Elementary School Principal

Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:15pm

Salary: $125,000-$144,480

What is the opportunity? This innovative school is dedicated to developing independent, empathetic, and high-achieving scholars through exceptional instruction, enrichment, and a culture of belonging. That's where you come in. As Principal, you'll set the vision for excellence, build and develop a high-performing team, and ensure every scholar reaches their fullest potential. If you're a strategic instructional leader who inspires adults, drives results, and leads with equity-your next chapter starts here.. Grow with us!

What's in it for you?

• Smartphone and fully paid wireless plan through T-Mobile
• Windows-based laptop
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid school breaks aligned with the academic calendar.
• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance coverage for you and your family.
• Pension Plan participation through the New Jersey Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF).
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with employer contribution options.
• Free financial wellness advising through our Financial Advisor Service
• Optional short or long-term disability benefits through Aflac
• Ongoing Professional Development and access to coaching and leadership opportunities
• Supportive, Mission-Driven Culture centered on collaboration, respect, and purpose

What will you be doing?

• Serve as the school's instructional leader, modeling excellent teaching practices and maintaining a visible presence in classrooms.
• Conduct frequent classroom observations and provide real-time, actionable feedback to strengthen instruction and scholar outcomes.
• Ensure rigorous implementation of curriculum, assessments, and data-driven instruction across all classrooms.
• Lead weekly professional development sessions and data meetings that drive continuous instructional improvement.
• Analyze scholar achievement data to inform coaching, intervention, and school-wide academic strategies.
• Promote interdisciplinary literacy and critical thinking across content areas to prepare scholars for college and career success.
• Build and sustain a joyful, structured, and inclusive school culture where scholars are known, valued, and held to high expectations.
• Lead restorative and proactive practices to promote scholar engagement and minimize disciplinary incidents.
• Recruit, hire, and develop a diverse, mission-aligned team of teachers and staff.
• Provide individualized coaching, evaluations, and growth pathways that foster professional excellence and leadership development.
• Cultivate a collaborative, accountable staff culture grounded in equity, reflection, and shared purpose.
• Partner with families as co-educators, fostering consistent communication and collaboration around scholar progress.
• Plan and lead family engagement events and school ceremonies that celebrate scholar achievement and community connection.
• Collaborate with community organizations to expand enrichment, wellness, and leadership opportunities for scholars.
• Oversee daily school operations-including scheduling, budgeting, and compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Develop and execute a strategic vision that aligns academic, cultural, and operational priorities with organizational goals.
• Lead scholar recruitment, retention, and engagement strategies to sustain a thriving school community.
• Model Foundation Academies' mission and values in every decision, ensuring equity, excellence, and joy remain at the heart of school leadership.

What do we require from you?

• Principal CE must be obtained within 60 days of employment
• Must enroll in Leader 2 Leader within 30 days of obtaining CE
• At least 5 years of exceptional teaching experience with demonstrated scholar achievement.
• 2+ years working in an urban education setting preferred
• Must have a track record of measurable success and achievement
• You are committed to living out our mission
• Welcomes the challenge to grow, learn, and improve in a collaborative environment
• Committed to our mission of preparing all scholars for college and embodying our core values
• Committed to serving our scholar population in an anti-discriminatory learning environment

Want to join our FAmily? We are Foundation Academies: Trenton, New Jersey's largest and highest-ranking K-12 free public charter school serving more than 1,000 scholars across three schools on two campuses. Our mission is to ensure that all of our scholars secure the academic knowledge and skills to prepare them for the nation's finest colleges, and to instill in them the core values of caring, respect, responsibility, and honesty. We admit scholars by lottery, irrespective of gender, race, household income, or academic ability. Our team of experienced and mission-driven urban educators values growth mindsets, lifelong learners, and individuals who believe that every child deserves an excellent education. We hold ourselves, our scholars, and our city to high standards because that's what our families deserve. We are conveniently located a quick car ride to downtown Princeton, a 45-minute SEPTA ride to Philly's Center City, and a hop on the NJ Transit Express to New York City.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: Foundation Academies is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit. We want to have the best available persons in every job. Foundation Academies prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, gender identity, religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sex, genetic information, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. All such discrimination is unlawful and prohibited by Foundation Academies. It is also our policy to comply with all applicable state and federal laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.