Principal (PK3-8th Grade)

Principal (PK3-8th grade)

(Start date: July 1, 2024)

The Inspired Teaching Demonstration Public Charter School is seeking a thoughtful, dynamic, and experienced instructional leader to serve as its Principal.

With its clear mission and prominent location in Washington, DC, the school serves as a model of instruction for students and training for teachers, with the goal of becoming a leader in changing the way teachers are prepared and supported, and students are educated nationwide. At the Inspired Teaching Demonstration School, students learn through an academically challenging, standards-based curriculum that supports and builds the four “I”s: Intellect, Inquiry, Imagination, and Integrity. Within its walls, young people learn and achieve at high levels without surrendering their intellectual curiosity and passion for learning.

• The school is a place where children, adolescents, and adults thrive and find joy in their work.
• The physical space communicates a genuine focus on learners.
• The emotional space requires an approach to academics and discipline that focuses on helping children and adolescents develop compassion, empathy, respect for others, self-discipline, and problem-solving skills.
• The intellectual space of the school asks teachers and students to act as leaders, share opinions and ideas, identify problems and generate solutions, and collaborate and work together as a community so everyone experiences success.
• The school emphasizes family and community involvement. Families play an active and important role in the school – volunteering in classrooms, creating special events, supporting student learning, and contributing to the positive climate.

THE ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PRINCIPAL

Inspired Teaching Demonstration School currently serves approximately 520 students in grades Prekindergarten (age 3) – 8. We seek a leader with:

• Demonstrated expertise in leading and supporting teachers, students, and families, curriculum development and implementation
• Skilled at fostering a collaborative and nurturing school climate that emphasizes an asset-based approach to children and adolescents, families, and educators.

This is balanced with the responsibility to hold all members of the community accountable for full investment and contribution toward the delivery of the highest quality of instruction to enable our students to achieve at the highest levels.

The Principal is the instructional leader of PK3-8th grade and is a member of the school’s Leadership Team. The Principal leads the development, refinement, and implementation of the academic program. The Principal is responsible for ensuring high student achievement, high-quality instruction, curriculum development and implementation, teacher support, and professional development including cultivation of teacher leadership, establishing a nurturing and joyful culture in collaboration with the assistant principals for the lower and middle schools, collection and analysis of student performance data, and building strong relationships with families and the ITDS community. This includes efficiently managing and running the day-to-day functions and all elements of the instructional program as well as building relationships and implementing systems essential to ensuring equity and accountability.

The primary responsibilities fall into the following five categories:

Serve as the instructional leader to implement a progressive, constructivist, and student-centered mission and instructional philosophy that results in high student performance.
The Principal’s vision for high-quality instructional practice in all classrooms for all students is the driving force for maintaining a standard of excellence as well as improving education outcomes for students. The Principal is responsible for demonstrating the instructional and operational know-how to ensure that teachers are equipped with the skills, resources, and support to meet the needs of all students. We are a school that believes in authentic enriching learning experiences for all students. Our curriculum is customized to incorporate hands-on project-based learning opportunities for students, rich texts that explore relevant and diverse topics and may be modified to seize teachable moments in current events and contextual real-world situations. The philosophical approach moves beyond a boxed curriculum to explore learning that is meaningful, relevant, and progressive.

Lead and sustain an inclusive and student-centered school culture in accordance with our school’s mission.
The school is a place where children, adolescents, and adults thrive and find joy in their work. The Principal is responsible for bringing this vision to life, establishing a school culture that evidences a deep respect for children and adolescents, and empowers them to use their voices to make change, advocate for themselves and others, and provides space and opportunity for them to explore the world around them. Our commitment is to ensure that all Inspired Teaching Demonstration School students are immersed in a nurturing, supportive, and affirming school community.

Envision a whole child approach to using multiple data sources to inform decision-making and schoolwide practice.
The Principal is responsible for reviewing data to inform instruction and reporting for internal and external audiences. Student data in various forms—including classroom assessments and portfolios, Learning Showcases, teacher observations, family input, student self-assessment, and state-required standardized assessments—greatly informs curriculum, instruction, and teacher practice. The Principal’s methods for unpacking and analyzing academic and socio-emotional quantitative and qualitative data sources are through a whole child lens grounded in practical approaches to sound decision-making.

