Description:
St. John Vianney Catholic School, a distinguished dual-language Catholic school in Orlando, Florida, seeks a passionate and visionary Principal to lead its vibrant learning community. The school serves 473 students in grades PreK3 through 8.
St. John Vianney Catholic School is a multicultural Spanish English dual-language community grounded in spiritual formation and academic excellence, dedicated to extending Catholic hospitality as servants of the Gospel. The school fosters each child’s unique, God-given gifts in a loving Christian environment while forming Catholic leaders prepared to be active, contributing citizens in a global society.
The Principal serves as the instructional and operational leader of the school, guiding faculty, staff, students, and families in advancing the mission of Catholic education. The Principal supports a rigorous dual-language academic program that encourages students to reach their maximum potential and prepares them for lifelong success, while promoting faith formation, bilingual proficiency, and academic excellence. Working collaboratively with faculty and staff, the Principal ensures that instruction reflects best practices and effective use of current resources and technology to support the development of the whole child.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
1. Catholic Identity
Responsible to promote the foundation piece, live the Gospel message and invite teachers, parents, and students to live out their lives embracing their Catholic faith and their relationship with Christ as Lord of their life. Educational leader is responsible for:
a. Foster students’ understanding of God’s role in their lives and Christ’s relationship to each student.
b. Inculcate the living out of Gospel values and commitment to care for others through charity and justice.
c. Assess and evaluate the Religious Education Program within the school.
d. Provide opportunities for daily prayer, liturgy, frequent prayer services, retreats and other religious education activities throughout the year for students, parents and staff.
e. Promote and encourage cooperation and growth between the school, parish, religious education and the entire organization recognizing that the school is usually one of the main ministries of the parish. The principal is part of the pastoral team and needs to work closely with the pastor so that the school is easily recognizable as a ministry of the parish, not a separate entity.
f. Keep faculty, parents and students aware of their roles as Christian models.
2. Vision of Learning
Promote the success of all students facilitating the development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community. Educational leader is responsible for:
a. Actively and collaboratively develop and communicate a whole school vision that is centered on faith and improvement of teaching and learning.
b. Align the educational program, plan and actions to the Diocese of Orlando’s vision and goals for student learning; communicate to staff and community.
c. Use appropriate data to set priorities and establish high, concrete goals in context of improving student achievement.
d. Promote new and effective practices based on research and act as a driving force behind major initiatives.
e. Articulate and promote high expectations for teaching and student learning.
3. School Culture and Instructional Program
Promote the success of all students by advocating, nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional development. Educational leader is responsible for:
a. Actively and collaboratively advocate and ensure teaching and learning focused on student learning outcomes.
b. Provide leadership for establishing a professional learning community that focuses on continuous improvement.
c. Actively and collaboratively develop curriculum and assessment policies and programs. Mobilize others to implement these policies.
d. Actively and collaboratively cultivate and promote a safe and effective environment for teaching and learning.
e. Consistently and fairly recognize and celebrate accomplishments of teachers, staff, and students.
f. Use current research and theory about effective schools and leadership to develop and review his/her professional growth plan.
4. Professional Behavior: Integrity, Fairness and Ethical Actions
Promote the success of all students by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner. Educational leader is responsible for:
a. Consistently demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
b. Create a supportive and challenging climate which affirms the dignity of all people within the school community.
c. Facilitate the moral development and maturity of students.
d. Integrate the Gospel values and Christian ethics into the curriculum, policies and life of the school.
e. Maintain and protect the rights and confidentiality of others.
f. Fulfill legal and contractual obligations.
Requirements:
Candidates must be practicing Catholics committed to Catholic education, possess an advanced degree in educational leadership and preferably have three to five years experience in Catholic school administration. Applicants must be eligible for Florida Educational Leadership certification. Bilingual candidate is preferred.
ORGANIZATIONAL/INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
A high level of organizational, analytical and interpersonal skill is required. Attention to detail and working well with others is also required.
LANGUAGE/COMMUNICATION/TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
The principal must possess the ability to read and analyze routine correspondence and compose an appropriate response; have the ability to respond to common inquiries from internal and external sources; as well as, effectively present information in varied formats to diverse audiences. The principal is responsible to plan and implement the integration of technological and electronic tools in teaching, learning, management, and research.
WORKING CONDITIONS
The working hours of this position are not limited to an 8-hour day. The principal will need to be available in the evening and weekends, as needed, and must be willing to work in conditions of stress and function well under pressure. The principal must be able to work longer hours to complete various tasks.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
The principal as manager of finances and development planning in a Catholics school is called to:
- Demonstrate skill in managing the school’s financial resources as well as developing and monitoring the annual budget; 1090
- Understand the basic strategies of long-range and strategic planning and apply strategies to a school; and
- Understand development in the broadest sense, including an effective public relations program and a school marketing program in parishes and the broader community.
DECISION MAKING/COMMUNICATION SKILLS
One of the most important tasks of the Catholic school principal is working effectively with the pastor, the pastoral team, parish council and school committees. A sound knowledge and understanding of group decision making is critical. An effective leader actively seeks to develop experience and skills, to build collegiality and to arrive at consensus when making decisions and functioning as a group. Effective communication builds interpersonal commitment, strengthens individual motivation, improves understanding of goals and objectives and makes a group into a team headed in a common direction.
