Principal at Natchitoches Magnet

Qualifications:

• Valid Louisiana certification to practice as a school principal (Bulletin 746).
• Alternatives to the state requirements as the Natchitoches Parish School Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

Reports to: Superintendent 

Supervises: Teachers, certified personnel, other professional personnel, support personnel

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
I. Standards and Performances: 

Standard #1 - Vision

1. The principal engages the school community in developing and maintaining a student-centered vision for education, which forms the basis for school goals and guides the preparation of students as effective, lifelong learners in a pluralistic society.
2. The principal demonstrates the ability to:
3. Work collaboratively with the school community to develop and maintain a shared school vision.
4. Bring the school vision to life by using it to guide decision making about students and the instructional programs.
5. Maintain faculty focus on developing learning experiences that will enable students to prosper in subsequent grades as adults.
6. Maintain open communication with the school community, effectively convey high expectations for students learning to the community.
7. Provide opportunities and support for collaboration, the exchange of ideas, experimentation with innovative teaching strategies, and ongoing school improvement, teaching strategies, and ongoing school improvement.
8. Monitor, assess, and revise the school vision and goals as needed.
9. Foster the integration of students into mainstream society while valuing diversity. 

Standard #2 - Teaching and Learning

1. The principal uses knowledge of teaching and learning in working collaboratively with the faculty and staff to implement effective and innovating and challenging learning experiences. 
2. The principal demonstrates the ability to:
3. Recognize, model, and promote effective teaching strategies that enable students to apply what they learn to real world experiences.
4. Encourage and support the use of both innovative, research-based teaching strategies to engage students actively in solving complex problems and methods of student assessment which will enhance learning for all students. 
5. Conduct frequent classroom visits and periodic observations, provide constructive feedback to faculty and staff, and suggest models of effective teaching techniques when needed. 
6. Foster a caring, growth-oriented environment for faculty and students, one in which expectations and high standards for student achievements are emphasized.
7. Promote collaboration and team building among faculty. 

Standard #3 - School Management

1. The principal promotes the success of all students by ensuring management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe and orderly learning environment. 
2. The principal demonstrates the ability to:
3. Maintain a safe, clean, and aesthetically pleasing physical school plants.
4. Establish and/or implement laws, policies, regulations, and procedures that promote effective school operations.
5. Maintain a positive school environment where proper student discipline is the norm.
6. Manage fiscal resources responsibly, efficiently, and effectively and monitor whether other do so as well.
7. Manage human resources responsibility by selecting and inducting new personnel appropriately, assigning and evaluating all staff effectively, and taking other appropriate steps to build an effective school staff. 
8. Monitor support services such as transportation, food, health, and extended care responsibility.
9. Provide and coordinate appropriate co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
10. Use shared decision making effectively in the management of the school.
11. Manage time and delegate appropriate administrative tasks to maximize attainment of the school goals. 
12. Use available technology effectively to manage school operations. 
13. Monitor and evaluate school operations and use feedback appropriately to enhance effectiveness.

Standard #4 - School Improvement

1. The principal works with the school community to review data from multiple sources to establish challenging standards, monitor progress, and foster the continuous growth of all students. 
2. The principal demonstrates the ability to:
3. Provide ongoing opportunities for staff to reflect on their roles and practices in light of student standards and school goals. 
4. Grow professionally by engaging in professional development activities and making such activities available to others.
5. Facilitate schools-based research and use these and initiatives, pace the implementation of these changes, and evaluate their impact on teaching and learning.
6. Foster the genuine continuous involvement and commitment of the school community in promoting the progress in all students toward attaining high standards. 
7. Enhance school effectiveness by appropriately integrating the processes of teacher selection/evaluation and professional development with school improvement.

Standard #5 - School - Community Relations

1. The principal uses an understanding of the culture of the community to create and sustain mutually supportive school-community relations.
2. The principal demonstrates the ability to:
3. Be visible and in the community and treat members of the school community equitably.
4. Involve the school in the community while keeping the school community informed.
5. Use school-community resources to enhance the quality of school programs, including those resources available through business and industry.
6. Recognize and celebrate school success publicly.
7. Communicate effectively, both interpersonally and through the media.

Standard #6 - Professional Development
The principal works collaboratively with the school faculty and staff to plan and implement professional development activities that promote both individual and organizational growth and leads to improved teaching and learning.

The principal demonstrates the ability to:

1. Communicate a focused vision for both school and individual professional growth.
2. Use research and data from multiple sources to design and implement professional development activities. 
3. Secure the necessary resources for meaningful professional growth, including the time for planning and the use of emerging technologies. 
4. Provide opportunities for individual and collaborative professional development.
5. Provide incentives for learning and growth and encourage participation in professional development activities at the national, state, and parish levels.
6. Assess the overall impact of professional development activities on the improvement of teaching and student learning.

Standard #7 - Professional Ethics
The principal demonstrates honesty, integrity, and fairness to guide school programs in an ethical manner.

The principal demonstrates the ability to:

1. Model ethical behavior at both the school and community levels.
2. Communicate to others expectations of ethical behavior.
3. Respect the rights and dignity of others. 
4. Provide accurate information without distortion and without violating the rights of others.
5. Develop a caring school environment in collaboration with the faculty and staff.
6. Apply laws, policies, regulations, and procedures fairly, consistently, wisely, and compassionately.
7. Minimize bias in self and others and accept responsibility for his/her own decisions and actions.
8. Address unethical behavior.

Professional Development

1. Professional Growth Plan developed and carried out in timelines.
2. Professional Growth Plan enhanced job performance.
3. Self-Evaluation completed. 

Personal Qualities:

• Devotes time and energy effectively to job
• Demonstrates ability to work well with individuals and groups
• Exercises good judgement when arriving at decisions 
• Maintains high standards of ethics, honesty and integrity in all personal and professional matters

Related Responsibilities:

• Concentrates effort in area of major responsibility
• Is self-directed
• Keeps abreast of current trends in education
• Exhibits loyalty in the promotion of the district's goals
• Completes a self-evaluation annually
• Develops and implements Individual Growth Plan (IGP) annually
• Reports job-related injuries within 48 hours of the incident to the Direct of Human Resources ("Job-related injuries" include, but are not limited to, any accident or illness which involves loss of consciousness, restriction of work motion, or medical treatment)

Terms of Employment: 12 Months

Evaluation: Performance of this position will be evaluated annually in accordance with Louisiana Department of Education and Natchitoches Parish School Board Policy.