Career Center

Purpose Statement

The primary role of an elementary principal is for the purpose/s of providing instructional leadership and management to a K-5 elementary school with a primary focus on improving student achievement while maintaining the health and safety of all students and staff.

Job Title:  Elementary Principal                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Salary Range:  $115,000 - $135,000 – dependent on experience

Contract: 12-mo Administrative (279) Contract

Reports To: Superintendent and Executive Cabinet

Wage/Hour Status:  Exempt

Job Goal:

An elementary principal works effectively with PK-12 colleagues.  Provides direction in order to ensure academic achievement and social growth for all students. Manages programs, leads staff and facilities to develop an optimum learning climate for the school. Provides leadership for the programmatic needs of the school in relation to building and district goals. Prepares and achieves high standards for quality and excellence. Effectively communicates the school’s program to parents and the local community.

Essential Functions

• In collaboration with other building leadership, oversees all aspects of the instructional programs, school environment and the operational/fiscal health of the school campus.
• Supervises, monitors, and coaches staff in the building with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Oversees the professional development of teachers and staff, including regular supervision and evaluations.
• Fosters an environment where staff and faculty work cooperatively together and hold each other accountable to reach high levels of student achievement.
• Ensures compliance and alignment of special education programing, English Learning programing, 504’s and other essential educational programs.
• Manages organizational systems and resources for a safe, high-performing learning environment.
• Collaborates with families and stakeholders who represent diverse community interests and needs; mobilizes community resources that support and improve teaching and learning.
• Provides instructional leadership focused on current research and best practices in order to continually increase student achievement.
• Allocates and coordinates the movement of resources to ensure the health, safety, and productive learning of staff and students.
• Collaborates other elementary and district administrators to provide an overall direction for teaching and learning in the school district.
• Effectively manages school operations in terms of personnel, budgets, buildings and grounds, etc.
• Promotes a positive tone for collaborative school/community relations by articulating the mission, seeking community support, and fostering rapport with all stakeholders.
• Confers with parents and staff to discuss educational activities, policies and student behavioral or learning issues.

 Other Functions

• Collaborate with internal and external personnel (e.g. other administrators, district staff, public agencies, community members, etc.) for implementing and/or maintaining services and programs.
• Facilitate meetings, workshops, professional development and trainings, etc. (e.g. regulatory requirements, community or outside agencies, interdepartmental needs, etc.) for identifying issues, developing recommendations, supporting other staff, and serving as a District representative.
• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities may include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; evaluating employee performance, addressing complaints and resolving problems.
• Participate in staff development training programs, faculty meetings, and special events as assigned.
• Facilitates and oversees committee meetings as required.
• Coordinate and supervise after-school events, activities, conferences and meetings.
• Demonstrate initiative and the ability to work without close supervision.
• Demonstrates integrity and maintains confidentiality.
• Works well with others, maintaining positive and effective communication with school personnel and works well with other custodians on jobs that require more than one person.
• Is respectful and appropriately interacts with staff, students, and visitors.
• Upholds and adheres to safety rules and policies of the Ankeny Community School District safety program.
• Supports the goals and objectives of the school district and follows all district policies.
• Demonstrates the ability to attend work on a regular and routine basis to avoid disruption to District operations.

• Perform all duties in a safe manner to avoid injury to oneself and/or others.
• Responds to emergency situations for the purpose of resolving immediate safety concerns and/or directing to appropriate personnel for resolution.
• Performs other related duties, as assigned, for the purpose of ensuring the efficient and effective functioning of the work unit.

Responsibility

Responsibilities include: working independently under broad organizational guidelines to achieve unit objectives; directing other persons within a department, large work unit, and/or across several small work units; directing the use of budgeted funds within a work unit; utilization of some resources from other work units is often required to perform the job’s functions.  There is a continual opportunity to significantly impact the organization’s services.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Experience:
  • Minimum of five years related experience, including administrative experience at the elementary level and previous elementary teaching experience.
  • Demonstrated excellence in communication, both oral and written
  • Positive work record which includes a high degree of organization and knowledge of research.
  • Demonstrated excellence in maintaining effective relationships with students, staff, and the community
  • Possess basic technology skills
• Education: Master’s degree in Education, Education Administration or related field.
• License: Iowa Professional Administrative license, by the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE).

Desirable Qualifications:

• Successful experience in a multi-cultural urban or suburban district

Job Requirements: Minimum Qualifications

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

SKILLS are required to perform multiple tasks with a need to routinely upgrade skills in order to meet changing job conditions. Specific skill based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include: interact effectively with students, teachers/staff and parents; adhering to safety practices; operating standard office equipment including using pertinent software applications, preparing and maintaining accurate records; and using district approved crisis intervention techniques.

KNOWLEDGE is required to review and interpret highly technical information, write technical materials, and/or speak persuasively to implement desired actions; and analyze situations to define issues and draw conclusions. Specific knowledge based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include: elementary curriculum, instruction and assessment practices; child development, brain development and best practices in education; curriculum development; safety practices and procedures; conflict resolution; and crisis de-escalation techniques.

ABILITY is required to schedule a significant number of activities, meetings and/or events; routinely gather, collate and/or classify data; and use job-related equipment. Flexibility is required to independently work with others in a wide variety of circumstances; analyze data utilizing a variety of complex processes; and operate equipment using standardized methods. Ability is also required to work with a significant diversity of individuals and/or groups; work with data of widely varied types and/or purposes; and utilize a variety of job-related equipment. Independent problem solving is required to analyze issues and create action plans. Problem solving with data requires analysis based on organizational objectives; and problem solving with equipment is limited to moderate. Specific ability based competencies required to satisfactorily perform the functions of the job include: effective hiring techniques; budget management; adapting to changing work priorities; communicating with diverse groups; maintaining confidentiality; working as part of a team; and working with constant interruptions.