Principal - Summit Academy

Principal – Summit Academy

The Amherst-Pelham Regional Public Schools is seeking an experienced, student-centered educational leader to serve as the next Principal of Summit Academy, the district's Public Day School program serving students with significant social, emotional, behavioral, and learning needs.

Summit Academy provides specialized programming designed to support students requiring highly structured, therapeutic, and individualized educational environments. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and compassionate leader with a strong background in Special Education, deep knowledge of therapeutic and behavioral programming, and a demonstrated commitment to inclusive and student-centered practices.

This position requires an instructional leader who understands the complexity of supporting students with diverse learning profiles while fostering a safe, supportive, and academically meaningful educational environment for students, staff, and families.

Position Overview

The Principal of Summit Academy serves as the educational and operational leader of the program and is responsible for overseeing all aspects of instruction, student support, secondary academic programming, compliance, staffing, school culture, and the overall implementation of therapeutic and individualized educational services.

The successful candidate will be a strong instructional and Special Education leader with demonstrated experience supporting students with significant social-emotional, behavioral, and learning needs while maintaining high expectations for academic achievement, student growth, graduation readiness, and postsecondary success. The Principal must possess a deep understanding of how to effectively balance therapeutic programming with rigorous, standards-aligned instruction to ensure students are provided meaningful pathways toward graduation, transition planning, employment, college, and independent living.

The successful candidate will possess substantial experience in Special Education leadership and a strong understanding of:

• Secondary academic programming and graduation requirements
• Credit attainment, academic intervention, and transition planning
• IEP development and implementation
• Behavioral and therapeutic programming
• Trauma-informed educational practices
• DESE special education compliance requirements
• Inclusive instructional practices
• Multidisciplinary collaboration and student support systems
• Data-informed decision making related to academics, behavior, attendance, and student outcomes

Key Responsibilities

Instructional Leadership & Student Support

• Promote instructional practices that balance therapeutic support with strong academic engagement, literacy development, executive functioning skills, and college/career readiness.
• Provide leadership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of instructional programming tailored to students with complex educational, behavioral, and social-emotional needs.
• Ensure students have access to rigorous, standards-aligned academic instruction that supports progress toward high school graduation requirements and individualized postsecondary goals.
• Ensure full compliance with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), state and federal special education regulations, and DESE program approval requirements.
• Chair IEP meetings and oversee all aspects of special education compliance and documentation.
• Serve as the administrative lead overseeing secondary Extended School Year (ESY) programming.
• Monitor student credit attainment, graduation pathways, course access, and academic progress to ensure students remain on track toward earning a diploma or appropriate educational outcomes.
• Collaborate with instructional staff to develop individualized academic supports and intervention plans that address learning gaps while maintaining high expectations for student achievement.
• Oversee transition planning and support systems aligned to postsecondary education, employment, independent living, and community integration goals for students receiving special education services.
• Foster a culture of high expectations, relationship-centered practices, inclusion, and evidence-based instruction.
• Use student performance, behavioral, and attendance data to drive continuous improvement efforts and instructional decision-making.
• Support implementation of positive behavioral interventions, restorative approaches, and trauma-informed practices.

Operational & Administrative Leadership

• Oversee daily school operations to ensure a safe, structured, and supportive learning environment.
• Supervise and evaluate faculty, counselors, related service providers, paraprofessionals, and support staff.
• Develop and manage the school budget in collaboration with district leadership.
• Ensure compliance with district policies, DESE regulations, and all applicable state and federal requirements.
• Coordinate crisis response, student safety planning, and collaborative problem-solving processes.

Staff Leadership & Professional Development

• Build and sustain a collaborative professional culture focused on student growth and staff development.
• Provide instructional leadership and support to teachers, counselors, and support staff.
• Facilitate professional development in areas including:
• Special education best practices
• Behavioral intervention strategies
• Trauma-informed care
• De-escalation and crisis response
• Inclusive instructional practices
• Promote collaborative multidisciplinary teamwork to support student success.

Family & Community Engagement

• Develop strong partnerships with families through consistent, transparent, and compassionate communication.
• Collaborate with community agencies, service providers, and district departments to support students and families.
• Promote a school culture grounded in dignity, belonging, accountability, and student well-being.

Qualifications

Required

• Massachusetts DESE Licensure as a Principal/Administrator (5–12)
• Master's degree in Special Education, Educational Leadership, or a related field
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in Special Education
• Demonstrated leadership experience in Special Education programming, student support services, or therapeutic educational settings
• Strong knowledge of:
• Special education law and compliance
• IEP development and implementation
• Behavioral and therapeutic programming
• DESE regulations and program approval processes
• Trauma-informed and inclusive educational practices
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills

Preferred

• Experience supporting secondary students in meeting graduation requirements, credit recovery, competency attainment, and postsecondary transition planning.
• Experience leading a public day school, therapeutic program, or substantially separate educational setting
• Experience supporting students with significant behavioral and social-emotional needs
• Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams
• Experience with restorative practices and behavioral intervention systems
• Experience overseeing Extended School Year (ESY) programming

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will:

• Be a visible, student-centered leader who builds strong relationships with students, staff, and families
• Understand the importance of balancing behavioral and therapeutic programming with strong academic outcomes and student graduation success.
• Maintain high expectations for both student achievement and student well-being while ensuring access to equitable educational opportunities.
• Lead with empathy, consistency, and clear expectations
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of Special Education systems and instructional practices
• Be highly collaborative and solutions-oriented
• Support staff through coaching, accountability, and professional growth
• Maintain a strong commitment to educational equity and inclusive practices
• Thrive in complex educational environments requiring flexibility, responsiveness, and teamwork

Compensation & Benefits

Salary and benefits will be commensurate with experience and in accordance with district policies and procedures.