[2026-2027] Principal - Founding Middle School

KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools • Philadelphia, PA

1d • $136,000 - $165,750

About The Position

The school will launch with 5th grade and add one grade level each year through 8th grade. At KPPS, the Founding Middle School Principal’s primary role is to lead a strong, coherent school system that delivers a joyful, affirming, and academically rigorous experience for students and staff. The Founding Middle School Principal is responsible for designing and institutionalizing the instructional, cultural, and operational systems of a new school, with a primary focus on instructional leadership, adult development, and culture-building—ensuring high-quality teaching, strong relationships, and clear expectations are consistently experienced across the school community. The Founding Middle School Principal does not do this work alone. They lead in close partnership with the KPPS Regional Office, collaborating with regional instructional leaders, operations, student support teams, and talent partners to implement aligned systems, analyze data, and strengthen school-wide practices. The Founding Middle School Principal also works as part of a community of practice with fellow KPPS principals, engaging in shared learning, problem-solving, and collective accountability to reduce variability and accelerate student outcomes across the region. In addition, the Founding Middle School Principal partners with the KIPP Foundation to align regional priorities with national initiatives, leverage network-wide resources, and contribute to the continuous improvement of KIPP’s instructional, leadership, and student experience frameworks. Through these partnerships, the Founding Middle School Principal is expected to both lead their individual school effectively and contribute to the strength and coherence of the broader KPPS and KIPP network, ensuring that students and families experience excellence regardless of school or grade.

Requirements

• An experienced transformational leader
• Experience leading transformational change and driving school improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated evidence in successfully leading turnaround efforts in a school setting, resulting in significant academic gains.
• Proven track record of setting and achieving rigorous academic standards aligned with school and district goals.
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment in decision-making in light of complex and high stakes situations
• A proven people centered coach and leader
• Ability to recruit, hire, lead, and develop a team of exceptional educators to become future leaders as teacher leaders and school leaders.
• The ability to envision, set and drive a positive, collaborative, results-oriented staff culture
• Proof of concretely improving performance of teachers and leaders in a school
• Operate with a management approach that centers staff members’ humanity, operating with both high expectations and a high degree of care
• Urgent and relentless in setting and holding a high bar for academics and culture
• You have the ability to set direction and aligned expectations across an entire school and motivate others to action
• You have demonstrated resilience and focus on student outcomes
• Ability to articulate a vision for and operationalize the development of a safe, healthy, and joyful student culture.
• Constantly models expectations for leaders, teachers, and students on school-wide practices for a positive learning culture, including modeling our KPPS core values (Children First, Community, Cultural Competence, Ownership)
• A leader who centers students and families
• You love and see the high potential of all children, possessing the belief that all students can and will succeed.
• You operate with cultural competence and a commitment to inclusion, anti-racism, and the eradication of anti-Blackness
• You believe in parents and families as authentic partners in students’ school experience; ability to forge strong relationships with families
• An excellent instructional leader
• You are adept at data analysis; ability to extract meaningful insights across school-wide data
• You possess expertise in what the school-wide academic standards and state assessments require of students’ knowledge and skills to demonstrate mastery; able to translate student mastery requirements into instructional plans and strategies
• You have a deep understanding of appropriate application and differentiation of high-leverage instructional strategies based on comprehension of child development and pedagogy.
• You have experience in implementing best practices for students with IEPS, 504 plans and those who qualify for MTSS intervention.
• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 3+ years of experience leading (Principal experience required) a strong school that serves an under-resourced population.
• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills, with the ability to connect quickly and authentically with diverse stakeholders
• Strong data analysis skills and the ability to use insights to drive decisions and improve systems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills – clear, professional, and compelling
• Highly organized; able to manage multiple workstreams, meet deadlines, and maintain accurate information
• Demonstrated ability to navigate change, solve problems, and work effectively in an ambiguous, fast-paced environment
• Commitment to equity, belief in the potential of all students, and alignment with KPPS’s mission and values.
• Openness to feedback, continuous learning, and personal/professional growth

Responsibilities

• School Vision
• Staff Culture
• Staff Development & Coaching
• Student Experience & Family Engagement
• Leadership

Benefits

• All full-time team members at KPPS enjoy a comprehensive health benefits package (including vision and dental, a telehealth option, and flexible spending accounts) for themselves and their families as well as a 403B matching program for retirement savings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal