Principal - Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School

Job Discription

Alexandria City Public Schools seeks a dynamic and strategic leader to serve as Principal. The Principal executes the school's vision; establishes and maintains the school philosophy; leads and manages the school to achieve daily instructional program excellence; and leads the school improvement planning process ensuring alignment with the school division's strategic plan and best practices. This job reports to the Executive Director of School Leadership under the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership.

School History

Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, located in Alexandria, Virginia, opened its doors in 2000. The school is named in honor of Samuel Wilbert Tucker (1913-1990), a distinguished civil rights attorney renowned for organizing a 1939 sit-in at Alexandria's then-segregated public library. The school community takes pride in its rich cultural diversity, with students and families representing a multitude of backgrounds. This diversity is reflected in the 35 languages spoken by the student body.

As of the 2024-2025 academic year, Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School is a Title I School serving approximately 759 students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school's minority student enrollment stands at 74%, with 62% of students identified as economically disadvantaged. Additional information regarding the academic profile of Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School may be found on its Virginia Department of Education School Quality Profile.

The school operates on a modified calendar, featuring a shortened summer break and two optional intersessions in the fall and spring. These intersessions provide students with opportunities for remediation and enrichment, supporting problem-based learning and real-world experiences. The school community is committed to building strong relationships and developing the whole child through effective collaboration in an inclusive learning environment that focuses on real-world applications of knowledge and leads our students to global success.

Qualifications:

Education: Master's degree in related field.

Certificates & Licenses: Valid Virginia Department of Education license required, or eligibility to obtain one, with an endorsement in Administration and Supervision.

Experience:

• Minimum of At least 5 years of experience in education, including:




• At least 3 years of administrative leadership experience (e.g., Assistant Principal or other leadership roles with direct school-wide impact).
• At least 2 years of classroom teaching experience in an elementary school setting preferred or Dean, Instructional Coach.




• Experience in elementary curriculum and instruction, including programs for special education (particularly inclusion models), ELL, talented and gifted, and compensatory education.
• A performance record that demonstrates high integrity, vision, enthusiasm, and a strong commitment to diverse schools.
• A performance record grounded in the ACPS Core Values of Welcoming, Equity Focused, Empowering, Innovative, and Results Driven.

Essential Functions:

Leading Instructional Excellence

• Articulates a clear instructional vision with a school-wide focus on teaching and learning that is data-driven, standards-aligned, and rooted in the ACPS Strategic Plan.
• Demonstrates knowledge of how to use instruction to reach student achievement goals.
• Able to identify and describe effective instructional practices and how to provide feedback, coaching, and professional development to teachers and assistant principals to improve the quality of instruction throughout the school.
• Demonstrates knowledge of educational theory and practices, including a focus on standards-based instruction.
• Implements consistent school-wide instructional practices that are clear, results-oriented, and research-based.
• Creates opportunities for ongoing learning and staff development that are informed by data in alignment with division foci.
• Provides direction and support in accomplishing instructional, curricular, and/or program requirements.
• Reviews instructional programs and services and assesses how they will meet the needs of students/employees/school division.
• Working collaboratively with other ACPS principals in a community of practice that leads toward division-wide and school improvement.
• Experience leading experiential learning and extended learning programs.

Leading Student Accessibility and Support

• Demonstrates a belief in student possibility, promise, and potential in every student.
• Demonstrates evidence of student achievement down to the classroom level (teacher, specific subgroups, resources needed for special education, EL, etc.).
• Focusing on evidence-based growth and results to drive the school towards annual and long-term goals.
• Managing the change process, including making tough decisions when necessary to move the school and students forward.
• Engaging in constant personal learning, including the need to learn and adapt when faced with challenges and successes.
• Assures the proper evaluation of student progress and the effectiveness of the program to determine what practices or objectives to maintain or modify.
• Collaboratively develops and implements a school improvement plan in support of increased student success.
• Utilizes a variety of data sources to make informed decisions for enhancing student/employee/program performance.

Leading Operations, Strategic Resource Allocation, and Systematic Alignment

• Executing results-focused school operations and resource management that ensure minimal disruptions to teaching and learning and promote the success of all students and staff.
• Developing and maintaining a purposeful school culture that supports a safe and effective learning environment.
• Strong knowledge of school opening procedures, including budget analysis, given the modified calendar.
• Supporting and implementing a safe and inclusive school environment.
• Aligning human resources to school needs, setting high expectations and effectively managing all school employees to meet school goals.
• Communicates a clear vision of excellence and pursues that excellence in a manner that provides consistency with the goals of the school division.
• Coordinates and supervises all extracurricular programs to maintain high standards of student conduct and enforce discipline.
• Coordinates the daily operations to maintain the safety of the facility/office/departments and responsibly and efficiently manages fiscal and/or other resources.
• Advises the administration on activities in the school for the submission of required reports and responds to the administration's written and oral requests for information.
• Maintains the school philosophy and educational program in consistency with community characteristics and school division goals and practices and implements and enforces School Board policies and regulations.
• Practices ethical standards appropriate to the profession to ethically resolve issues and promote a climate of collaboration and collegiality.
• Prepares the school budget and monitors the expenditure of funds, provides for adequate inventories of school property and for the security of and accountability for that property, and assumes responsibility for the safety, security, and appearance of the school plant.
• Selects, supports and evaluates to retain quality instructional and support personnel.
• Selects, orients, assigns, supervises, and evaluates staff to attain the objectives of the educational program.
• Uses problem-solving techniques in identifying, analyzing, and resolving problems.
• Performs other tasks and assumes such other responsibilities as may be required to ensure an efficient and effective work environment.

Clearances:

• Criminal Justice Fingerprint/Background Clearance.
• Tuberculosis Skin Test.

Public Health Compliance

• Must follow safety and health protocols

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