Principal - Elementary Schools

POSITION SUMMARY: The primary purpose of this position is to provide instructional leadership by establishing, promoting and leading efforts that ensure that every ­scholar learns at the highest level. Federal Way Public School principals are charged with leading school efforts that align with the goals within the District’s strategic plan. The principal will foster an environment characterized by high expectations, data driven decision-making, continuous improvement, capacity building, and cultural competence. The principal is responsible for leading and supporting building staff in the daily operation of the school.
The Federal Way Public School District is all about EVERY student achieving at the highest level. As a result, we are committed to hiring talented leaders to drive high outcomes for students through raising academic achievement and closing opportunity gaps.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. This list is meant to be representative, not exhaustive. Some incumbents may not perform all the duties listed while in other cases related duties may also be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Instructional Leadership: Establishes a mission and vision focused on shared goals and high expectations for all students.

Promotes an environment which fosters high expectations for students, staff and self.
Facilitates collaborative processes leading toward continuous improvement.
Leads for inclusive programming for students qualified for special education services and those learning English as a second language.
Implements rigorous standards based curricula and assessments.

Recognizes the importance of setting high expectations for self, staff and students in the implementation and delivery of standards based curricula.
Assists staff in implementing and aligning curricula to state and district standards.
Creates and monitors systems that ensure teachers utilize formative assessments to adjust instruction for improved student learning.
Uses relevant data to design, implement, and evaluate an aligned strategic plan that drives continuous improvement (and ensures effective core instruction and interventions).

Develops and monitors a School Improvement Plan which drives continuous improvement and is based on an analysis of achievement results and other data that are aligned with the District Improvement Plan.
Regularly leads and participates in data driven conversations with individuals and groups of teachers to review student level data, discuss instructional implications, and build the capacity of teachers to lead and perfect their craft.
Locates, analyzes, and interprets multiple data sources to inform continuous school level improvement efforts.
Assists staff in identifying and implementing proven instructional practices that are aligned with state and District learning goals.
Ensures that data for diverse student populations is available to all teachers; disaggregated; and with next steps that are clearly defined.
Provides evidence of student growth that is aligned with the school improvement planning process.
Ensuring School Safety

Implements a school safety plan that is based upon open communication systems and is effective and responsive to school needs and changing circumstances.
Takes responsibility for creating practices which maximize the social, emotional, and intellectual safety of all students; supports the development, implementation, and monitoring of plans, systems, curricula, and programs that support the whole child.
Supervises student discipline and welfare and maintains records of individual disciplinary actions.
Coordinates matters of student discipline and welfare with parent/guardian, teacher, and support personnel.
Supervises attendance and truancy matters.
Coordinates student activities with the instructional goals of the school.
Assists counselors and teachers in promoting and maintaining appropriate classroom management.
Strategic and Organizational Leadership: Strategically manages resources to support all student learning and staff development priorities.

Manages both staff and fiscal resources to support student learning.
Analyzes instructional employees’ knowledge, skills and abilities as related to the adopted instructional framework, and provides or directs staff to appropriate professional development opportunities.
Utilizes staffing and scheduling practices in a manner that ensures the school day and school year maximize instructional time to benefit all students.
Ensures a safe and positive learning environment for students and staff where the learning and teaching is the focus.
Ensures that all resources are leveraged for the purpose of continuous improvement.
Manager of Talent: Increases teacher effectiveness through professional learning and rigorous supervision and evaluation.

Monitors instruction and assessment practices by using the District’s instructional framework to describe, analyze, and critique teacher performance, and to implement growth strategies where appropriate.
Utilizes coaching skills to build capacity in support of the core mission of the District.
Utilizes Professional Learning Communities to assist staff in analyzing data that reflect on current practice and inform improvement.
Ensures teachers receive regular, direct, actionable feedback regarding their classroom practice to grow professionally and to increase instructional consistency across all classrooms.
Manager of Talent: Recruits, hires, assigns, and retains effective staff.

Utilizes knowledge of effective instruction and other attributes of successful instructional staff to select highly qualified instructional staff.
Assigns staff to specific positions in a manner that maximizes the application of their knowledge and experience to desired student outcomes.
Deals with employee discipline in a manner that protects an individual’s due process rights while confronting and responding to unacceptable behavior.
Utilizes performance appraisal systems for all staff to recognize outstanding performance and identify and address substandard performance.
Evaluates designated certificated staff using the CEL 5D+ Framework for improved instructional practices and to address substandard performance.
Culture and Equity Leadership: Develops cultural competence and a commitment to equity in adults and students.

Leads for equity toward college and career readiness.
Nurtures a school environment that celebrates, respects, and values diversity, where teaching and learning are made relevant and meaningful to students of various cultures.
Publically draws attention to all equity gaps that exist for various groups of students with plans to address their elimination.
Initiates activities and discussions that lead to increased cultural competence of staff, informing and expanding teaching practices within classrooms.
Community Leadership: Actively finds ways to communicate the successes of the school to the broader community, resulting in creation of partnerships to bring additional people and resources into the school.

