Bilingual Middle School Principal

POSITION SUMMARY:

 The principal serves as an instructional and operational leader responsible for fostering a safe, inclusive, and high-performing school culture. The principal oversees curriculum implementation, instructional practices, staff supervision, family engagement, and daily operations to support academic achievement and student well-being. This role requires daily visibility, transparent communication with all stakeholders, and proactive collaboration with staff to drive continuous improvement.
 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Instructional Leadership

• Collaborate with school leadership to develop and implement instructional programs that align with educational standards and promote student achievement.
• Support teachers in implementing effective instructional strategies and differentiated instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners.
• Conduct classroom observations, provide feedback, and facilitate professional development opportunities to enhance teaching practices.
• Collaborates on the implementation of K-8 sequential curriculum to ensure students are prepared for future academic experiences.             
• Foster a culture of high expectations and continuous improvement in teaching and learning.
• Lead data-informed decision-making to monitor and support student achievement and instructional effectiveness.
• Guide the implementation of standards-aligned curriculum and evidence-based instructional practices across all grade levels.
• Ensure strong tiered systems of support (MTSS) for academic and behavioral needs.
• Facilitate regular professional learning communities (PLCs) focused on student outcomes, equity, and instructional practice.

Data-Driven Leadership

• Analyze academic and behavioral data regularly to identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement.
• Monitor student growth across subgroups and ensure equity in instructional practices and access to support services.

School Culture, Climate, and Discipline:

• Promote a safe, respectful, and inclusive school climate where students feel supported and encouraged to excel academically and socially.
• Cultivate a culture of belonging, respect, and collaboration among students and staff.

• Work with counselors, social workers, and other support staff to address student behavior and provide interventions when necessary.

Staff Development and Supervision

• Conduct regular classroom observations and provide actionable feedback to support teacher growth.
• Hold frequent one-on-one or small group check-ins with staff to offer support, gather feedback, and monitor progress.
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and retain highly effective staff who reflect the school’s mission and values.
• Supervise and evaluate licensed and classified staff in accordance with district evaluation systems.
• Facilitate distributed leadership through teacher leadership roles, committees, and school initiatives; delegate responsibilities when appropriate to ensure effective management of tasks.

Communication & Visibility

Maintain timely, clear, and consistent communication with staff regarding priorities, decisions, expectations, and changes.

• Review and respond to all communications from all stakeholders (families, staff, colleagues, leadership, and community partners) in a timely and professional manner.

• Ensure high visibility throughout the school by being present in classrooms, hallways, arrival/dismissal zones, and during lunch/recess periods to promote a strong, supportive school presence.

Family and Community Engagement:

• Communicate proactively and transparently with families through multiple platforms and languages.
• Collaborate with community organizations, local businesses, and stakeholders to enhance educational opportunities and resources for students.

Administrative Oversight:

• Day-to-day management of school operations, including scheduling, coverage of staff absences, curriculum implementation, instructional leadership, supervision and evaluation of staff, budgeting, student services, and resource allocation.
• Manage the school budget, purchases, and expenses in alignment with agency and district guidelines, ensuring effective use of funds that focus on supporting students' needs.
• Ensure safety procedures, emergency protocols, and crisis response plans are in place and practiced regularly.
• Manages and oversees student enrollment, attendance records, and other administrative tasks as needed for assigned school building.

• Attends IEP, Special Education, ELL, pupil services, and other departmental meetings.   

• Develops a general knowledge of the overall state of cleanliness, repair, and/or operational efficiency of the major building components and consults with the Facilities & Maintenance department to ensure safe operation of the school building.

Professional Development and Staff Support:

• Support the professional growth and development of teachers and staff through mentoring, coaching, and facilitating professional learning communities.
• Conducts performance evaluations and provides constructive feedback to staff.

