Job Description

Organization Overview

Salem Academy Charter School (SACS) is a nationally ranked urban charter school north of Boston offering a rigorous college preparatory program to 480 students in grades 6-12. Since 2004, SACS has been committed to serving the diverse population of Salem. Through a unique integration of rigorous college preparatory classes with service to the community, Salem Academy graduates informed, articulate and proactive individuals of strong character.

Salem Academy is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community. We seek to support a faculty and staff that reflects the rich diversity of our student body, creating a culture and environment where diverse perspectives, ideas, and identities are valued and integrated into our way of working and educating students.

Position Overview

The Upper School Principal is the educational leader of the high school program. The principal is responsible for student learning through a well-developed curriculum executed by a trained and talented faculty. The principal provides mission leadership for faculty and students, assures the orderly running of the school, and directs the day-to-day operations of the Upper School’s academic and extracurricular life.

The Upper School Principal works closely with the Student Services Team to ensure that our 6-12 school culture is positive and inclusive for all. The Upper School Principal oversees the academic and social development of approximately 260 students in grades 9-12 and supervises a faculty and staff of roughly 30-35 people. The Upper School Principal reports directly to the Senior Director of Academics who oversees the 6-12 educational program. The Senior Director of Academics reports to the Executive Director, who the Board of Trustees appoints.

Successful candidates will be experienced professionals with proven skills in instructional leadership, curriculum development, problem-solving, managing people, and data-driven decision making. They will be self-starters who are able to build effective teams through strong organizational and communication skills. Candidates will have experience developing a school community that is positive, respectful, and inclusive of all students. The ideal candidate will be passionate about SACS’s mission and vision and have a proven track record of achieving academic success with a diverse student body. They will have experience leading social-emotional learning, cultural proficiency, and service learning.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborates with the Executive Leadership Team and the Board of Trustees to finalize the school's short- and long-range planning for possible growth, expansion, and new educational opportunities.
• Data is used to design professional development structures and annual calendars.
• Participates in recruiting, hiring, and development processes for academic staff, ensuring compliance with DESE guidelines for charter school educators.

Instructional Leadership

• With the Instructional Leadership Team in creates a mission-driven inclusive college-going culture of achievement that permeates the school and builds students’ academic skills and social and emotional competencies.
• With secondary leaders and faculty, develops and implements the Salem Academy’s Upper School Service-Learning program.
• Engages teachers in quarterly academic program analysis, and manages long-term and annual school planning.
• Creates and implements effective professional development opportunities for their staff.
• With Curriculum Team Leaders (CTLs), develops and implements long-term plans for curriculum, assessment, and instruction.
• Implements and continuously refines the cycles for teacher feedback and evaluation aligned with DESE’s model educator evaluation system.
• Collaborates with the Director of College Counseling in reaching school-wide goals around college-preparedness, matriculation, and graduation.
• Uses data to design programming related to student culture, course offerings, athletics, activities, and electives.

Safe & Supportive School Culture

• Leads the Upper School Leadership Team (grade level leaders) in facilitating a safe and supportive culture across all grade levels, ensuring all students are seen, valued, and supported.
• Maintains a visible presence in the daily life of the school: observing classrooms, building relationships with students, and enforcing school norms in a safe and supportive manner.
• Retains, recruits, and supports an excellent faculty capable of delivering an educational program that is innovative, flexible, and successful in meeting the needs of a diverse student population.
• Sustains and enhances a strong culture of achievement through classroom instruction, coherent college preparatory curriculum, daily rituals, special events, and extracurricular programs for grades 9-12.
• Cultivates a school culture that celebrates student achievement and diversity.
• Designs professional development sessions for staff related to school-wide professional development themes.
• Supports a spirit of partnership and a strong sense of community among the school’s students, parents, and faculty.
• Maintains and develops community partnerships particularly in support of Service-Learning.
• Evaluates faculty according to DESE’s model educator evaluation system.

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

• Establishes timely interim assessments, resulting in regular analysis of student data to drive increased achievement.
• Uses trend analysis of key student performance metrics (e.g. interim assessments, graduation rate, college matriculation and completion, attendance, discipline, and attrition); to inform curricular choices and drive student achievement.
• Develops and implements assessment systems and processes to ensure that strategic instructional activities are in place to achieve the school’s educational goals and objectives and meet state and federal accountability requirements.
• Oversees 9-12 curriculum development, ensuring it meets state and federal requirements, meets the terms of SACS’ mission, provides appropriate rigor, and meets the diverse needs of all students.
• Facilitates effective use of learning time by maximizing increased instructional time focused on student academic needs, ensuring student engagement, implementing differentiated instruction and focused interventions, and integrating curriculum to strengthen key concepts across all subject areas.
• Ensures that classrooms are safe and supportive and teaching is grounded in culturally relevant pedagogy.
• Aligns the use of funds to support research-based strategies that improve teaching and learning; oversees the allocation materials and staff resources across grades 9-12.

Family and Community Engagement

• Ensures parents and community stakeholders are proactively engaged and invested in the school's culture and vision; provides support for faculty and staff in culturally proficient engagement of families.
• Supports the SFC (i.e. PTO) in fostering parent engagement and support for SACS.
• Works to systematically integrate feedback from families, community members, and other active school community participants around instructional decisions or ideas.
• Partners with the Development and Communications team to manage communication with families and SACS community.
• Serves as an ambassador and advocate of Salem Academy, articulating the mission and program with clarity and enthusiasm. Attends school and community events as needed (e.g. El Punto Block Party, Lions Club Speech Competition, Voices Against Injustice, Scholarship/Awards Ceremonies, etc.).

QUALIFICATIONS

• Unwavering belief in our mission and vision: that all students can achieve at high levels
• Ability to promote a structured, orderly, safe, and respectful school environment that fosters student-centered learning
• Demonstrated ability to connect with diverse students and families
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and collaborate with adults from a diverse range of perspectives and backgrounds
• Openness to change, willingness to problem-solve, and an interest in developing new ideas and programs
• Self-awareness, humility, and integrity in all interactions, personally and professionally
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills
• At least five years of teaching experience
• At least three years of school leadership experience
• Master’s degree required
• Massachusetts principal’s license preferred
• Charter school experience preferred
• Fluency in Spanish a plus

Salem Academy Charter School provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

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