Principal- New Bedford Virtual Learning Academy

We are deeply committed to an inclusive curriculum and school community that reflects the diversity of our student population. We strive to have the highest quality educators and encourage applications from candidates representing a broad range of skills and diverse backgrounds. We seek candidates who are dedicated to inclusion and have a clear interest in being part of the richness of diversity that the New Bedford Public Schools community has to offer. The Principal of the New Bedford Virtual Learning Academy provides leadership, oversight, and support to ensure students experience a high-quality, engaging, and academically rigorous virtual learning program. The principal works collaboratively with educators, students, and families to foster a positive online learning environment that promotes student achievement, accountability, engagement, and growth. In addition to supervising daily operations, the principal monitors instructional quality, supports effective teaching practices, analyzes student performance data, ensures compliance with district and state expectations, and develops systems of support that meet the diverse academic and social-emotional needs of students in a virtual setting. Objective:

• This is a unique leadership opportunity for a high-quality educator with a laser like focus on the teaching and learning process with a clear understanding of how to effectively manage operational systems including budget and facilities. The individual must be passionate about equity and creating powerful school communities that work for students and families who have been traditionally underserved. The principal will lead the ongoing focus for success to raise student achievement. The principal will collaborate with teachers, parents, community members, district administration, and other internal and external resources and stakeholders to implement effective educational programs, building improvements, systems, tools, community partnerships, and other resources to accelerate student achievement.

Responsibilities:

• Promote the achievement and growth of all students and the success of all staff by cultivating and creating a shared vision that makes powerful teaching and learning the central focus of schooling and ensure every student is prepared to succeed in post-secondary education and become responsible citizens and community contributors
• Continually monitor and assess progress, provide feedback, and connect educators to additional support as needed
• Ensure that instructional practices in all settings reflect high expectations regarding content and quality of effort and work, engage all students, and are personalized to accommodate diverse learning styles, needs, interests, and levels of readiness
• Ensure that all teachers use a variety of formal and informal methods and assessments to measure student learning, growth, and understanding and make necessary adjustments to their practice when students are not yet learning
• Provide effective and timely supervision and evaluation in alignment with state regulations and contract provisions
• Use multiple sources of evidence related to student learning, including state, district, and school assessment results and growth data to inform school and district goals and improve organizational performance, educator effectiveness, and student learning
• Promote the learning and growth of all students and the success of all staff by ensuring a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment, using resources to implement appropriate curriculum, staffing and scheduling
• Understand and comply with state and federal laws and mandates, school committee policies, collective bargaining agreements and ethical guidelines
• Promote the learning and growth of all students and the success of all staff through effective partnerships with families, community organizations and other stakeholders that support the mission and vision of the school and district
• Address family concerns in an equitable, effective, efficient, and culturally responsive manner
• Ensure that policies and practices enable staff members and students to interact effectively in a culturally diverse environment in which students' backgrounds, identities, strengths, and challenges are respected
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
• Develop and nurture a culture in which staff members are reflective about their practice and use student data, current research, best practices and theory to continuously adapt instruction and achieve improved results. Model these behaviors in the administrator's own practice
• Employ strategies for responding to disagreement and dissent, constructively resolving conflict and building consensus throughout a district/school community
• Eliminate racial gaps and biases within the school or district in student access, opportunities, and outcomes so that all children experience high-quality, rigorous and culturally relevant, grade- level instruction

Qualifications:

• Licensed by the Mass Department of Elementary & Secondary Education in Principal/Asst. Principal
• 3-5 years school leadership experience preferably in an urban setting
• Demonstrated success leading a team of educators to improve student achievement
• Excellent written communication and public speaking skills
• Can lead the teaching and learning process with a clear understanding of the operational structures.

The New Bedford Public Schools do not discriminate on account of age, race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, genetics, or disability that does not prohibit performance of essential job functions in employment for potential employees. New Bedford Public Schools encourages people with multilingual skills, particularly in Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese and/or Spanish, to apply. Every available opportunity will be taken in order to ensure that each applicant is selected on the basis of qualifications, merit and ability.