Founding Principal (K-8)

The Organization

Prospect Schools is a high-performing, intentionally diverse (“diverse by design”) K-12 college preparatory charter network serving nearly 3,000 across seven schools in Brooklyn. Prospect Schools models its curriculum on the renowned International Baccalaureate Program, a rigorous program that raises the level of academic responsibility for students while preparing them to be global citizens. Our experienced team is dedicated to our mission to prepare a diverse student body to have a positive impact on society and develop a lifelong passion for learning, and guided by our Core Values:

• Curiosity: Develop sound judgment and intellect by asking questions confidently and thinking critically

• Care: Support others by grounding every action in empathy while championing equity and inclusion

• Persistence: Grow and learn by solving problems with determination, creativity, and tenacity

• Passion: Succeed by approaching challenges with excitement, enthusiasm, and self-assurance

We have a vision to become the leading network of intentionally diverse schools where all students and educators can learn, work, and thrive. Find out more about who we are and what we believe by spending a few minutes reading our Prospector Principles , viewing this peek inside our schools , or reading some stories about our students and educators and graduate outcomes .

The Role

Prospect Schools is seeking a mission-driven Founding Principal who will found and lead our K-8 campus opening in the Fall 2026. The ideal candidate is fully dedicated to the mission of Prospect Schools and to supporting the success of our students and families. This person will report directly to senior network leadership and will serve as the campus representative and decision maker across key functions including academics, culture, talent, and operations. This leader will be responsible for school design decisions in partnership with network leadership, establishing founding systems and structures to operationalize the program, actively recruit and engage students and staff to be part of founding cohorts, coaching and developing a team of high-achieving leaders and educators toward a vision of excellence for instruction and student culture. Principals within our intentionally diverse community are expected to drive equitable academic results, foster practices that promote social-emotional well-being, and lead a family engagement strategy that uses inclusive practices to empower all of our families to support and advocate for the needs of their children.

In addition to the responsibilities outlined above, the Founding Principal will play a critical role in planning, designing, and launching the new school. Specific responsibilities in the planning year (Year 0) and beyond include:

Job Responsibilities

Founding School Program, Systems and Readiness Planning (Year 0)

• Define the school culture vision, practices, rituals, and routines that foster belonging and joy for entire school community

• Identify key instructional systems, curriculum and practices to replicate an adopt (aligned to IB and state standards and within Prospect’s program design elements) 

• Set schoolwide priorities and goals for academics, culture, talent, and operations

• Host student and family recruitment/ orientation events and community-building activities

• Develop family and community engagement strategies and structures for authentic input for school founding

• In collaboration is Director of School Operations, codify daily schedules, routines, and operational systems for clarity and consistency 

• Recruit, select, and hire a diverse, mission-aligned founding staff 

• Plan and execute staff onboarding and induction for mission and culture alignment

• Plan and execute leadership team onboarding and development

• Design and lead summer professional development for founding staff

• Oversee first-day-of-school readiness including facilities, staffing, and systems

Instructional Leadership

• Serves as the instructional leader of the school

• Lead a systemic practice of data analysis, reflection, and planning to respond across leadership and instructional teams

• Hire, onboard, coach and manage leaders to ensure that the school meets ambitious and equity-based academic goals 

• Manage, train, and evaluate the school’s teachers, teaching residents, and the administrative team - both directly or indirectly through coaching of instructional leadership team members

• Create and execute coaching plans and evaluations across the school to ensure the highest-quality instruction takes place

• Ensure unit and lesson plans are revised on a regular basis to be aligned with the school's mission of providing a high-quality education to all students in an intentionally diverse learning environment

• Develops educators’ abilities to foster a classroom culture that is culturally affirming of all students regardless of background

• Oversee the execution of all the student supports to ensure that all students with social-emotional needs, exceptionalities, and inclusive learning needs have the access and support necessary for achievement

• Collaborate with instructional leaders and educators to routinely assess and improve their instruction 

• Design and implement an effective and ongoing professional development program to grow staff/educator capacity

Staff Culture

• Intentionally cultivate and model a positive learning culture of high expectations for all stakeholders, including establish school-wide community practices, cultivate a mindset of professional learning and reflection, establish a student-centered data-driven culture 

• Craft and implement school-wide norms to foster an inclusive, safe, and collaborative environment for a diverse faculty

• Recruit, develop, and retain a diverse teaching staff that is representative of the communities we serve 

• Demonstrate care by developing and sustaining a system of consistent, transparent feedback and accountability measures across both vertical and horizontal teams

• Craft and deliver professional development that builds collective skill across the school team toward achieving outcomes for students and our network-wide goals

• Manage strong teams, including leaders, that collaborate and communicate effectively toward common goals 

• Utilize feedback from staff members to improve school programming, culture and approach, etc.

