–2027): Design & Build YearYear 1 (2027–2028): Founding Principal of Rocketship’s first Orange County schoolThe Founding Principal Fellow is a once-in-a-career opportunity for a visionary educator and leader ready to launch both a new school and a new region. This person will spend one year training and planning (Year 0) before leading the opening of Rocketship’s first Orange County campus (Year 1).During the planning year, the Fellow will:Train alongside experienced Rocketship school leaders in an existing region by serving in a Rising Principal role and taking on real instructional and operational school leadership responsibilities.Engage deeply with the Rocketship model and systems.Lead on community outreach and family engagement in Orange County.Build foundational partnerships with local organizations, educators, and families.Support site selection, enrollment planning, hiring, and operational readiness.As the Founding Principal, the Fellow will lead the first school to excellence- building an exceptional team, establishing a joyful and rigorous culture, and laying the groundwork for a thriving multi-school region. The Founding Principal Fellow reports to the VP of Schools during the planning year and transitions to reporting to the Director of Schools once the Orange County region launches.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• Believes in the transformative power of education and that eliminating the achievement gap is possible in our lifetime.
• Is an entrepreneurial leader who thrives in ambiguity, creates structure from vision, and builds teams and systems from the ground up.
• Has a track record of leading adults to achieve exceptional student outcomes and a deep belief in the capacity of teachers, families, and students.
• Values community partnership and approaches founding with humility, inclusivity, and deep local engagement.
• Has the strategic mindset to balance visionary thinking with disciplined execution- and the persistence to see a launch through from planning to excellence.

Essential Functions: Year 0- Planning & Fellowship Year

• Training and Learning
• Serve in a Rising Principal role in an existing Rocketship school to master instructional and operational systems through hands-on school leadership experience.
• Participate in intensive leadership development, data-driven instruction training, and strategic planning sessions.
• Collaborate with network and regional leaders to plan for facilities, enrollment, staffing, and long-term launch readiness.
• Founding and Strategy
• Engage families, community members, and partners to build local trust and excitement for Rocketship’s first Orange County school.
• Conduct community outreach, lead information sessions, and build a founding family base.
• Support student recruitment and enrollment efforts to meet or exceed enrollment targets, including developing a comprehensive enrollment and retention strategy.
• Partner with network operations, talent, and finance teams to develop school systems, budgets, and a full hiring, investment, and training strategy for the founding staff.
• Serve as a founding thought partner in developing Orange County’s long-term regional strategy, balancing short-term launch priorities with planning for the next 1–5 years amidst the ambiguity inherent in early-stage founding.
• Build a coalition of community, civic, and educational partners to secure broad support for Rocketship’s expansion in Orange County, including leading the charter approval process.
• Actively engage in governance and board management by cultivating relationships, preparing materials, and participating in meetings to ensure alignment and momentum.
• Deeply internalize all pre-planning completed to date, including facilities work, community engagement learnings, charter development, and network decisions.
• Additional duties as required to ensure a successful launch.

Essential Functions: Year 1 and Beyond- Founding Principal

• Developing Effective Educators
• Build, coach, and retain an excellent founding team of teachers and staff.
• Foster a rigorous, inclusive, college-preparatory culture that ensures high levels of student achievement.
• Lead professional development, data analysis cycles, and instructional planning to drive results.
• Support collaboration across general education, special education, and enrichment staff to align around student success.
• Community & Family Partnership
• Build a culture of authentic partnership with families rooted in respect, trust, and shared accountability.
• Establish systems for proactive communication, home visits, and community gatherings.
• Promote parent leadership and ensure that families are active participants in school decision-making.
• Organizational & Regional Leadership
• Operate with an entrepreneurial mindset- anticipating needs, building systems, adapting rapidly, and communicating decisions with clarity and confidence.
• Partner with network leaders to shape the launch and long-term sustainability of the Orange County region, ensuring Rocketship’s presence is visible, trusted, and community-centered.
• Lead the full hiring, investment, and ongoing development of the founding staff.
• Hold responsibility for the Founding Top 5 Launch Goals:
• 1. Facilities fully ready for instruction
• 2. Enrolling, engaging, and retaining families
• 3. Securing charter approval and sustaining political support
• 4. Hiring, investing in, and training the founding staff
• 5. Building systems to accelerate student achievement aligned to the Rocketship vision

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of successful teaching experience in an urban elementary setting with demonstrated student growth. Experience in school founding or startup environments preferred.
• 2+ years in a leadership role (Assistant Principal, Principal, or equivalent) with a proven record of coaching adults to drive student achievement.
• Spanish bilingual/proficiency preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, team leadership, and community engagement.
• Strong instructional expertise, particularly in data-driven instruction and elementary content.
• Deep belief in the power of community partnerships to transform educational outcomes.
• Exceptional organizational, communication, and project management skills.

Education

• BA from an accredited university.
• Valid California teaching credential (or ability to transfer) required.
• Administrative credential or enrollment in a credentialing program preferred.

$128,000 - $147,000 a yearPhysical Demands:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and communicate with both adults and children. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally climb ladders. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The noise level in the work environment is moderate to high.Compensation:Commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and wellness benefits, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending account (FSA), and generous paid time off. Rocketship Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Rocketship Public Schools complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.Rocketship Public Schools expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Rocketship Public Schools’ employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated. Click here for our . For questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact Human Resources.