The High School Principal will create an academic program that exemplifies excellence and equity such that all students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to successfully make decisions and determine their own life path.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: These are not exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.
• Works with the Chief Academic Officer to develop, articulate, and implement a vision of learning that includes high goals for student achievement that are shared and supported by the school community. Values, supports, and believes in high standards for all students across the spectrum of socio-economic demographics and academic potential.
• Articulates the vision and strategic mission of the Tennessee Schools for the Deaf and works collaboratively with teachers, parents, community leaders, higher education partners, and others to continuously improve instructional excellence.
• Listens effectively to families, students, and the school community. Considers and responds to the input of stakeholders in a timely fashion.
• Strategically aligns leadership behaviors with stated values and goals to drive required change. Develops strategic plan with effective solutions.
• Establishes and maintains a culture of integrity, fairness, and high ethical standards. Builds strong relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and empathy within the school.
• Establishes systems and programs that promote learning, collaboration, and communication throughout the school.
• Supervises teachers and educational assistants and holds each to a high standard.
• Builds department capacity by setting clear expectations and observing and evaluating paraprofessional and office staff using the SMART process.
• Improves classroom teaching by setting clear expectations and observing, coaching, and evaluating teachers and staff in accordance with the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model (TEAM). Obtains and maintains TEAM Observer certification through completing training and passing certification exam.
• Analyzes and uses data to inform adult learning, professional development, and decision-making.
• Ensures that school meets all relevant academic benchmarks and that every student is measured for annual academic growth.
• Participates in the IEP process, assuring that goals, objectives, and benchmarks are appropriate and effectively addressed.
• Builds professional learning communities to nurture and sustain a school culture and instructional program conducive to accelerated student achievement. Regularly assesses student learning and ensures the provision of specific, timely feedback to teachers and students.
• Aligns standards, curricula, instructional strategies, and assessment tools. Supports teachers in using effective instructional strategies to meet students’ diverse learning needs.
• Coordinates professional learning activities for the instructional staff of the school, including planning, collaboration, implementation, and evaluation of the services.
• Fosters teacher professional development through coaching and motivating. Stimulates and retains high performers, mentors early career teachers, challenges low performers to improve, and dismisses poor performers who do not improve. Initiates and engages in difficult conversations around continuous instructional improvement as necessary.
• Builds strong teams, develops leadership capacity among staff, and shares responsibilities appropriately. Recognizes, rewards, and celebrates hard work and outstanding results.
• Works with Chief Academic Officer, directors, counselors, teachers, residential staff, and different personnel to maintain a high level of youth development and student support services that align with academic goals, as dictated by student needs.
• Participates in and supports the supervision and administration of extracurricular programs and school athletic programs with staff assistance, as applicable.
• Collaborates with the Chief Academic Officer to select highly effective teachers through robust screening and interviewing process and assists in recruitment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
• Valid Tennessee professional educator license with and administrative endorsement or demonstrated progress toward this endorsement.
• Must have at least ten (10) years’ teaching experience.
• American Sign Language SLPI rating of Advanced or higher
• Master’s Degree or beyond in educational leadership/administration/supervision.
• Degree in Deaf Education and/or a working knowledge in the Deaf, hearing impaired, and special populations.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the unique challenges associated with educating students who are deaf/hard-of-hearing.
• Technology acumen and proficiency including Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft 365, internet-based applications, typing and word processing skills.
Terms of Employment: Full-Time 12-month teacher contract.