BACKGROUND:
Carmen Middle School of Science and Technology, Northwest Campus opened in August 2013 and has grown to serve 233 students in grades 6-8. The school is co-located with Carmen High School of Science and Technology, Northwest Campus at 5496 N 72nd St. in Milwaukee, WI. Carmen's Northwest Middle School Campus provides a rigorous college and career preparatory curriculum in addition to an advisory program, a focus on community service, and multiple structures for students who need additional support. This is an exciting opportunity to be the leader of a high-performing middle school in a supportive and collaborative network of public charter schools with a nationally-recognized track record of success. The Principal reports to the Chief Schools Officer.
POSITION SUMMARY:
Carmen Schools seeks a proven school leader who understands and commits to implementing the Carmen Education Model to ensure all students graduate prepared for success in college, meaningful careers, community involvement, and family life; advocates for and nurtures a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth; ensures a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment; collaborates with families and community members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and mobilizes community resources; always acts with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner; and promotes and embodies Carmen's core values and character traits.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Licensed Wisconsin Principal or eligibility for Wisconsin Principal license.
- A minimum of 5 years of progressive, full-time administrative experience, preferably in an urban setting; Principal experience strongly preferred
- A minimum of 5 years of teaching experience in an urban setting; high school teaching experience preferred
- Proficient in use of technology to support student academic achievement
- Proven track record in building and managing a team
- Ability to vision and lead a team in executing a strong school culture that maximizes learning and ensures student have a positive school experience
- Willing to engage in critical conversations as needed
- Strong knowledge of secondary curriculum and instructional standards
- Proven ability to focus time and energy on highest leverage priorities to best support student and faculty/staff growth
- Proven ability to work well with a cross-functional team, including a team of other principals.
- Proven ability to lead in a clear and efficient manner in a fast-paced environment with strong problem-solving skills and a mature approach to challenges
- Proven ability to model and hold others accountable to high expectations and a growth mindset
- Commitment to practicing and embodying the core values and character traits that create and uphold the culture of a Carmen school
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Diagnosis and Planning
- Recruit, hire and develop a strong staff aligned w/ the vision and mission
- Articulate and implement a school-wide instructional vision based on the current student needs
- Create a sense of urgency among the school community to reach our mission
- Create a strategic plan with annual goals and clearly communicate this with all stakeholders
- Build buy-in from all stakeholders and empower them to contribute to annual goals
- Regularly track data and student growth and give/receive feedback to inform strategic plan
2) Priority Management and Communication
- Focus on highest-leverage activities that will result in meeting annual strategic plan and network goals
- Design and implement sustainable systems for tracking key data aligned to strategic plan and network goals
- Create & maintain a school culture that minimizes distractions and focuses on student learning
- Effectively manage leadership team to meet school wide goals
- Identify potential leaders and provide opportunities to grow new leaders within the campus
- Communicate regularly with all key teams (leadership team, grade level leads, office staff, etc.) and cross-campus teams (instructional leadership team, principal team, etc)
3) Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
- Create and manage systems of collaboration aligned to standards-based instruction
- Ensure that data are utilized to collaboratively plan instruction
- Support instructional team and teachers around goal-setting and data analysis
- Ensure that high-quality, standards-aligned, common assessments are utilized at all grade levels to track progress towards standards mastery
- Empower teachers to conduct data analysis after formative and summative assessments to identify problems and develop re-teaching/enrichment instructional strategies
- Ensure that teachers are utilizing backwards design to develop rigorous standards-aligned units/assessments and maintain a system that provides regular feedback on these tools
- Model and support data-driven planning/instruction among all content areas
- Boost morale and a sense of efficacy by getting colleagues to own and celebrate growth
- Supervision, Evaluation, and Professional Development
- Plan and implement professional development that supports school-wide goals
- Plan and implement teacher coaching model that meets the needs of all teachers, from early career to seasoned educators
- Complete formal evaluations and ensure other instructional staff implement teacher evaluations with fidelity
- Provide consistent opportunities for staff to develop and share their strengths, experiences and achievements with other staff
- Provide feedback to staff on an ongoing basis as and train/encourage staff to engage in critical conversations with colleagues in order to provide valuable, regular feedback
5) School Culture and Family Involvement
- Empower staff to create and maintain a consistent school climate and behavior expectations, routines and consequences reflective of Carmen's vision, mission and core values
- Efficiently resolve any disruptions to the learning environment, using data to analyze patterns and create preventative interventions
- Ensure that students are regularly celebrated for their growth and achievement
- Create an environment and school-wide practices that make families feel welcome and respected
- Respond to family concerns and enlist families to actively support their student's growth
- Ensure ongoing communication to all families regarding academic and social-emotional growth
- Management and External Relations
- Set the highest example for ethical and professional behavior
- Create a work schedule that maximizes support for teaching and learning
- Maintain transparency in how and why decisions are made and involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process whenever possible
- Manage operational and fiscal issues so that they support the school vision and mission
- Tap all human and community resources to support the school's vision, mission and strategic plan
- Serve as a resource within and leverage resources available from the Carmen Schools network
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Principal supervises all school staff directly or indirectly.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:
Carmen Schools of Science and Technology provides salaries commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus excellent health and worksite benefits, free life insurance, free employee assistance program (EAP), free short-term disability insurance, 403b retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, and generous paid time off.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:
Carmen complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, gender, disability, genetic information, marital status, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, lay-off, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.
Carmen expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Any actions or behaviors that create an uncomfortable work environment and prohibit an employee to perform their expected duties will not be tolerated.