Career Information - Position Descriptions


PRINCIPAL

REPORTS TO: Academic Superintendent

General Summary:

Under the general direction of the Academic Superintendent, the principal serves as the chief administrative officer of the school and is responsible for the management, supervision and operation of an elementary or secondary school; provides educational leadership for the students and staff members consistent with the educational goals of the district.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Plan, organize, guide, evaluate and direct the implementation of all school activities including instruction, building administration, communication, staffing and pupil services:

Instruction

  • Make recommendations concerning the school's instructional program.

  • Budget school time and resources to provide for the efficient conduct of school instruction in order to increase student achievement.

  • Lead in the development, determination of appropriateness, and monitoring of the instructional program by understanding the individual needs of students in the program and assessing the programs designed to meet those needs.

  • Provides proactive, comprehensive and facilitative leadership for the school in the planning and implementation of a challenging curriculum

  • Works collaboratively with all staff to strengthen the instructional program

  • Maintain high standards of student conduct through a guidance and development program, which focuses on prevention, communication with parents and high expectations for behavior

  • Enforces discipline fairly, incorporates building standards from district policy with sensitivity to diversity issues

  • Hold high expectations for all students and link expectations to instruction

  • Include staff, students and parents in the development of instruction.

Building Administration:

  • Make recommendations concerning the schools administration

  • Prepare and submit the school's budgetary request

  • Encourage collaborative grant writing and development of other support programs with community agencies and families

  • Monitor expenditures of all funds

  • Supervise the maintenance of all required building records and reports

  • Prepare or supervise the preparation of reports, list and all other paperwork required or appropriate to the school's administration

  • Supervise the daily use of the school facilities for both academic and nonacademic purpose

  • Provide for adequate inventories of property and for the security and accountability for the property.

Communication:

  • Maintain communication with the district to keep the Superintendent informed of the school's operation

  • Establish effective communication and maintain positive relationships with students, staff, parents and the community

  • Assume responsibility for all official correspondence and news releases

  • Acts as a liaison between the school and the community

  • Interpret activities and policies for the state, federal and district encouraging active, hands-on participation in school life

  • Be aware of and sensitive to issues of diversity

  • Have working knowledge and skills in handling public and media relations.

Personnel/Staffing:

  • Participate in the recruitment, selection and supervision of all school building personnel

  • Evaluate performance and counsel all staff members regarding their individual and group performance

  • Act affirmatively in hiring and promoting to meet the goals and objectives of the school district

  • Facilitate the professional development of all staff through collaborative staff development planning and implementation

  • Delegates and holds others accountable for results

  • Participates actively in all school-related activities and programs

  • Lead the school in developing and implementing a school improvement plan

  • Guide the staff in professional development that will enhance their teachings skills to meet the needs of a culturally diverse student population and a variety of learning styles.

Pupil Services:

  • Direct disaster preparedness and safety information programs

  • Coordinate and participate in the process for recommending students for support programs.

  • Assist with transportation issues and problems, in cooperation with the Director of Transportation.

  • Coordinate food service program in cooperation with the Director of Nutrition Services.

Miscellaneous:

  • Performs other duties as determined by role, function and supervisor.

Budgetary Responsibilities:

  • The Principal is responsible for ensuring that staff are teaching within endorsement area(s) and do not exceed average and/or maximum class size based on state class size requirements

  • The Principal is responsible for the overall monitoring of all financial transactions at the building.

Contacts and Confidentiality:

  • Has internal contact with all staff and students, other administrators, other support staff, and with departmental support resources offices such as Human Resources, Business Services, Plant Management, Curriculum and Instruction, and Pupil Services

  • Has external contact with parents, Board administrators, other school systems, businesses, public media, sales representatives and social service agencies; along with other persons and agencies having business with the local schools in areas of assigned responsibility

  • High level of confidentiality of students' records and educational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

  • Responsible for supervising all Memphis City Schools employees assigned to the school location.

Hours of work and Working Conditions:

  • Works 40 hours per week, plus additional evening hours as required to promote district and school

  • May be required to attend additional meetings and extra-curricular activities as required by the district

  • Term of employment is twelve (12) per year

  • Work location is the local school building.

Qualifications and Training:

  • Master's degree from an accredited college or university with an emphasis in supervision, educational administration, and elementary or secondary curriculum required

  • Tennessee School Principal Certification required

  • Minimum of three (3) years of successful experience as an Assistant Principal or other comparable leadership experience

  • Other combinations of applicable education, training, and experience which provide the knowledge, abilities and skills necessary to perform effectively in the position may be considered.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

  • Must have motivational skills to inspire staff, facilitate teamwork, support innovation and serve as a role model

  • Must have a demonstrated ability to provide effective leadership by including vision, goals, purpose, cultures and values to promote learning

  • Must be committed to high academic standards for all students

  • Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing

  • Demonstrated ability to articulate and promote collaborations among and between elementary, middle and senior high schools

  • Demonstrated ability to utilize a variety of process skills for planning, implementation and problem solving in an effective efficient manner

  • Demonstrated ability to lead and support school staff as they collect, analyze and evaluate data as well as implement curriculum, curriculum design and effective instructional methods

  • Demonstrated support for site-based management and a proven ability to establish and maintain a participatory management system with shared decision-making including staff, parents and community

  • Must be able to work and communicate successfully with the entire school community and to develop parental and community involvement for a diverse community

  • Knowledge of federal and state legal and regulatory issues pertaining to education requiring compliance. Must also have an understanding of public policy's relationship to education

  • Experience and/or knowledge regarding managing elementary or secondary budget and resources allocations

  • Competence in developing and maintaining an effective student guidance and development system

  • Demonstrated ability to create a school environment, which addresses diversity of needs and allows for the inclusion of students with special needs

  • Ability to develop and maintain a positive leaning environment in which positive, appropriate behavior is encouraged and discipline problems are minimized.

The statements outlined above in the description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills that may be assigned by the immediate supervisor.