Principal

EPIC Academy seeks a dynamic Principal to coach and develop a team of 9^th – 12th-grade teachers, assist with school operations and provide leadership to teams and programs that support our student’s academic and emotional development. The ideal candidate has a passion and talent for coaching teachers and is a systems-level thinker with remarkable organizational and project management skills. This person has an unwavering belief in our students’ potential and is committed to helping them succeed in high school and in their post-secondary pursuits.

About EPIC Academy

Now in its 11th year of operation, EPIC Academy is a neighborhood charter high school in the South Chicago community that sets extraordinary standards for our students’ post-secondary success. With 500 students, we embrace the challenge of public education to develop every student’s resolve to reach his or her full potential, regardless of the odds. We provide an entrepreneurial team atmosphere that attracts mission-driven individuals who will do whatever it takes to ensure our students’ success.

EPIC’s student demographics are as follows: 96% Free/reduced lunch, 21% Students with IEPs, and 13% English Language Learners, with the average 9th grader entering on the 6th-grade academic level. We believe that every student can learn, grow, achieve and lead. Our results speak for themselves: Top 25% CPS high school in SAT growth and Top 25% CPS high school in college enrollment. If this inspires you to grow our impact, let’s start a conversation!

Teacher coaching and support

• Coach and support teachers to meet their goals for students and provide feedback on instructional design and implementation through frequent observations, coaching meetings, and oversight/feedback on instructional plans
• Provide guidance to teachers on the analysis of formative and summative assessment data to support instructional decisions that drive strong student achievement
• Work with Content Leads to create and provide weekly professional development for instructional staff
• Create, maintain, and analyze data reports that help the entire leadership team provide high-impact support to teachers and students

Program and team leadership

• Supervise and support senior staff including the Dean of Graduation and the Director of Social Work Services
• Lead the Attendance Team in designing and implementing initiatives to increase attendance and re-engage students at risk of dropping out
• Support Grade Level Leaders in utilizing systems and carrying out initiatives to maximize the school’s On-Track rate
• Support various operational functions including, but not limited to, compliance reporting, and managing accounts in Student Information Systems
  • note: the school has a dedicated Director of Operations so this role is not responsible for day-to-day facility oversight
• As needed, lead and oversee other programs to support student success

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• Master’s degree in Education or higher

• Valid Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Professional Educator License
• (PEL) teaching endorsement
• ISBE General Administrator (K-12)/Principal Endorsement
• Extensive experience supporting and coaching teachers
• Deep knowledge of instructional methods and curriculum that lead to student achievement
• Experience with various forms of assessment and the ability to interpret data
• 5 years of experience as a classroom teacher, preferably in an urban setting, with a track record of academic results that exceed goals

Personal Characteristics & Skills

• Outstanding planning, organizational, and prioritization skills
• Ability to inspire, support, and develop teachers and leaders by utilizing a variety of leadership styles and coaching techniques
• Ability to listen and communicate effectively with a range of EPIC stakeholders including staff, students, parents, and the leadership team
• Problem-solver with high levels of initiative and attention to detail
• Ability to manage people by influencing and enhancing individual capacity and by fostering collaborative relationships
• Ability to develop and execute systems that enable faculty and staff to uphold a strong academic school culture
• Capacity to handle the pressure of a fast-paced environment with poise and optimism
• High level of flexibility and comfort working in a small and entrepreneurial organization
• Strong motivation and commitment to our students’ well-being and to preparing them for success in their post-secondary pursuits

Principal Competencies

In addition to mastery of Principal Competencies, principals must demonstrate additional competencies that are critical to succeeding in a school.

Results Orientation

Sets high-performance goals for themselves and others despite instability, low expectations, and obstacles to success. Creates a sense of urgency and takes immediate action to ensure early successes. Establishes and monitors high standards for excellence with students, teachers, staff, and other stakeholders. Aligns school resources and prioritizes activities to achieve maximum results based on vision and goals. Relentlessly focuses school activities on student achievement.

Action Orientation

1. plans and takes action to achieve goals and objectives without direction. Consistently identifies potential issues and obstacles and proactively takes action to create and implement solutions. Formulates and executes on action plans despite ambiguity, obstacles or resistance.

Impact and Influence

Establishes a culture of learning and achievement. Acts consistently to influence others’ thinking and behavior to achieve results. Communicates a clear vision of success and benefits to engage others. Effectively identifies and engages stakeholders (e.g. parents, community) to drive consensus, build trust, and facilitate change. Is able to anticipate and respond to stakeholder concerns and identify and engage key influencers and community resources necessary for success. Influences others to take action and demands change.

Develop and Lead High Performing Teams

Effectively builds and organizes adult teams to mirror vision and produce maximum results. Understands team strengths and gaps. Selects assignments to build team capacity. Effectively delegates to others and engages teams in decision-making. Encourages learning and consistently provides instruction, expectations, feedback, and other development activities to encourage leadership and build capacity. Consistently inspires excellence and promotes high morale.

Planning and Problem Solving

Quickly recognizes patterns and trends related to school performance. Analyzes complex information to formulate a strategic vision and develop action plans. Identifies appropriate metrics and uses qualitative and quantitative data to assess performance and drive goals and decision-making. Recognizes cause and effect between instructional activities and results. Develops the right balance of strategic and tactical plans to achieve immediate success while maintaining a long-term vision. Develops effective processes to achieve desired results.

Confidence to Lead

Consistently takes on challenging situations and believes in the ability to effect change. Demonstrates strong commitment to others and presents ideas with confidence. Takes risks to achieve vision and goals, even if they deviate from the norm. Takes personal responsibility for mistakes and learns from them, while consistently following

Annual salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with experience. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with the goal of hiring the right candidate ASAP. To apply, visit the careers area of www.epicacademy.org.