Elementary Principal
Los Angeles, CA
School Leadership /
Full-time /
On-site
About Equitas Academy Charter Schools
The mission of Equitas Academy Charter Schools is to provide a structured, achievement-based community that prepares students to graduate from four-year colleges and universities. We currently serve over 2,000 students and operate four elementary schools and two middle schools in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Role Summary:
To help us achieve our mission, we are seeking to identify a school leader for Equitas Academy #5 (EQ5) and Equitas Academy #6 (EQ6) with total anticipated student enrollment of 380. We’re looking for a committed and accomplished school leader to work with our dedicated and capable staff to continue our work of preparing our scholars to graduate from college. The ideal candidate should be committed to developing as an antiracist educator and leader, prioritize family, student and staff voice, model our core values, and build strong relationships while also achieving results. The EQ5 and EQ6 principal position is shared across two co-located schools with a total student enrollment of about 380. Therefore, this principal will perform the following essential functions at both of those schools and will be responsible for managing two charters.
Essential Responsibilities:
Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Systems Implementation (25%)
- Inspires adults and scholars in the school community to work towards the school’s vision while embodying Equitas core beliefs and values
- Builds the capacity of staff to support academic achievement through effective implementation of adopted curricula and appropriate interventions
- Leads the implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS), ensuring that all scholars experience inclusive academic instruction, behavioral support, social-emotional instruction, and mental health support
- Implements systems to ensure equitable access for all subgroups, while prioritizing scholars encountering unique challenges, including scholars with disabilities and emergent bilingual scholars
- Builds an effective leadership team with a relentless focus on student learning; creates conditions for all leadership team members to collaboratively lead the school; builds individual and collective capacity to oversee complex projects that achieve planned outcomes
- Facilitates change management processes, including empowering stakeholders to provide meaningful input, generating broad buy-in and motivation, and building sustainable systems
- Provides leadership and oversight of a wide range of school programs, including those that involve external partnerships, such as the school’s extended learning programs (including summer programming)
- Serves as a key leader in strategic planning and external compliance processes, including LAUSD oversight, Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), and the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA)
Coaching, Professional Development, and Performance Management (25%)
- Ensures that faculty and staff are frequently observed (both formally and informally) in the performance of their duties and provided with feedback aligned to agreed-upon goals, job expectations, and rubrics
- Develops and implements a system of high quality professional learning opportunities and skillful coaching; tailors support to individualized needs, informed by data and observations
- Evaluates and/or oversees the evaluation of faculty and staff; conducts other performance management functions, as appropriate
- Hires and retains effective faculty and staff; provides professional growth and/or leadership opportunities aligned with interest, aptitude, and school need
School Culture and Stakeholder Engagement (15%)
- Builds the school’s collective capacity to embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, and incorporates those practices and mindsets into all aspects of the school culture, instruction, and operations
- Embraces a restorative approach to relationships, including scholars, families, community members, and faculty/staff; leads the implementation of restorative practices to build community and repair harm; uses restorative justice as a key component of the school’s positive behavior support plan; takes other disciplinary action as appropriate, in accordance with local policies and California Education Code
- Collaboratively creates and maintains a safe and supportive school environment for all stakeholders
- Builds the capacity of staff to create a school-wide culture in which all families and community members are welcomed into authentic partnership, in ways that are aligned to the Equitas Academy Mission, Vision, and Values
- Empowers stakeholders through advisory and decision-making bodies, including School Site Council (SSC) and English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
- Develops authentic, collaborative, empowering relationships with scholars, families, school staff, and network staff
Assessment and Data Analysis (15%)
- Oversees the implementation of a broad range of formative and summative assessments aligned to school and network goals; develops a culture of shared ownership and accountability for outcomes
- Supports faculty and staff in effectively and consistently using multiple sources of qualitative and quantitative data to track progress toward goals and to plan appropriate instruction and targeted interventions
- Builds the capacity of staff to meaningfully communicate with scholars, families, and other stakeholders about school-wide, classroom-level, and individual scholar goals and progress toward those goals
- Partners with network and site-based teammates and the school community to create an annual dashboard aligned to the Equitas Common Measures; sets goals that are meaningful, ambitious, and achievable; builds the capacity of all stakeholders to share ownership of those goals
Professional Growth and Network Collaboration (15%)
- Engages in ongoing professional learning and growth through coaching, mentoring, reading/researching, and various forms of professional development
- Models and builds the capacity of staff to proactively solicit feedback from various stakeholders, to monitor data and reflect on one’s own impact, and to make appropriate adjustments in alignment with goals
- Collaborates productively with leaders across the Equitas network, proactively building trusting, supportive professional relationships
Other Duties (5%)
- The principal is expected to adapt in response to new information and shifting priorities, while managing their work schedule accordingly. This requires flexibility and a willingness to embrace unexpected challenges.
- The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed.They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skillsrequired of personnel.
Reporting Relationships
- The Principal will report to the Managing Director of Schools while working closely with other Network Office staff members
- All of the schools' instructional staff will report either directly or indirectly (via other leadership team members, such as the Assistant School Director or Dean) to the Principal
- The principal will work in partnership with the School Operations Manager (SOM), who will supervise operations staff
Minimum Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree
- A California teaching credential
- At least 3 years of teaching experience (5+ preferred), with a demonstrated record of exceptional academic outcomes for scholars
Preferred Qualifications
- A California administrative credential or other training/experience likely to produce a similar level of preparedness for this position (e.g., prior experience in a similar role) preferred, but not required
- Master’s degree or doctorate in education or other related field preferred, but not required
- Experience working in historically marginalized communities preferred but not required
- Fluency in Spanish preferred but not required
Skills, Traits, and Dispositions:
- A strong alignment with Equitas Academy’s vision, mission, and values
- A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (DEIA) and a desire to empower those who experience marginalization
- A tendency to “lean in” to complexity while demonstrating adaptability and a growth mindset
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build and cultivate trusting, supportive relationships with scholars and adults
- Instructional expertise, including knowledge of Common Core-aligned instruction, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), and student-centered classrooms
- Capacity to understand and empathize with the experiences of people in the Pico Union community
- Expertise in change leadership and project management
- Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
- Ability to manage a busy schedule with shifting priorities while being present for others and maintaining personal wellbeing; ability to calibrate emotional responses, adjusting tone and actions as needed
- Ability to hold oneself and others accountable to high standards while also prioritizing wellness, sustainability and positive relationships; ability to use appropriate strategies to recover physically and renew mentally and emotionally
- Knowledge of relevant policies, regulations, and laws, including California Education Code
Commitment to Diversity
Equitas Academy is actively seeking to build a diverse and experienced team of educators. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Compensation and Salary
We have a transparent and competitive Principal Salary Scale.