Actively advocates for members of the school community and effectively engages families and community.
Required Qualifications
Education and Experience
Master’s Degree in approved college program
Two years’ experience as an assistant principal or in other leadership positions
Additional Qualifications
Valid Washington State Principal credential
Valid Washington State Teaching credential
Preferred Qualifications
Previous principalship/administrative/coaching/mentoring experience
Experience in developing and facilitating engaging professional development for staff Experience working diverse student populations
Experience with Project­Based Approach, integrating technology in instruction, Standards­ Based Education, Common Core, PBIS, and GLAD
Experience with the real-time use of data to provide timely interventions for student­ scholars
Experience with cognitive coaching, consensus, and team building
Experience in standards-based curriculum
Experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating school-wide programs
Bilingual in Spanish
Condition Of Employment
Criminal background clearance
Washington State Driver’s License
History of positive evaluations
Complete the Right Response training at the advanced level at the next available class and maintain certification annually.
Knowledge Of
The use of instructional frameworks as a driver of feedback and coaching, supervising, selecting, training, motivating, monitoring and evaluating certificated and classified staff
Providing leadership and guidance to staff and to educational programs
Conflict management and problem resolution
Budget planning, monitoring and administration
Planning, organizing, prioritizing, scheduling and evaluating programs
Current educational research and application
Effective decision making
Student behavior management and discipline
Assessing educational/instructional/curricular effectiveness and recommending improvements
Team building
Computer and related application programs
School board policies and procedures
Ability To
Demonstrate a high level of proficiency with computers and technology
Demonstrate effective leadership skills both organizationally and instructionally
Organize and perform job responsibilities efficiently and independently
Demonstrate effective written and oral communications with a community of diversity to include students, staff, parents, and community members
Enhance systems thinking
Conduct crucial conversations with staff and encourage colleagues to have conversations with each other.
Practice effective safety and security within individual work routines
Develop and maintain positive customer relations with staff and service providers Work collaboratively with District staff and promote teamwork with co­workers Practice ethical and professional standards of conduct including the requirements of confidentiality
Work side by side and foster strong, positive relationships with parents, staff, students and the public in a multicultural and multiracial community
Facilitate building consensus decisions while maintaining a focus on learning for all students
Implement school and district policies
Inspire staff and community to maintain the highest standards of performance for themselves and students
Implement strong discipline plan with consistent follow-through with decisions
Perform job responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES RELATED TO CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND EQUITY:
Knowledge/awareness of own cultural identity and how this influences behavior, and desire to learn about the cultural identity of others.
Ability to establish and nurture an environment that promotes cultural competence and equitable treatment of staff, students, and patrons of the District.
Ability to understand and hold self and others accountable for promoting the Federal Way Public Schools’ commitment to “Each Scholar: A Voice. A Dream. A Bright Future.”
Ability to recognize that each person is a unique individual even as we celebrate their group cultural heritage.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee will constantly stand and walk, bend neck and back, and use hands for repetitive grasping and pushing/pulling. The employee is frequently required to squat, kneel, use hands for fine manipulation, stand and push/pull. The employee will occasionally be required to sit, climb stairs/ladder, lift and reach overhead, crawl, and lift/carry. The employee must constantly lift/carry up to 5 pounds and must frequently lift /carry up to 10 pounds. The employee will occasionally lift/carry a maximum of 20 lbs. The employee is occasionally required to push/pull a maximum weight of 100 pound
WORKING CONDITIONS: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in indoor conditions and regularly works near video display. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The position constantly deals with frequent interruptions, demanding deadlines, and regularly deals with angry and distraught employees and community members. Evening and weekend work may be required.
WORK SCHEDULE
Work schedule typically works 8 hours per day, Monday through Friday, 260 days per year, or as otherwise determined by the District.
REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS
This position reports to and is evaluated by the Learning Improvement Officer or designee.
REPRESENTATION
Association of Federal Way School Principals
Level Of Compensation
Principals’ Salary Schedule 2025-26 salary:
Elementary: $175,033
K-8: $177,658

Doctoral Stipend $3,000
All principals receive 4 days at per diem for TPEP work
This position includes the following benefits prorated based on FTE – Medical, dental, vision; sick and vacation leave; life insurance; retirement.
Disclaimer
The preceding list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the scope of responsibility and the level of knowledge and skills typically required, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements, skills or duties so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed.
All employment open positions are made available on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or veteran status.
Job descriptions are written as a representative list of the ADA essential duties performed by the entire classification. They cannot include, and are not intended to include, every possible activity and task performed by every specific employee.