Middle School Principal

SOUTH KINGSTOWN SCHOOL DEPARTMENTJOB DESCRIPTIONRevised: 2026Position: Middle School PrincipalReports To: Superintendent of SchoolsFLSA Status: ExemptContract: Administrator 12-MonthPosition OverviewThe Middle School Principal serves as the instructional and operational leader of the school responsible for establishing a compelling vision for learning and implementing a school improvement plan aligned to the districts core values and strategic plan that accelerates student achievement and promotes the well-being of every alignment with the South Kingstown School Departments missionIn partnership with the community our students will THRIVEand guided by the Rhode Island Standards for Educational Leaders (RISEL) the Principal fosters a school culture defined by Trust High Expectations Respect Inclusion Voice and Principal provides transformative leadership across curriculum instruction and assessment at the middle level; creates equitable and inclusive learning environments; builds professional capacity among staff; and cultivates meaningful partnerships with families and the broader community. This leader is the primary driver of continuous school improvement and serves as the steward of a safe caring and high-performing school Island certification as a Middle/Secondary School PrincipalMasters Degree in Educational Leadership Administration or a closely related fieldMinimum of five (5) years of successful PreK12 teaching experienceDemonstrated record of instructional leadership and data-informed decision-makingExperience in educator evaluation and professional growth systemsPreferredAssistant Principal or department/instructional leadership experience at the middle levelDoctorate in Educational Leadership or related fieldExperienced and knowledgeable in International Baccalaureate (IB) programs or similar frameworksDemonstrated knowledge of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) and restorative practicesBilingual or multilingual capabilityCore Competencies (Aligned to RISEL)The following competencies reflect the Rhode Island Standards for Educational Leaders (2018) and define the knowledge skills and dispositions essential to this role.1. Mission Vision and Core Values (RISEL Standard 1)Collaboratively develops articulates and continuously refines a shared school mission and vision centered on student success and well-beingCultivates a school culture grounded in the districts THRIVE values: Trust High Expectations Respect Inclusion Voice and EquityModels and advances the schools mission and core values in every aspect of leadership and decision-making2. Ethics and Professional Responsibility (RISEL Standard 2)Acts with integrity fairness transparency and professional accountability in all aspects of leadershipCenters the needs and well-being of children in every educational decisionUpholds the values of democracy equity and individual dignity; models ethical conduct for the school community3. Equity and Cultural Responsiveness (RISEL Standard 3)Ensures every student has equitable access to rigorous instruction effective educators and the academic and social-emotional supports needed to succeedIdentifies and actively dismantles systemic barriers deficit-based practices and institutional biases rooted in race socioeconomic status gender disability language or other factorsLeads with cultural competence honoring the identities strengths and lived experiences of all students families and staff4. Curriculum Instruction and Assessment (RISEL Standard 4)Leads the development implementation and evaluation of a coherent rigorous and culturally responsive curriculum aligned to Rhode Island and national standardsSupports instructional practices that are differentiated evidence-based and responsive to the developmental needs of middle-level learnersPromotes effective and ethical use of technology to enhance teaching and deepen learningUses multiple forms of assessment data to monitor student progress identify trends and drive instructional improvement at the classroom and school level5. Community of Care and Support for Students (RISEL Standard 5)Builds and sustains a safe welcoming and inclusive school environment where every student is known valued and supportedDevelops and oversees coherent and data-informed multi-tiered systems of academic behavioral and social-emotional supportCultivates student voice agency and leadership as central features of the school communityAddresses student behavior through restorative positive and equitable approaches6. Professional Capacity of School Personnel (RISEL Standard 6)Recruits selects develops and retains high-quality educators and staff committed to excellence and equityImplements valid research-anchored systems of educator supervision and evaluation; delivers timely actionable feedback that advances professional growthDifferentiates professional learning opportunities to address individual and collective staff needsFosters distributed leadership by developing teacher leaders and supporting staff at all career stages7. Professional Community for Teachers and Staff (RISEL Standard 7)Builds a collaborative trusting professional culture committed to continuous improvement and collective efficacyDesigns and sustains job-embedded professional learning communities grounded in student data and researchEnsures mutual accountability among staff for student learning and the overall effectiveness of the schoolFosters collaborative inquiry peer observation and shared decision-making as norms of professional practice8. Meaningful Engagement of Families and Community (RISEL Standard 8)Creates accessible inclusive and welcoming conditions for family and community engagement in the life of the schoolMaintains open two-way communication with families about student progress school priorities and community needsBuilds productive partnerships with local organizations agencies and community stakeholders to advance student learning and school improvementAdvocates publicly for the school for students needs and for the importance of public education9. Operations and Management (RISEL Standard 9)Manages school operations efficiently and equitably to advance the schools mission and support student successStewards fiscal physical and human resources responsibly and in alignment with instructional prioritiesEnsures knowledge of and compliance with local state and federal laws regulations and policiesDevelops and administers fair systems for managing conflict and promoting a safe and orderly school environmentLeverages data and communication systems to support classroom and school-wide improvement10. School Improvement (RISEL Standard 10)Leads a coherent data-driven school improvement process aligned to the districts Strategic Plan and student achievement prioritiesApplies adaptive leadership strategies to navigate change manage competing priorities and sustain momentum through uncertaintyBuilds staff capacity to engage in continuous improvement through inquiry evidence-based practice and innovationPromotes coherence across improvement initiatives and fosters systemic thinking at every level of the organizationEssential Duties and ResponsibilitiesInstructional LeadershipLeads the development evaluation and continuous improvement of instructional programs that ensure rigorous equitable and engaging learning for all studentsConducts regular meaningful classroom observations and provides instructional feedback that improves teacher practice and student outcomesServes as primary evaluator under Rhode Islands educator evaluation system; completes evaluations in accordance with state timelines and district protocolsUses disaggregated student performance data to identify achievement patterns drive targeted interventions and measure the impact of instructional decisionsSchool Culture and ClimateEstablishes and sustains a positive caring and high-performing school culture aligned to the districts THRIVE valuesImplements restorative and proactive approaches to student behavior that are equitable developmentally appropriate and trauma-informedPromotes student voice leadership and engagement as foundational elements of middle school culturePartners with Student Services to ensure robust integrated academic and social-emotional support systems for all studentsPersonnel and Professional DevelopmentParticipates actively in the recruitment selection hiring induction and ongoing development of highly effective faculty and staffDevelops and facilitates job-embedded professional learning aligned to school improvement goals and grounded in researchRecognizes and develops teacher leadership; supports staff well-being and sustainable professional practiceFamily and Community EngagementCreates multiple accessible pathways for meaningful family engagement in student learning and school decision-makingCommunicates proactively and transparently with families about school goals student progress and community prioritiesBuilds strategic partnerships with community organizations local businesses and higher education to expand opportunities for studentsOperations Management and ComplianceSupervises all school operations including scheduling budgeting facilities transportation and safety protocolsEnsures compliance with all applicable local state and federal laws regulations and district policies including IDEA Section 504 and Title IXManages school-level budgets with transparency fiscal responsibility and alignment to instructional prioritiesPerforms other duties as assigned by the Superintendent of SchoolsWorking ConditionsThis is a twelve-month administrative position. The Principal is expected to be present and visible throughout the school day including before- and after-school activities and evening community events as required. The role demands sustained physical presence throughout the building and may require lifting materials navigating multiple floors and standing or walking for extended periods. Evening and weekend commitments are a routine expectation of this Kingstown School Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This job description is not a contract of employment. It describes the general duties responsibilities and requirements of the position and is subject to change at any time with or without to: Rhode Island Standards for Educational Leaders (RISEL 2018)