Charter Middle School - Principal

About Para Los Niños (PLN) 

Founded on Skid Row in 1980, Para Los Niños (PLN) partners with more than 10,000 children, youth, and families each year through integrated education, wellness supports and advocacy, addressing individual and systemic barriers to create pathways to success. In addition to operating early education centers, charter elementary and middle schools, youth workforce development sites and family services, PLN is the only children’s mental health provider in the Skid Row neighborhood. PLN's community transformation work brings together community members, community-based organizations, city and county agencies, elected officials, and businesses to tackle issues that impact PLN families. Ninety-three percent of families served by PLN live in areas with the highest levels of food insecurity and homelessness in L.A. County. Learn more at Para Los Niños. 

About Para Los Niños Charter Middle School 

Building on the success of our elementary school, PLN Charter Middle School opened on a co-located campus in August 2013. We take a transformative approach to redesigning schools through the California Community Schools model. By leveraging the collective power of our families and community, we create an inclusive and safe learning environment where all scholars can thrive and reach their full potential. Through integration we foster strong partnerships with our early education centers, expanded learning program and support team. We aim to create a seamless connection between the school, home, and broader community. This empowers our scholars to thrive emotionally and academically, contribute meaningfully to their community, and lead joyful lives.

Position Overview 

Para Los Niños seeks a transformational Principal to accelerate growth to sustain a positive academic culture and safe school climate for all. The Principal will be responsible for ensuring all students have the tools they need to be academically successful and that all members of the PLN community hold students to high expectations. The ideal candidate will be an experienced and entrepreneurial school leader who is deeply committed to building on the PLN Community Schools model. The leader will demonstrate experience leading school transformation by growing and developing teachers and staff, creating school-wide instructional and operational systems, and improving student achievement at a high-needs school. The Principal will also collaborate with other PLN teams and community partners to provide comprehensive, integrated services and support to scholars and families. The Principal will report to the Managing Director, Charter Schools.

Essential Responsibilities
 

Student Centered Leadership & Program Oversight  

• Lead the development of a clear strategic vision for the ongoing improvement of teaching and learning for student success. 
• Partner with staff, families, and students to cultivate a culture that is student-centered, inclusive, collaborative, and anti-racist.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret multiple data sources to inform school-level improvement efforts, including developing and implementing an annual Call to Action with the Instructional Leadership Team to close achievement gaps. 
• Develop a deep understanding and commitment to the PLN Community Schools model by actively collaborating with other departments across PLN, as well as external community partners.
• Builds authentic partnerships with families and community stakeholders by understanding and responding to the unique social, cultural, and economic needs of the school community.
• Align curriculum, instructional practices, and assessments to the Common Core standards, with an inquiry approach.
• Develop a strong academic intervention plan as a component of the MTSS framework.
• Collaborate with mental health colleagues, social workers and teachers to coordinate services for scholars with mental health needs. 
• Create and sustain a culture of learning that values the unique assets and needs of each student for social, emotional, intellectual, physical, and identity safety. 
• Provide leadership and oversight for multiple programs including, but not limited to: Special Education, Title I, Multi-Tiered System of Supports, and Multilingual/Newcomer programs. 

People Management & Professional Development  

• Implement a strong instructional framework to monitor, support, and evaluate effective instruction and assessment practices.
• Conduct ongoing observations to provide actionable feedback for staff. 
• Build the capacity of staff to analyze student data to inform and improve instructional practices; including regular data chats during PLCs.
• Plan and lead high quality professional development cycles to support evidence-based instructional practice.

Operations & Resource Management  

• Manage resources to prioritize high-leverage activities for self and a focus on people development, financial acumen, general school operations, and facility management. 
• Develop and implement systems to foster positive student behavior using anti-racist and restorative practices that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging for all. 
• Establish and manage the appropriate channels of communication to share information regularly, create feedback loops, and promote transparency across PLN, LAUSD and county offices.
• Oversee the school budget and optimize the use of funding to ensure that financial resources are aligned with student need, and organizational priorities.
• Support the charter renewal and oversight process to ensure compliance with federal, state, and county laws, policies, regulations, and procedures.
• Develop and implement innovative student, teacher, and staff recruitment and retention strategies. 

Family & Community Engagement 

• Build relationships with families to support a welcoming and inclusive environment with student success as our guiding goal.
• Develop a vision and plan for family engagement, grounded in family voice in collaboration with our Community Schools, Expanded Learning, and Student & Community Services teams.
• Develop strong systems of communication to ensure families have ongoing information about their child’s academic, behavioral, and social-emotional needs.
• Cultivate partnerships with community agencies and organizations, in addition to other teams within PLN, to provide necessary resources to support families’ needs. 
• Provide leadership and educational opportunities for family and community members. 
• Promote and represent PLN Middle School at various fundraisers, conferences, and other community meetings. 

Qualifications 

• 3+ years of experience serving in a school leadership role and at least 5 years as a teacher (prior principal experience strongly preferred). 
• A commitment to improving academic achievement and life outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds with a deep belief that all students can reach high levels of achievement.
• Demonstrated success in improving student achievement with a track record of increasing student growth on standardized test scores across student groups and other indicators of success. 
• Experience with or knowledge of the curricula our students use is a plus; these include: Illustrative Math, EL Education (ELA), Stile Education (science), and i-Ready. 
• Inspiring and visionary leader, able to build trust and strong working relationships with students, teachers, classified staff, parents, and other community members. 
• Demonstrates cultural competence; comfortable, respectful, and humble when working with diverse populations. 
• Strong professional judgment and integrity; able to make tough decisions under pressure. 
• Committed to continuous learning by engaging in reflection, self-assessment, and professional development; open to new ideas and opinions. 
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English are required, and we celebrate linguistic diversity, valuing the unique perspectives and strengths that multilingual team members bring to our organization.

Requirements 

• Valid California Teaching Credential & California Administrative Services Credential are strongly preferred. 
• Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s degree from an accredited college or university is strongly preferred.
• Must be able to pass a TB test and background check, at the time of offer. 
• Access to reliable transportation (rideshare, bus, bike) is required.
• Travel Requirements: Up to 15% within the United States.

Application and Hiring Process

We’re thrilled to review your application! To apply, please visit the Join Our Team page at www.ParaLosNinos.org and submit your resume along with a letter of interest. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews expected to begin in March.

Compensation and Benefits 

The compensation range is $135,000 - $175,000 and is commensurate with experience. This is a 12-month position with 230 work days. 

Benefits include: 

• Health, dental, and vision plan. 
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability. 
• Participation in the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). 
• Opportunities for professional learning. 

Para Los Niños is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. 

It is the established policy of Para Los Niños (PLN) to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without discrimination with regard to race, religious belief (including dress or grooming practices), color, sex, sex stereotype, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions (including breastfeeding), age, national origin (including possessing a driver’s license issued under Vehicle Code § 12801.9), ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identification and expression, transgender status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristics, genetic information, family care, marital status, enrollment in any public assistance program, status as military, a veteran or qualified disabled veteran, status as an unpaid intern or volunteer, or any other classification protected by law. PLN also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.