Turnaround Principal - K-8

Job Description

Job Title

Position Title: Turnaround Principal – K-8 

Location: TBD

Salary Range: $123,571 additional compensation to be considered based on prior track record in turnaround setting

Reports to: Assistant Superintendent

Bargaining Unit: N/A

Benefits Eligibility: Successful candidates will be eligible for medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage, as well as vacation and illness days.

Telecommuting Eligibility: School-based. Not eligible for telecommuting.

Position Summary: 

The K-8 Turnaround Principal is responsible for ensuring rigorous and standards-aligned teaching and learning while establishing and maintaining a positive culture for students, staff and families. The Principal has a track record of drastically and rapidly improving outcomes in a K-8 setting specifically around student enrollment, attendance, achievement, engagement, staffing, and school-wide climate and culture. They are skilled at establishing clear systems, routines and procedures and is adept at communicating change to stakeholders, gaining buy-in and establishing collective high expectations. The K-8 Turnaround Principal provides visionary leadership while ensuring a rigorous education for all students and ensure that students reach academic goals and feel supported socially and emotionally.

The Principal manages all aspects of the school-level budgeting process, oversees daily school operations and ensures there is collaborative, two-way communication between families and staff. The Principal supervises and evaluates school personnel and provides regular feedback and professional learning opportunities to drive continuous improvement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Extensive administrative experience in school turnaround, improvement, and/or continuous improvement initiatives, with clear data demonstrating success.
• History of effectively coaching both new and experienced teachers towards improving their ability to deliver outstanding instruction.
• Must possess and provide evidence of a master’s degree inclusive of 20 semester hours in school administration, supervision, curriculum, and school finance. In the absence of the school finance course work, candidates must show demonstrated experience developing and managing staff and operating budgets 
• Must possess a valid Michigan teacher certificate for the level being sought (or out of state credential eligible for transfer to Michigan)
• Must possess and provide evidence of State of Michigan administrator certification (or out of state credential eligible for transfer to Michigan)
• A minimum of five (5) years certified contract-teaching experience with a demonstrated proficiency at or above performance at the secondary level.

 Essential Functions:

1. Create and communicate a shared vision of high-quality teaching and learning.
2. Hire effectively for all available positions. Develop, coach, evaluate and provide concrete, actionable feedback to staff.
3. Align standards, instructional strategies, assessment, instructional tools/resources, and professional development to ensure instructional program coherence.
4. Develop and implement a complete turnaround plan based on a continuous improvement model; conduct a comprehensive review of quantitative and qualitative data relative to teaching and learning and climate and culture and use to support development of plan; create benchmark growth measures to monitor progress toward meeting performance goals.
5. Hold all members of the school community accountable to shared goals and provide adequate support to meet those goals.
6. Create the necessary structures and systems required to support successful implementation of a coherent instructional program.
7. Create and maintain a safe, effective, and clean learning environment.
8. Develop and manage a school budget, aligned to the school academic plan, that reflects District, State, and Federal mandates.
9. Regularly collect, analyze and make decisions based on data.
10. Effectively collaborate with families, the immediate school and the broader external community.
11. Acquire and effectively manage resources outside of district allocations.
12. Collaborate effectively with colleagues; seek advice and share learnings proactively. 
13. Perform other duties as assigned.

Security Clearance:

Internal Applicants

If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check.

External Applicants

In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a Detroit Public Schools Community District criminal background check. Information regarding required background checks will be shared at point of hire.

Method of Application:

Applicants must apply through the online application system. Only applications submitted through the online application system will be considered for any posted position and all applications require a resume to be considered.

All DPSCD employees are required to disclose their vaccine status, however COVID-19 vaccines are strongly encouraged but not required.

Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources via email at [email protected] or phone at (313) 873-6897.Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Teaching service outside of the Detroit Public Schools Community District must be verified by the applicant's prior employer(s) prior to hire. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide all documentation (including copies) as requested.

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, citizenship, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions opportunities. Contact the Civil Rights Coordinator for more information at (313) 240-4377 or detroitk12.org/compliance.