IDEA Public Schools Careers

 Principal

Mission:

K-8 Principals are systems leaders and people managers who coach and develop teachers and lead team members at their school to achieve ambitious goals with students across both elementary and middle school grades at a K-8 campus. Principals focus on excellence and continuous improvement, and they expect and foster these values in staff and students. Principals lead their schools to ensure IDEA’s mission of College for All Children becomes reality.             

Supervisory Responsibilities:

You will directly manage campus leadership (i.e. Assistant Principals of Instruction, Assistant Principal of Operations, and School Counselors) and supervise the Administrative Assistant. You will also oversee elementary and middle school staff on a K-8 campus; this includes but is not limited to teachers, co-teachers, and testing coordinators, with potential for additional supervisory responsibilities as needed. 

Location:

This is a full-time position located in the Lower RGV. Preference will be given to candidates who live in the region, or who are willing to relocate.

Travel Expectations:    

Travel to campus and regional training locations. 

What You’ll Do – Accountabilities

Essential Duties:

• Lead School Culture Systems: You will set the vision for school culture and build and maintain strong schoolwide systems to ensure that vision becomes a reality. You will ensure all leaders are proficient in coaching teachers and staff to proficiency in building positive student relationships, creating effective classroom routines and procedures, reinforcing positive behaviors, and responding consistently and effectively to misbehaviors. You will coach and train leaders to coach teachers and staff to proficiency in these skills. You will build and maintain strong schoolwide systems for MTSS to ensure students receive the Student Support Interventions they need.
• Lead Instructional Systems and Special Programs Systems: You will build and maintain strong schoolwide systems to ensure APIs coach teachers to internalize their content, deliver high quality instruction, and analyze data in order to implement strategic adjustments and interventions that increase student learning. You will also build and maintain strong schoolwide special program systems to ensure all students with IEPs, 504 plans, and any other eligibilities (i.e. EB) receive the instruction and services they need for success. You will coach and develop other leaders to do the same and drive this work through your lead team. You will build and maintain strong schoolwide systems for MTSS to ensure students receive the Academic Interventions they need.
• Lead Operational Systems: You will build and maintain strong systems for operations to ensure your campus is safe, welcoming, and efficiently run. You will coach and manage the APO to meet student enrollment and daily attendance goals. You will also coach and develop the APO to be an excellent systems leader and people manager so that they can drive results through their team. You will build and maintain strong schoolwide systems for MTSS to ensure students receive the Attendance Interventions they need.
• Lead Family Engagement Systems: You will build and maintain strong systems for family engagement and communication, including both new family onboarding and ongoing family engagement. You will ensure families receive regular communication from staff (especially teachers) about their student’s progress and school events, and that staff (especially teachers) engage families as key partners in the education of our students. You will coach and manage other leaders to do the same so that you can drive this work through others
• Lead Staff Culture and Talent Management: You will make strategic hiring, retention and promotion decisions, and coach other leaders to do the same. You will build and maintain systems for fostering a strong staff culture, and coach other leaders to do the same. You will build and maintain strong systems for coaching and management so that all staff members receive excellent coaching and are held accountable for meeting high expectations in service of our students.
• Lead Data Systems, Drive Strategy, and Manage your Campus Budget: You will plan, execute, and maintain systems that allow for schoolwide data collection, analysis, and action in order to make strategic, data-driven decisions. You will set strategic campus priorities based on data as part of your annual CIP and lead your team to achieve these priorities. You will also plan how to use your campus discretionary funds to achieve campus priorities and driving goals. You will work with your APO, BC and AA to ensure your campus discretionary budget is managed strategically throughout the year. You will also coach and manage your APO to lead the operations team to meet their budget goals.
• Ensure your Campus Remains in Compliance: You will complete all required annual compliance training and ensure your staff members do the same. You will build and maintain systems to ensure that staff members and the campus as a whole remains in compliance with all applicable laws and policies. You will coach other leaders to do the same.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

Additional duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

• Make Strategic Decisions: This team member uses data and trends to drive decisions that impact multiple teams, while anticipating risks and planning contingencies for key initiatives. They apply strategic frameworks to clarify challenges and guide coherent action, and they actively support others in strengthening their strategic thinking and decision-making capabilities.
• Manage Work and Teams: This team member leads cross-functional coordination to align efforts with strategic goals, optimizing resource use and minimizing silos. They build accountability frameworks, monitor key performance indicators to guide adjustments, and mentor emerging leaders, while implementing scalable systems that enhance efficiency and team effectiveness.
• Grow Self and Others: This team member identifies development needs across multiple groups and integrates them into broader strategic plans. They create structures that support ongoing growth, engage in succession planning, and continuously refine development strategies based on outcomes and data. Through this work, they foster a culture where continuous learning is a core part of daily work and leadership.
• Build a Culture of Trust:  This team member builds trust and drives positive engagement across multiple groups, as reflected in strong feedback and survey results. They proactively address concerns, model transparency and authenticity, and foster collaboration through open, honest communication and shared ownership.
• Communicate Deliberately: This team member communicates a clear and compelling vision that aligns team efforts with organizational goals. They proactively identify and address communication gaps across workstreams, implementing solutions to enhance coordination, while anticipating and resolving stakeholder concerns before they surface.

Additional Skills:

N/A

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree is required. 

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree is preferred. Preferred qualifications include at least 3 years of experience as an instructional leader achieving dramatic gains in a challenging context and 3+ years of teaching experience. 

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to move throughout a school building, including outdoor spaces, shared indoor spaces, and classrooms, and between floors via stairs or elevator
• Ability to engage in virtual meetings and work remotely
• Ability to travel to and from campus and regional training locations

What We Offer:

Compensation & Benefits:

Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $102,000 and $121,400, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment.

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

* IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Application process:

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Learn more about IDEA

At IDEA the Staff Experience Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values