Assistant Principal-Great Falls Middle School

The Assistant Principal provides leadership to the school community and assists the principal of secondary education in all aspects of the educational program of Great Falls Middle School and Turners Falls High School. The assistant principal shall have primary responsibility for student behavior and attendance. S/he will assist in the supervision and evaluation of all 6-12 staff, including teachers, instructional or administrative paraprofessionals, and other personnel assigned to the school. S/he implements policies and directives promoting the success of all students, accountability in all practices, and fiscal responsibility at the site and district levels. In the absence of the principal, he/she will assume all duties and responsibilities of the principal. Major Responsibilities: Educational Leadership • Serves as a liaison with local agencies, service providers and the courts to assure open communication to meet the needs of all students • Acts in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession • Uses data from MCAS and AYP ranking to identify goals for improving student achievement in assisting teachers to identify and research new instructional strategies • Communicates the school and district vision, goals, needs, and accomplishments to students, school personnel, families, and the community • Supports the maintenance of a healthy school climate focusing on the learning of students and the development of a cohesive and respectful adult professional staff • Promotes ongoing communication with parents, effectively involving them in the education of children • Works in partnership with the principal in advocating for productive change within the school and the district • Promotes ongoing communication with all constituents at the elementary feeder schools and promotes effective transition from elementary to middle level education School Management • Anticipates potential difficult, negative, and/or volatile situations and takes productive steps to prevent them from happening and informs principal of such situations. • Manages and coordinates the work of the middle and high school behavior interventionists. • Attends, and my chair, middle and/or high school student support team meetings. • Works closely with teachers who are having difficulty with classroom management, providing support, coaching and resources where appropriate in conjunction with the mentor teacher program where applicable • Prepares the annual state report on attendance, and all other required reports related to student attendance and behavior • Oversees annual student handbook revisions and researches new laws to be included • Oversees the management of the school facilities and services, as assigned by the principal, including before and after school duties and attendance at evening events. • Assigns substitute teachers • Maintains respectful, honest, open, and effective communication with all staff • Assists the principal in preparation for awards and other assemblies and graduation • Assists the guidance department and principal in organizing the school schedule for effective class sizes, and providing optimum course selection choices for all students • Coordinates summer school programming for secondary students Professional Development • Models ongoing professional development through personal scholarship, reflective practices, and serving as a teacher of teachers • Applies knowledge of adult learning to effective staff development programs and in-service education • Provides orientation for new substitutes • Effectively evaluates all employees in accordance with the district's evaluation system and timelines, using the evaluation as a tool for individuals' professional development and accountability. • Develops a personal plan for professional development based upon self-reflection and external evaluation Equity • Serves as an advocate for equal access to education and equal opportunities in education for all children • Promotes respect for all members of the school community; accepts and respects individual and group differences without regard to gender, language, race, sexual orientation, religion, and socioeconomic background • Fosters a school climate that addresses the individual needs of students in a diverse society and instructs staff in principles and practices of tolerance for differences • Recognizes and addresses bias in teaching materials, assessment instruments, school practices, and school organization. • In charge of development and oversight of Section 504 Accommodation Plans • Works with the director of pupil services and other staff to ensure that appropriate instruction and services are provided for students with special needs. The assistant principal performs additional responsibilities as directed by the principal of secondary education.