Northwest Classical Academy seeks a full-time Upper School Principal. The Upper School Principal will be responsible for the academic performance, culture, and discipline in 7th - 9th grades in the 2023-2024 school year; the school will continue to add one grade per year until it reaches its full K-12 configuration in the 2026-2027 school year. The Principal reports to the Head of School. 

Responsibilities include the following: 

1. Lead students and teachers in pursuit of the school’s Mission: to form knowledgeable, virtuous citizens.

• Serve as the principal teacher by selecting, developing, teaching, and inspiring the faculty;
• Build consistency and quality in the teaching of all subjects;
• Articulate and enforce age-appropriate standards and consistency in the following areas: homework type and amounts, grading standards, relative difficulty, expectations for communications with parents, timeliness of grade inputs, culture, discipline, decorum, and emphasis on virtue;
• Accelerate the learning and performance of less experienced teachers;

2. Oversee and direct an academic plan that embraces and upholds the following key characteristics:

• The centrality of the Western tradition in the study of history, literature, philosophy, and fine arts;
• A rich and recurring examination of the American literary, moral, philosophical, political, and historical traditions;
• The use of explicit grammar instruction leading to English language mastery;
• The teaching of Latin;
• The acknowledgement of objective standards of correctness, logic, beauty, weightiness, and truth intrinsic to the liberal arts and sciences;
• A school culture demanding moral virtue, decorum, respect, discipline, and studiousness among the students and faculty;
• A curriculum that is content-rich, balanced, and strong across the four core disciplines of math, science, literature, and history;
• A faculty of well-educated and articulate teachers who explicitly convey real knowledge to students using traditional teaching methods;
• The appropriate and effective use of technology without diminishing the faculty leadership that is crucial to academic growth;

3. Ensure the school meets academic requirements required by law and the Charter Agreement;

4. Oversee Upper School special education teachers and maintain compliance with federal IDEA requirements for students with disabilities;

5. Cooperate with other members of the leadership and support teams with special attention to the importance of teamwork with the Lower School Principal and faculty.

6. Engage professionally with a broad base of constituents including employees, charter authorizers, philanthropic donors, the public, and students and their families.

7. Direct significant Upper School activities such as multi-day field trips, student government, and graduation.

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Ideal candidates will have:

• Demonstrable success in producing sustained academic outcomes and the desired school culture in a similarly-sized classical school; 
• The ability to teach well and to coach teachers to greater degrees of effectiveness;
• Skill in fostering positive, productive relationships and outcomes in a small school environment;
• Experience in personnel management, including recruiting, hiring, supervising, and evaluating;
• An understanding of state accountability systems for K-12 public schools and laws relevant to charter schools;
• Experience dealing with people of diverse backgrounds and constituents with competing interests;
• A graduate degree in one or more of the liberal arts or a related field of study.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Upper School Principal will be expected to:

• Have enthusiasm for NCA’s mission and the ability to promote classical education as a speaker, writer, and teacher;
• Have an authentic interest in becoming part of the fabric of the geographic region and the school community;
• Possess the highest standards of integrity and a strong moral and ethical character;
• Possess a strong sense of organizational ownership;
• Foster an intellectual atmosphere that calls students towards a serious depth of inquiry and sense of wonder;
• Generate trust and confidence by others in his or her leadership by exhibiting the following characteristics: integrity, transparency, decisiveness, equanimity, approachability, kindness, and a collaborative leadership style;
• Possess intellectual curiosity, a cooperative spirit, and an eagerness to improve;
• Communicate effectively in both oral and written forms;
• Maintain a high degree of energy and personal productivity and effectively manage the productivity of others;
• Model the virtues we aim to teach our students: courage, courtesy, honesty, humility, perseverance, self-government, and service.

Strong candidates will support the school’s Mission: to develop students in mind and character through a classical, content-rich curriculum that emphasizes the principles of virtuous living, traditional learning, and civic responsibility.  They will have enthusiasm for the Vision: to be a nationally regarded K-12 classical school and serve as a local and national incubator for growth and promotion of classical education. They will embody the school’s organizational values:

• the tenets of classical, liberal arts education;
• community and partnership in the common pursuit of forming knowledgeable, virtuous citizens;
• excellence in teaching and learning.

About Northwest Classical Academy:

Northwest Classical Academy (NCA) is a public charter school located in Kennesaw for grades K-9 for the 2023-2024 school year with plans to expand a grade level each year until it is K-12. All Georgia families are eligible to apply; the school is tuition-free, and no entrance testing is required. The children of full-time employees have enrollment preference and would be offered a seat in the school.

Northwest Classical Academy is an equal-opportunity employer. Interested candidates should apply via the school’s career site. Candidates must attach a letter of introduction, a C.V. or resume, and a 300-500 word “statement of educational philosophy.”