Invests time, coaching, and support to educators as the school’s “secret sauce”

The Principal demonstrates a deep commitment to teacher practice, leadership, and retention. In accordance with our school’s mission, Inspired Teaching Demonstration School believes in the power of a professional learning community of teachers at all levels of practice. The school partners with a teacher certification program to attract, recruit, and train dually certified apprentice teachers to positively contribute to the talent base at the school as well as to the educational landscape in the District. The school is committed to investing in professional learning, coaching, and instructional support to build teachers’ instructional toolkits and also value their professional practice. The ideal Principal will share a passion for coaching and supporting teachers at all levels and will create multiple opportunities for teachers to share feedback and ideas to support them professionally.

Collaborate effectively with families and the larger school community to build the school’s reputation and visibility.
The Principal serves as a key liaison with families and community members and participates in outreach efforts to educate key constituencies about the school’s philosophy, mission, and successes. The school is committed to engaging families as essential members of the school community. The Principal is responsible for building the vision for authentic family engagement grounded in the school’s core values and empowering families to nurture students’ inquisitiveness and curiosity. As part of the school’s leadership team, the Principal supports the demonstration work of the school, including participation in visits to the school from teachers, administrators, and local and national education influencers, presenting at conferences, and representing the school at events, as appropriate.

LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS AND QUALIFICATIONS

The successful applicant will demonstrate significant experience in school settings and school leadership, and have a deep knowledge of curriculum design and implementation. We are looking for candidates with experience in:

• Inquiry-and project-based teaching and learning
• Leading and supporting the professional growth and instructional skills of experienced and novice teachers, including those studying to become teachers; differentiating professional development opportunities to meet the unique needs of a diverse teaching staff
• Knowledge of child and adolescent development and developmentally appropriate best practice
• Using multiple forms of assessment to make data-driven decisions that inform and improve teaching, learning, and student achievement
• Developing and writing comprehensive curriculum documents to be used by teachers and shared with families and the community
• Creating a culture of empathy and compassion with a sense of joy in teaching and learning and active pursuit of social justice
• Excellence in instruction and rigorous exploration balanced with consideration for the developmental needs of all learners
• Collaborating with all members of the school’s team including classroom instructors, special educators, specialists, and the leadership team
• Leading and motivating families to be advocates for their children and adolescents and active and productive contributors to the school community
• Observing, documenting, and sharing regular feedback with teachers; ideally, the candidate has experience with Danielson’s Framework as an observation tool for teachers

Successful candidates will:

• Hold a minimum of Master’s degree in Education or a related field
• Have a minimum of five years of school leadership experience as a Principal, as well as at least five years of classroom teaching experience
• Be approachable, kind, and equitable, with a sense of humor
• Be inclusive and responsive to a diverse staff, student body, and family community, with the ability to build consensus and communicate effectively in all formats
• Show a personal commitment to upholding Intellect, Inquiry, Imagination, and Integrity, and be committed to the belief that all children and adolescents can learn and achieve at high levels
• Operate as an organized and efficient manager, holding self and others accountable
• Be deeply committed to creating a school that not only provides an excellent education for the student but also fosters a fair, open, trusting learning environment for the teachers
• Demonstrate sound judgment and engage in thoughtful decision-making practices
• Approach problems with a holistic, asset-based stance
• Highly value and show a commitment to reflective practice
• Fit with the school’s organizational culture and mission
• Have the ability to thrive in an innovative urban school environment and hold a keen interest in being part of a team that builds the systems to support a diverse and evolving school

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School offers competitive salaries, commensurate with experience. The school offers a strong benefits package that includes:

• Multiple health care plan options (HMO and PPO); the school covers approximately 90% of employee premiums;
• Retirement plan with employer match
• Flexible Spending accounts for pre-tax savings
• Supplemental insurance through AFLAC
• Pre-tax public transportation/Metro benefit
• Generous vacation leave for its administrators
• Professional development and coaching opportunities for school leaders
• Staff preference in student lottery
• Attention to Whole Educator wellness including staff wellness opportunities (i.e. yoga classes) and regular staff/educator appreciation events

TO APPLY

Please submit the following:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Letter of interest that includes:
  • Your philosophy and approach to school leadership
  • How and why your philosophy and experiences make you a strong candidate to fulfill the responsibilities of this role
  • A highlight of a unique experience, skill, or characteristic that isn’t on your resume that makes you a good fit to be Inspired Teaching Demonstration School’s next Principal

Applications should be submitted online at: https://inspiredteachingschool.hire.trakstar.com/jobs/fk0vupd

Application review will begin January 2, 2024.

The Inspired Teaching Demonstration School is an equal-opportunity employer committed to inclusive hiring and encourages applicants from all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, marital status, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected status. All employment decisions are made solely on the basis of the individual’s qualifications as related to the requirements of the position being filled.