Middle School Principal

Middle School Principal

Job Summary

The Middle School Principal at Brave Christian Schools plays a key role in advancing the school's mission to provide a Christ-centered education. This position is responsible for the middle school's spiritual, academic, and operational leadership, fostering an environment where students grow in their faith and academic excellence. The principal will work closely with faculty, staff, students, parents, and the broader community to ensure a thriving learning atmosphere.

Characteristics of Professional Excellence
Active Faith: Demonstrates a strong commitment to following Biblical principles on and off campus.
Intentional Pedagogy: Practices thoughtful and intentional communication with colleagues, parents, and learners.
Proper Community Focus: Positively contributes to building and maintaining strong relationships with all stakeholders.
Well-Equipped for Service: Committed to ongoing personal and professional development.

Leadership and Administration
Provide visionary leadership that reflects the mission and values of the school.
Research best education practices for middle school students.
Make phone calls to schools nationwide regarding project-based and expeditionary learning.
Hold meetings with faculty and students about schedules and new interests.
Create Google Forms to gather feedback on new schedules from teachers, students, and parents/guardians.
Oversee daily operations of the middle school, ensuring a safe and positive learning environment.
Greet parents and students during carline duty.
Monitor halls during passing periods and class time.
Conduct daily classroom visits, rotating through grades.
Re-write the Student-Parent Handbook for clarity on expectations.
Collaborate with faculty to develop and implement an engaging curriculum that integrates Christian principles.
Hold meetings about new curriculum implementation.
Provide professional development on integrating the Bible with the curriculum.
Collaborate with the Athletic Director on middle school athletics, including hiring coaches and managing release times.
Serve as Administrator on Duty at various athletic games.

Academic/Curriculum Oversight
Monitor and evaluate student academic performance, implementing interventions as needed.
Stay in contact with teachers about struggling students.
Brainstorm new class ideas with administrators for students needing extra support.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement through data analysis and assessment strategies.
Attend professional development sessions on NWEA MAP testing.
Use last year's data to identify student and curriculum strengths and weaknesses.
Use NWEA MAP testing data to drive curriculum adjustments.
Meet with students to explain NWEA Math and English scores and how to improve.
Provide professional development for teachers and administration, promoting best practices in instruction and assessment.
Offer yearly professional development and weekly newsletters with best practice articles.
Research articles for inclusion in weekly newsletters.
Encourage and monitor professional development activities by visiting teacher classrooms.

Spiritual Development
Integrate faith-based teachings into the curriculum and school activities.
Find creative ways to naturally bring God into classrooms and student life.
Collaborate with teachers on incorporating faith into lessons.
Lead chapel services and spiritual initiatives to support students' faith journeys.
Lead bi-weekly chapel services.
Research and create engaging spiritual experiences, including speaking, videos, and skits.
Build and coordinate a student worship team.
Develop service-learning opportunities for students to engage in acts of service.
Organize unique worship experiences.

Community Engagement
Build strong relationships with parents, students, and the community to foster a supportive school culture.
Make phone calls to identify service-learning opportunities in the community.
Create "Middle Grounds" parent talks, both online and in person, on social media, parenting tweens and anxiety.
Publish the "Middle Moments" newsletter to communicate updates to parents.
Organize parent and student night events, encouraging collaboration and competition.
Organize school events, retreats, and chapel services that enhance community and faith engagement.
Plan a middle school retreat for bonding at the start of the school year.
Host events for both families and students to build camaraderie.
Communicate effectively with stakeholders via the website, newsletters, and social media.

Student Support
Oversee student discipline, ensuring a fair and consistent approach aligned with the school's values.
Meet with the middle school about behavior expectations.
Conduct individual or group meetings as needed.
Use the Love and Logic philosophy for discipline.
Support students' social-emotional development.
Create leadership classes (LEAD) using programs like The Social Institute and Habitudes.
Meet with struggling students, working with staff to provide support.
Train teachers on how to respond to social-emotional challenges.
Promote a culture of respect, kindness, risk-taking, and grit among students and staff.
Invite speakers to talk about respect and behavior.
Address bullying and behavior expectations regularly.
Model risk-taking and resilience by demonstrating vulnerability and persistence in school activities.
Attend student athletic and performing arts events.

Staff Management
Recruit, hire, and supervise middle school faculty and staff, promoting a collaborative and professional work environment.
Work with HR to create job descriptions for recruiting.
Develop a hiring team for new teachers.
Create opportunities for staff bonding and collaboration.
Conduct regular staff performance evaluations and provide feedback for growth.
Visit classrooms weekly for short observations.
Perform formal observations twice a year (once per semester).
Organize training opportunities for staff to improve teaching practices.
Encourage staff to explore project-based and expeditionary learning.
Collaborate with the Curriculum Director to enhance the educational curriculum.

Personal Professional Development
Attend yearly professional development workshops and engage in continuous learning.
Stay current on best practices, integrating them into the school's strategic plan.
Explore and implement educational innovations, including project-based learning, standards-based assessments, and integrated arts programs.

Qualifications
Master's degree in education or a related field, with prior teaching and administrative experience. State credentials are preferred.
Demonstrated ability to work independently within a complex academic environment.
Strong organizational, interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
Ability to work with students across a wide range of maturity levels.
Understanding of measuring learning outcomes and a commitment to differentiated instruction.
Upholds professionalism and confidentiality in all aspects of the role.

The Middle School Principal is a critical leader within the Brave Christian Schools community, ensuring a Christ-centered, academically excellent learning environment. This role requires a passionate and dedicated educator capable of fostering spiritual and academic growth for students and staff alike.