Principal (Academy Grand)

Description

Position Title: Principal

Department: UCAN Academy and High School

Reports to: Head of Schools

Direct Reports: Special Education Teachers, Teacher Assistants, Behavior Intervention Specialists

Position Objective and Summary:

The principal is responsible for providing visionary leadership to create a safe, supportive, and structured educational environment for students with emotional, behavioral, and learning challenges. This role ensures the integration of academic instruction with therapeutic support, fostering a trauma-informed, inclusive, and student-centered school culture that promotes academic success, emotional growth, and social development.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Culture of Care

• Assists in maintaining an environment for students that is safe, pleasant, considers cultural factors and is directed towards enhancing the students' growth.
• Participates in the development and ensures the implementation of all student's IEPs and behavior and safety plans.
• Maintain a safe, inclusive, and trauma-informed school culture that supports student emotional and behavioral needs.
• Implement and promote Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives to enhance students' emotional regulation, resilience, and interpersonal skills.
• Develop and oversee the integration of Restorative Justice practices to foster a school culture of accountability, conflict resolution, and community building.
• Lead the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to encourage positive student behavior and create a proactive and supportive learning environment.
• Collaborate with mental health professionals to integrate therapeutic interventions within the school setting.
• Assists in observing and evaluating the students' behavioral progress.
• Maintains accurate data and outcomes in student management system.
• Uses population specific knowledge and expertise in developing intervention strategies.
• Provides observational feedback and improvement plans as needed for staff on the use of TCI, restorative justice, and behavior management practices.
• Stays up to date on ISBE restraint and time out policy and procedures.
• Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.

Academics

• Works closely with the Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction to support teachers in implementing research-based instructional practices and best practices in pedagogy.
• Evaluates teachers, providing feedback and coaching to improve instruction.
• Researches and implements academic and behavioral interventions to create an effective learning environment.
• Provides leadership and direction to staff about the ongoing evaluation and improvement of educational programs.
• Assists in making programmatic decisions.
• Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.

Supervisory and Administrative

• Provides regular individual supervision to team members and weekly team meetings to ensure students' needs are met in accordance with TCI, best practice standards, and UCAN policy.
• Defines each employee's role and responsibilities within the team.
• Discusses alternative problem solving and is open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
• Resolves staff issues and concerns.
• Recruits, hires, and conducts orientation of assigned staff, including setting and evaluating clear and collaborative individual performance goals for employees.
• Acts as site supervisor.
• Collaborates with school administration team to design and lead professional development sessions.
• Assists in the development and updates of all school policy and procedures.
• Develops, tracks, and analyzes data for school improvement goals, agency data reporting, and Cognia.
• Manages team expenses by following Finance Dept. procedures and budget guidance.
• Manages employee job performance by following HR procedures and documentation requirements for: hiring; job scheduling and assignment; disciplinary actions; recommendations for salaries, raises, promotions, demotions, and terminations.
• Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.

Stakeholders

• Assists in facilitating positive community relations with Academy's stakeholders by responding to students and their families, UCAN staff, service providers and other stakeholders in a timely manner and ensures follow up to adequately address their needs.
• Facilitates and coordinates services/actions between all teams in the school.
• Acts in a professional manner and maintains appropriate boundaries with all stakeholders.
• Participates in staffing meetings, team meetings, supervisory sessions, and other related program meetings, on a regular basis and attends all routine staff meetings.
• Utilizes stakeholder survey results to make program changes to meet the needs of stakeholders.
• Performs other related tasks as required or assigned.

Education/Job Experience/Certification:

• Professional Educator License (PEL) with a Principal Endorsement.
• Professional Educator License (PEL) with a Special Education Endorsement preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years in school setting with some supervisory responsibility.

Special Knowledge and Qualifications:

• Extensive experience in special education, behavioral health, or a therapeutic educational setting.
• Strong knowledge of special education laws (including restraint and time outs), IEP processes, and compliance requirements.
• Experience implementing SEL, Restorative Justice, and PBIS frameworks.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, families, and community partners.
• Experience managing school operations, budgets, and personnel effectively.
• Experience evaluating, providing feedback, and improvement plans of school staff.
• Maintains TCI certification and TCI trainer certified (as applicable).
• Ability to use technology for data entry, communication, report writing, and efficiently learn new technology and technology-based programing.
• Reports to work, meetings, training, and job-related activities prepared and as scheduled.

Work Environment: This position requires the ability to frequently conduct physical restraints utilizing current TCI training. Hazards include risk of exposure to communicable diseases and risks of injury associated with students with emotional disorders.