Elementary School Principal

Elementary School Principal

Job Description

Qualifications: The Elementary School Principal must hold a current Nebraska Administrative Certificate with an endorsement in elementary administration. A minimum of a Master’s Degree is required.

Length of Contract: The Elementary School Principal's contract is for 225 service days starting July 1, 2027.

Immediate Supervisor: The Elementary School Principal reports directly to the Superintendent of Schools or Designee. The Elementary School Principal serves on the District Administrative Team.

General Job Description: The Elementary School Principal will work closely with the Superintendent to create an environment where students thrive, and everyone feels supported. This leadership will guide the educational journey of our PK-6 students, ensuring each step is meaningful and empowering. The principal will oversee instructional programs, foster teacher development, and continuously improve the school community.

This role involves building strong relationships with teachers, staff, families, and the wider community to create an inclusive, collaborative atmosphere where everyone is invested in student success. You’ll work alongside your team to maintain a culture of high expectations for every student, encouraging them to reach their fullest potential in a safe, inclusive environment.

Beyond the classroom, the principal oversees scheduling, curriculum design, extracurricular activities, and day-to-day operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and in students' best interests. With a focus on continuous improvement, the principal also manages personnel, emergency procedures, and school facilities to keep the environment supportive and responsive to all needs.

Specific Job Functions: The Elementary School Principal:

• Establishes and promotes high standards and expectations for all students and staff for academic performance and responsibility for behavior.
• Manages, evaluates, and supervises effective and transparent procedures for the operation and functioning of the school, consistent with its philosophy, mission, values, and goals. These include instructional programs, extracurricular activities, and discipline systems that ensure a safe, orderly climate. The school also manages building maintenance, program evaluation, personnel management, office operations, and emergency procedures. The principal ensures compliance with all laws, board policies, and civil regulations.
• Establishes the annual master schedule for instructional programs, ensuring sequential student learning experiences consistent with the school’s philosophy, mission statement, and instructional goals.
• Supervises the school's instructional programs, evaluating lesson plans and observing classes regularly to encourage effective instructional strategies and materials.
• Reinforces the procedures for evaluating and selecting instructional materials and equipment, approving all recommendations.
• Supervises effective discipline and attendance systems with high standards fairly and consistently, consistent with the district’s philosophy, values, and mission. Encourages students to take responsibility for behavior and creates high morale among staff and students. Files all required reports regarding violence, vandalism, attendance, and discipline matters.
• Establishes a professional rapport with students and with staff that has their respect. Displays the highest ethical and professional behavior and standards when working with students, parents, and school personnel. Serves as a role model for students by dressing professionally, demonstrating the importance and relevance of learning, accepting responsibility, and showing pride in the education profession. Encourages all teachers to do the same.
• Notifies immediately the superintendent and appropriate personnel and agencies when there is evidence of child abuse, child neglect, severe medical or social conditions, potential suicide, or students appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances.
• Assumes responsibility for communicating, implementing, and monitoring all Board of Education policies, administrative rules, and regulations with school staff, students, and the community.
• Establishes and maintains an adequate inventory system for all school supplies, materials, and equipment.
• Communicates regularly with parents, seeking their support and advice to build a cooperative relationship that supports the student.
• Protects the confidentiality of records and information gained while exercising professional duties and uses discretion in sharing such information within legal confines.
• Organizes and supervises procedures for identifying and addressing the unique needs of students, including health-related concerns and physical and emotional needs.
• Annually contributes and gives input to the revision of the student handbook that outlines expectations for students, state rules, and regulations.
• Annually contributes input to revising the teacher’s handbook, which outlines staff expectations and the school's procedural operations.
• Administers and supervises a regular program of tornado, fire, and emergency preparedness procedures.
• Manages the elementary school's activity account.
• Supports the preparation of all reports required by the District Administration, Nebraska State Department of Education, and State and Federal agencies about the elementary school.
• Prepares the elementary school budget and works with the superintendent to integrate it into the district-wide budget.
• Supervises the publication and dissemination of a monthly school newsletter.
• Attends local, state, and national professional meetings to stay current with education trends and gather information that benefits the elementary school staff and students.
• Supervises all fundraising events at the elementary school and is responsible for properly handling funds.
• Plans, organizes, and supervises recognition programs for school activities.
• Leads staff recruitment and implements a personnel selection and assignment system.
• Provides leadership for the planning, developing, and implementing the elementary school’s student teaching programs.
• Maintains an effective and viable co-curricular program representative of the school and community needs.
• Provides leadership within the school’s professional team for appropriate professional growth and inservice training for management, teaching, and classified staff members.

Salary and Benefits Guidelines: The Elementary School Principal will earn a comparable salary to elementary school principals in the area of buildings of similar size. The contract will be for 225 days. Benefits include an appropriate tier and up to full family health insurance or 35% cash in lieu, single dental insurance, long-term disability insurance, life insurance ($50,000 policy), paid NCSA, NASSP, and NSASSP dues, and a travel budget.

Physical Requirements:

• Employee required physical activities listed below ( N=Never; O= Occasional, 1 to 33% of the time; F= Frequent, 34-66% of the time; C= continuous of 67% or more of the time).
• Sitting = F
• Standing = F
• Walking = F
• Lifting/ Carrying (0-20 lbs.) = O
• Lifting/ Carrying (20+ lbs.) = O
• Squatting = O
• Bending = O
• Kneeling = O
• Crawling = O
• Climbing = O
• Balancing = O
• Reaching Overhead = O
• Reaching Forward = O
• Push/ Pull = O
• Twisting = O