Agency and Administrative Team:

• Attends and participates in the school leadership team and other meetings, committees, or trainings as directed by the school and/or agency leadership.                                    
• Communicates to all school and agency leadership and administration in an effective, timely, and suitable manner, information on all aspects of the school operation.                                            

Time:

• Budget personal time in a manner that will allow maximum time (approximately 80% of the workday) in classrooms, observing instruction, and directly interacting with staff members during their workday and students during their school day.                     OTHER:                                   

• Maintains all necessary licensure and certification requirements of the position.  Pursues necessary coursework, training, and professional development to fulfill licensure and certification requirements.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:  Reports to and is evaluated by the District Administrator - Chief Academic Officer; works with all levels of school and district administration and Special Services; supervises building level staff; interacts positively with all staff.

WORK SCHEDULE: Typically works during school hours, and is on-site any time students and staff are present. Additional hours may be required for meetings, events, training, and administrative tasks. May involve occasional evening or weekend work for school events or meetings. Regular work hours may be adjusted or changed at the discretion of the district administrator based on the needs of the building.

INTENDED OUTCOMES AND SUCCESS MEASURES:

• High-Quality Teaching & Learning: Measurable growth in student achievement and increased use of effective instructional practices.
• Positive Culture & Climate: Reduced disciplinary referrals, improved student attendance, and positive climate survey feedback.
• Staff Development & Retention: Effective coaching cycles and reduced teacher turnover.
• Equitable Student Outcomes: Reduced performance gaps across sub-groups through MTSS and targeted interventions.
• Family Engagement: Strong participation in school events and active community partnerships.
  • Efficient Operations: Smooth daily management, budget adherence, and compliance with reporting.
• UCC Schools Strategic Plan Goals:
  • Schoolwide attendance average of 93% or greater
  • Retention of 90% or more of DPI licensed school staff.
  • 60% or more of total staff with more than 3 years of experience at UCC.
  • 80% or more of our K5-3rd grade students will score above the 25th percentile on Early Literacy screening assessments.
  • 60% of students will perform above the 50th percentile in reading and math based on NWEA Maps assessment.
  • 80% or students will meet or exceed their growth target goals in reading and math on NWEA Maps assessments.
  • Maintain or grow state report card score and status.
  • Client satisfaction rate of 90% or greater across school programs.
  • UWM staff survey results will demonstrate that our schools meet or exceed the survey result average across UWM charter schools on 95% of the survey categories.

Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor to support students, colleagues, or the school community.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Strong leadership and management skills in a school setting.
• Ability to develop and implement effective policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of effective classroom and behavioral management techniques to engage students in meaningful learning.
• Demonstrates effective verbal and written communication skills with students, families, school staff, and administration.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish, with the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in administration, educational leadership, or related field; state licensure or certification appropriate for a school principal; must have strong leadership and communication skills; background in teaching and building-level administration preferred.
• Previous teaching experience; administrative experience preferred. 
• Must possess strong oral and written communication skills.
• The candidate should be able to work independently with little direct supervision, work as part of a team, accept responsibilities, and be self-motivated. Must display effective multi-tasking and time management skills.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
• Fluent in English and Spanish (bilingual).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The employee is regularly required to meet deadlines with severe time constraints and interact with the public and staff in addition to meeting multiple demands from several people.  The employee is frequently required to work irregular or extended hours.
• Ability to move around the classroom and school environment, including bending, kneeling, standing, walking, going up and down stairs and sitting for extended periods of time.
• Visual and auditory acuity to supervise students and respond to classroom needs.
• Ability to exert up to 25 pounds of force to lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects such as educational materials or classroom supplies.
• Must be able to monitor student safety and physically assist students when necessary (e.g., guiding younger students, supporting classroom transitions).
• Manual dexterity to operate computers, classroom technology, and teaching tools and to engage in repetitive movement of wrists, hands, and fingers (typing and/or writing).
• May require extended screen time for instructional planning, staff evaluations, or communication and to work frequently at close visual range
• Ability to receive and respond to oral communication.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is generally performed in a classroom/school/office environment with regular interaction with students, staff, and families, both inside the school campus environment, as well as occasionally outdoors (recess, field trips, dismissal, etc.).
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to help perform essential functions.
• UCC provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities.