Position Purpose: 

To use leadership, management, supervisory and monitoring skills to promote the educational development of young students.

Qualifications:

The incumbent must be licensed by the State of Kansas as a Building Administrator and possess the necessary planning, organizational, supervisory, and evaluation skills which the position entails.  The incumbent must have visionary ability to focus on long term goals while also managing the day-to-day operation of a comprehensive early childhood education program that includes health, social services, parent involvement, and achieving school readiness goals. The incumbent should also demonstrate skills in curriculum and instructional leadership, personnel guidance, scheduling processes, policy, law, budget, school/community relations and professional renewal.

Physical/Emotional Requirements:

(The incumbent may be required to use the below requirements during any part of the working day.)  Speaking, Hearing, Visual, Walking/Mobility, Standing, Consistency of temperament, Ability to work with a variety of problems at the same time, Stamina for working long hours.

Responsibilities:

1. Curriculum Development, Supervision and Evaluation

• Leads in the development, determination of appropriateness, and monitoring of the instructional program.
• Supervises the school’s educational program, using the distric standards.
• Approves the master teaching schedule and any special personnel assignments.
• Facilitates and monitors the designated renewal system.
• Ensures implementation of district, state, and early childhood curricula and helps staff use curriculum resources.
• Participates in and/or leads curriculum development activities commensurate with school, district and state performance goals.
• Provides opportunities and encouragement for staff to increase professional expertise.
• Assists in identifying curricular needs by analyzing current programs, community resources, and student achievement.
• Regularly uses the results of student assessment data to differentiate instruction and implement program improvements.

2.   Student Assessment and Monitoring

• Emphasizes student social, emotional, and cognitive development as primary outcomes in the education of the young child.
• Systematically assesses and monitors student progress using objective and verifiable information whenever possible.         
• Works with staff to systematically identify and respond to the needs of students and families; makes referrals to appropriate community agencies when needed.

3.   Student and Staff Relations

• Models and facilitates good human relations skills; effectively interacts with others.
• Solicits information from school personnel and community in gauging the school climate.
• Recognizes efforts of students and teachers.
• Promotes the improvement of student and staff self-images.
• Communicates high expectations for both staff and students and provides appropriate motivation to reach expectations.
• Fosters collegial relationships with and among teachers and staff.

4.    Establishing an Effective Workplace

• Develops and maintains positive staff morale.
• Protects instructional time by minimizing interruptions to the instructional process.
• Coordinates teacher and student schedules to promote maximum learning and minimize conflict.
• Maintains high visibility in the school.
• Leads and directs the school leadership team.
• Promotes a culture of inquiry by exhibiting a commitment to lifelong learning by keeping abreast of new information and research.
• Plans, organizes, and directs implementation of family events and school activities.
• Maintains appropriate and consistent standards of student behavior and respond to misbehavior according to due process for the rights of students.
• Delegates authority to responsible personnel to assume responsibility for the school in the absence of the Principal.

5.    Staff Supervision and Personnel Evaluation

• Supervises (directly or through others) all professional, paraprofessional, administrative, and nonprofessional personnel assigned to the school.
• Assists in the recruiting, screening, hiring, training, assigning, and evaluating of the school’s professional staff.
• Assures the orientation of newly assigned staff members and assists in their development, as  appropriate.
• Recommends, according to established procedures, the removal of a staff member whose work is unsatisfactory.
• Encourages staff performance by meeting regularly with individual staff to provide performance feedback based on observations and expectations contained in job descriptions, program plans, and policies and procedures.
• Supports staff retention by creating an environment that fosters equity and provides opportunities for professional growth.
• Builds a staff that advances the program’s mission by hiring and promoting qualified staff who support the program’s philosophy and goals, and who culturally and linguistically represent the community and program.

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6.    Communication and Community Relations

•  Keeps the Director of Elementary Education informed of the school’s activities and problems.
•  Facilitates staff, families, and partners acceptance of decisions and advice from funders, the governing body, policy council, and district level   management by positively presenting decisions, explaining the rationale, and openly addressing questions and concerns.
• Attends all school-sponsored activities and functions.
• Conducts regular staff meetings to ensure proper functioning of the school.
• Employs a culturally competent and flexible approach when working with children and families from diverse cultures by acknowledging, accepting, and accommodating differences (e.g., providing information in an understandable format and/or language for those with limited or no reading skills orfor those for whom English is a second language.
• Establishes and maintains favorable relationships with local community groups and individuals to foster understanding and solicit support for overall school objectives and programs, to interpret board policies and administrative directives.
• Serves, or causes a member of the leadership team to serve, as an ex officio member of all committees and councils within the school.
• Speaks and writes effectively.
• Communicates and works with central office and other principals to share ideas, problems, expertise, and personnel.
• Encourages parent visits and involvement in decision making and program governance.
• Effectively utilizes community resources and volunteers to promote student learning.
• Supports the governing body (Board of Education) and parent policy group in making informed decisions about program plans (strategic, improvement, and service areas) and policies by training members on the program’s philosophy and by providing them with accurate and timely information.
• Encourages families’ involvement in program decision making by ensuring that families are informed about decision making opportunities and by supporting their involvement (transportation, convenient meeting times, child care, etc.) in policy council and other parent groups.

7.    Decision Making and Problem Solving

• Utilizes the TPS Strategic Plan and TPS Learning Principles to guide decisions.
• Considers research when making decisions.
• Considers alternatives and consequences in the decision making process.
• Makes decisions in a timely fashion and maximizes decisions effectiveness by follow up actions.
• Interprets, and insures compliance with district policies and state and federal regulations specific to federally funded Head Start Programs.
• Asserts leadership in times of civil disobedience in school in accordance with established Board policy.
• Participates in principals meetings, negotiations meetings, and other meetings as required or appropriate.
• Identifies problem areas and seeks solutions before crisis situations develop.
• Effectively delegates decision making and problem solving to appropriate personnel.
• Design, lead, and/or support an annual self-assessment by engaging staff, specialists, families, policy council, governing body, and community members in examining program operations.
• Design and lead an assessment of community needs by collaborating with other community groups to examine census data and community reports, and plans and agrees on priorities to make decisions.

8.    Professional Development

• Keeps abreast of changes and developments in the profession by attending professional meetings, reading professional journals and other publications, and discussing problems of mutual interest with others in the field.
• Effectively utilizes the expertise of school personnel, including self, in staff development.
• Provides opportunities for teachers to share and demonstrate successful practices.
• Views self as a role model for expected staff behavior.
• Helps teachers implement objectives for themselves and students.
• Assumes responsibility for his/her own professional growth and development through membership and participation in the affairs of professional organizations, and through attendance at regional, state, and national meetings.
• Assist in identifying, cultivating, and promoting teacher leaders.

9.    Building Management, Recordkeeping, and Financial Management

• Prepares and administers the building budget and supervises school finances.
• Ensures fiscal integrity by preparing, or supervising preparation, maintenance, and distribution of reports, records, lists, inventory and other paperwork required or appropriate to the program’s administration.
• Assumes responsibility for the safety and administration of the school facilities.
• Provides for adequate inventories of property under his/her jurisdiction and for the security and accountability of that property.
• Insures the building(s) and grounds are safe and that drills and evacuations conform to state directives.
• Assures the allocation of instructional resources for optimum teaching and learning (supplies, equipment, space, etc.)
• Ensures a high quality food service program, following guidelines established by local, state, and federal guidelines.
• Effectively copes with crises and emergencies.
• Meets federal, state, and program documentation requirements by ensuring that the program maintains accurate, objective, complete, timely and well-organized child, family, financial, and program records.
• Anticipates future building and equipment needs; plans appropriately to address.
• Exercises prudent stewardship of program resources by making decisions based on program financial reports and applicable federal, state, and program financial requirements (e.g., allowable costs, non-federal share, cost-sharing).

10.       Performs other Duties as Assigned by the Superintendent and His/Her Designee.