Middle School Director/Principal (SY 25-26)

Great Oaks Legacy Charter School • Newark, NJ

32d • $115,000

About The Position

School Directors at Great Oaks Legacy Charter School serve as the instructional and cultural leaders of their campuses. They set the vision for teaching and learning, develop and manage high-performing teams, and ensure every student receives an excellent, equitable education. School Directors embody and model our core values of Respect, Optimism, Excellence, and Understanding in all interactions with students, staff, and families. School Directors spend the majority of their time on instructional leadership, building teacher capacity, driving academic outcomes, and ensuring that high-quality instruction is the norm in every classroom. They steward the student experience, cultivate a joyful and inclusive culture, partner with families as true collaborators, and lead the systems that enable their schools to thrive. School Directors are accountable for the overall performance, growth, and well-being of their school communities.

Requirements

• College degree: has a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
• Certification: has a Principal, Supervisor, or School Administrator certification, or meets the requirements for certification.
• Leadership Experience: has at least five years of successful experience teaching and leading in an urban school environment; Grade level leader, department chair, or instructional leadership experience preferred.
• Strong data analysis skills: can look at a multiple departments' data set, diagnose challenges, and immediately recommend clear next steps for their teams.
• Visionary and dreamer: can develop and drive an inspirational and audacious vision for their team that will yield results for students.
• Detail-oriented and logistical: prioritizes the micro details as much as the vision and can take an idea from theory to practice.
• Excellent communication skills: can speak and write clearly, specifically, and cohesively about the discipline and all the nitty gritty details stakeholders will need to know in order to achieve results for students.
• Just do it: does not always need to be told what to do; has insight to determine what needs to be done based on assessing gaps and asking the appropriate questions; can manage multiple projects at once

Nice To Haves

• An advanced degree (Masters or Doctorate) in Curriculum and Instruction or Educational leadership
• A state issued license as a teacher, supervisor, or principal

Responsibilities

• Serves as the primary instructional leader of the school, ensuring rigorous, standards-aligned instruction across all grade levels and subject areas.
• Demonstrates deep expertise in high-quality instruction and leverages this knowledge to set and maintain an uncompromising bar for teaching and learning school-wide.
• Leads a coherent, data-driven instructional vision, ensuring that all teachers receive weekly coaching, actionable feedback, and measurable goals aligned to student outcomes.
• Facilitates instructional walkthroughs, formal observations, and real-time coaching to build teacher capacity and accelerate student achievement.
• Partners closely with Network Leadership to analyze achievement trends, inform strategic academic priorities, and ensure teachers are consistently prepared through high-quality unit and lesson preparation.
• Utilizes school-wide data systems to monitor progress, identify gaps, and drive instructional decisions; ensures staff are fluent in analyzing data and responding to it.
• Designs and leads high-quality professional development that results in improved teacher practice and measurable student growth.
• Ensures a strong testing environment, compliance, and implementation for all state and network assessments in partnership with Operations and Academic teams.
• Establishes and maintains a joyful, structured, safe, and inclusive school culture where all students feel known, valued, and supported.
• Sets a school-wide vision for high expectations and ensures consistent implementation across classrooms, transitions, and common spaces.
• Builds systems and routines that foster strong student-staff relationships, especially for our most vulnerable students.
• Ensures proactive and inclusive practices that amplify student voice, belonging, and engagement.
• Holds all staff accountable to upholding cultural expectations, values, and professional conduct in interactions with students.
• Partners with families and student support teams to address behavioral concerns, ensuring interventions are restorative, aligned, and lead to improved outcomes.
• Cultivates a positive, mission-driven adult culture where staff feel valued, supported, and deeply connected to the work.
• Models the highest standards of professionalism, equity, and integrity; sets clear expectations and consistently reinforces them.
• Leads effective staff meetings, department meetings, and grade team meetings that drive clarity, alignment, and instructional excellence.
• Recognizes and celebrates staff achievements; builds a culture where feedback is normalized and growth is expected.
• Builds a strong, welcoming culture of partnership with families and community stakeholders that reflects the school's values and academic goals.
• Ensures consistent and proactive communication with families, especially regarding student progress, celebrations, and concerns.
• Creates systems where teachers regularly connect with families to support student growth and long-term success.
• Represents the school at community events, family meetings, and public forums to strengthen trust and partnership.
• Works closely with the Operations Manager to ensure smooth, compliant daily operations and alignment between instruction, culture, and logistics.
• Owns school-level strategic planning, ensuring alignment with network goals, compliance requirements, and student achievement targets.
• Manages school-wide schedules, staffing models, emergency plans, and operational systems to ensure a safe and effective learning environment.
• Serves as a key contributor to network-wide initiatives, pilots, and strategic planning efforts.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans w/ comprehensive network coverage.
• Tax exempt student loan and tuition reimbursement per year.
• Reimbursement for external professional development aligned to your role.
• Wellness reimbursement benefits including gym memberships, spa services, and more.
• Online counseling services - for staff and their dependents - via top-rated therapy app.
• Pre-tax state pension plan benefit w/ addl. options available via voluntary retirement plans.
• Pre-tax dependent care, health, and transit flexible spending plans available.
• Convenient health screening and telemedicine support via VitalCheck Wellness platform.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Industry: Educational Services
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees