Founding Principal

The mission of the parent-founded Desert Trails Academy, a K-6 public charter school, is to empower and support effective educators as they present an engaging, data-driven, college preparatory curriculum to achieve our high expectations for the success of all children. We will strive to ensure that as students master content they will also learn how to learn, developing self-confidence, critical thinking skills and a true passion for lifelong learning. In our nurturing and collaborative school community, students, parents, teachers and staff will develop an important sense of “belonging,” where relationship-building, open communication, cultural diversity, different perspectives and respect are crucial elements for the success of all students.

(Please see www.deserttrailsacademy.org for additional information about our mission, vision and core values).

Desert Trails Community History: Desert Trails Elementary School in Adelanto, California (San Bernardino County) enrolls almost 700 diverse students (100% free and reduced-price meals, 62% Hispanic/Latino, 26% African American, 26% English Learner and 14% Special Education). Today, Desert Trails is among the lowest-achieving schools in the State and in the bottom 10% of elementary schools in the State; only 34% of students tested proficient in English Language Arts, 45% were proficient in math, and only 22% were proficient in science in 2011 state testing. The school has had three different Principals in three years, and has failed for years to achieve sustained academic growth, losing points on the API scores as often as the school as gained them over the past 10 years.

After several failed attempts to achieve necessary changes at the school, on January 12, 2012, parents presented a formal Parent Trigger petition to the Adelanto Elementary School District signed by 70% of the school’s parents, seeking to convert the school into a community-founded charter school. (For more information please visit www.deserttrailsacademy.org). The Desert Trails parents are working in close collaboration with Parent Revolution, a non-profit that helps parents organize to transform failing schools and dramatically improve academic outcomes for their children (parentrevolution.org).

Although it is uncertain at this point whether the new school will remain part of the Adelanto district or be a stand alone charter school, either way it is certain that the new school will be designed from scratch and will benefit from a number of programmatic and organizational autonomies to enable it to reach high levels of success in the future.

Position Overview: We are searching for an accomplished educator to lead the high profile turnaround (and re-launch) of Desert Trails Elementary School into a high-performing, parent-founded school. We seek someone who is deeply committed to academic achievement and college readiness of all students, driven to do whatever it takes to reach this goal, and has the skills and experiences necessary to transform a failing school into a high-profile model of success for other similar schools and communities to follow. The new Founding Principal will be responsible for: hiring, managing and retaining a highly effective school site team of teachers and other staff; managing the daily operations of a K-5 elementary school campus; serving as the face of the school to students, parents, district representatives and other external stakeholders; ensuring that every student has the opportunity to reach high levels of academic achievement, including the skills they need to access the college and career of their choice. This is an exciting opportunity for a driven, experienced educator committed to student success and seeking a high-profile challenge and opportunity to transform a school culture and community.

Founding Principal: The successful Founding Principal candidate will have:

• Proven experience and exceptional skills in educational and organizational leadership with a record of creating a positive school culture of respect and collaboration;
• Experience recruiting, hiring, training and supervising successful teachers and effective staff, ideally in a charter, independent or public school with demonstrated high achievement;
• Experience with school operations, including budgets, finances, fundraising, facilities, health and safety and other operational management;
• Exceptional communications skills encompassing the ability to interact effectively with the media, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with, motivate, engage, and lead different stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, Board);
• Spanish language fluency preferred;
• A track-record of success in implementing a data-driven culture with high expectations, ideally leveraging technology/blended learning components, utilization of differentiated instructional strategies and targeted interventions focused on individual student achievement;
• Expertise in curriculum design, supervision and evaluation (student and faculty) that includes experience in backwards design, constructivist and project-based approaches to teaching, and commitment to incorporating learning goals beyond the state standards;
• Experience working with diverse populations in a high-need, underserved community;
• A valid California Teaching Credential and Administrative Credential (or equivalent) required, Masters degree in Education preferred;
• At least three years of teaching experience and five years experience working closely with schools, preferably in the elementary grades;
• Passion and commitment to ensuring that all students reach high levels of academic achievement and are prepared for the college and career of their choice.

The Founding Principal will report directly to the Board of Directors. We envision that the Principal will be supported by two additional school leaders:

• Director of Operations: responsible for the business/operational functions of the school including accounting and payroll (with back-office services provider), HR, service contracts, reporting, compliance, facilities and more;
• Director of Curriculum and Assessment: teacher mentoring/coaching and professional development; curriculum design; formative and summative assessment planning, data collection and analysis and more.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should submit: a resume and a cover letter detailing why you believe you are capable of successfully meeting the challenge of turning around this school. Applications should be submitted to foundingprincipal@deserttrailsacademy.org. Review of applications will begin immediately. Position is open until filled. For information regarding this position, please contact Christina Legg Greenberg, Redwood Circle Consulting at info@redwoodcircle.org or (510) 250-7994.

Job Type: Education/Teaching
Organization Type: Educational Institutions