School Culture Leadership

• Create a vision for, and sustain a warm, welcoming, culturally affirming, and inclusive environment for students, families, and staff 

• Serve as a public model for warm, consistent expectations in classrooms, and community spaces

• Manage leadership team to ensure that the school implements values-based, highly effective methods for building positive and socio-emotionally responsible practices

• Establish a strong and productive working relationship with the Director of School Operations to achieve a well functioning school with an operationalized vision.

• Manage leadership to ensure the development and consistent implementation of school and grade-wide community norms and relationship-building

• Support school leaders in using data to build stronger practices in student attendance, behavior management, and more

• Analyze school-wide culture data and make adjustments to ensure fidelity to Prospect Schools’ vision

• Observe and give feedback on schoolwide systems and classroom culture to ensure the safety and inclusion of all learners

• Utilizes meaningful feedback from students, families, and community members to strengthen school community practices and instructional methods

Systems Leadership and Accountability

• Collaborate with Prospect Schools network team and senior leaders to design and monitor a year-long strategic plan informed by school-specific data, ensuring measurable progress toward key goals.

• As a school leader within the network of Prospect Schools, responsible for productive, collaborative partnerships with network leadership and team in support of the school community and all stakeholders. This includes productive relationship building, communication, being responsive, and upholding the expectations, values, and beliefs of a leader at Prospect Schools. 

• Work collaboratively with leaders and network cross-functional teams to improve systems and guide decision-making processes to support outcomes

• Engage in learning opportunities designed to promote strong equitable and inclusive practices aligned with Prospect Schools’ model and vision; create/sustain structures to turnkey learning opportunities for staff, students, and families

• Responsible for oversight of all school operations through partnership with the Director of School Operations; ensure the school has strong and efficient systems that ensure efficient distribution of resources, such as budget oversight, staff attendance, assessment administration, and more

• Ensure that staff members are clear on their respective roles and responsibilities and that structures are in place to hold staff members accountable for meeting them 

• Provide regular academic achievement updates to the school leadership team and to the network

Candidate Requirements

• Alignment with Prospect Schools’ mission and vision

• A minimum of 4 years of teaching or related field experience, preferably in a diverse classroom environment

• At least 3 years of instructional leadership experience strongly preferred (e.g., Department Head, Assistant Principal, or other leadership role)

• Experience leading a team and building a positive adult culture strongly preferred

• Visionary and entrepreneurial leadership with the ability to set a bold direction and inspire others to follow

• Demonstrated ability to take initiative, coupled with strong project management skills to organize complex priorities, manage timelines, and drive execution

• Creative problem-solving orientation with the ability to design and implement effective systems from the ground up

• Strong capacity to thrive in ambiguity, adapt quickly, and make sound decisions in dynamic environments

• Skilled at building collaborative teams, cultivating inclusive adult culture, and driving toward results

• Excellent communication skills across diverse audiences including staff, students, families, and community partners

• Master’s Degree required

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid Time Off (PTO) or Paid Sick Time (PST) based on date of hire and hours worked per week

• 11-month agreement including ample time off including breaks and holidays during the school year 

• 401(K) and Roth IRA with a 4% employer match with a 3-year vesting schedule

• Flexible spending accounts, including Transit Commuter Options, Health Care FSA, and Dependent Care FSA options

• Ancillary insurance, including Basic Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance, and Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Insurance

• Employee Assistance Program with free expert support services to assist with a variety of life issues, from family care to mental health services

Salary

Employees at Prospect Schools are provided with a competitive salary. Our salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on an individual’s skills, education, and years of experience relevant to the role, as well as the student population size of the location this role is based in. The starting salary range for this role is from $136,000-$169,711.

**The critical features of this role are described above but are not all-encompassing.**