Elementary Principal - Yas American Academy

Job Description

Yas American Academy are currently seeking an outstanding Elementary Principal commencing Term 2 of this Academic Year. This is an exciting opportunity to join the highly successful Aldar family of schools and to help shape the future of Abu Dhabi’s leading school group.

Yas American Academy opened in September 2016 providing high quality education to the Emirate. The children are taught the Massachusetts Common Core Curriculum – tailored to be meaningful to children attending the school, alongside the local curriculum of Arabic, Islamic Studies and Social Studies. Facilities at the school are excellent and include a large astro-turf field, two swimming pools, well stocked library, a large multi-purpose sports hall, an auditorium and outdoor play areas.

We provide a warm, friendly and supportive environment where students enjoy learning and achieving in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.

The successful candidates will be closely aligned with our core values and ethos and possess a genuine understanding and appreciation of the values of the region.

Responsibilities

Strategic Direction and Development of the School

• Undertake the professional duties of the Vice Principal reasonably delegated to you by the Principal.
• Undertake the professional duties of the Principal, in the event of his/her absence from the school.
• In partnership with the Principal and the Senior Leadership Team, provide professional leadership and management of Teaching and Learning throughout the school.
• To provide professional leadership and management of School Development Plan priorities.
• Assist the Principal in the ongoing and annual review of standards of leadership, teaching and learning in specific areas of responsibility and across all areas of school provision, consistent with the procedures in the school self-evaluation policy.
• Create costed subject development plans which contribute positively to the achievement of the School Development Plan and which actively involves all staff in its design and execution.
• Develop and implement policies and practices for the subject/area(s) which reflects the school’s commitment to high achievement and is consistent with curriculum strategies and policies.
• Promote high expectations for attainment.
• Establish short, medium, and long-term plans for the development and resourcing for the specific areas of responsibility.
• Monitor the progress made in achieving subject/area plans and targets and evaluate the effect on teaching and learning.
• Work with outside agencies and stakeholders to inform future action.
  
  
  

Leading Teaching and Learning

• Work with the Principal to raise the quality of teaching and learning and pupil’s achievement, setting high expectations and monitoring and evaluating effectiveness of learning outcomes.
• Provide regular feedback for colleagues in a way which recognizes good practice and supports their progress against professional and performance management objectives resulting in a tangible impact on students learning.
• Develop whole staff, phase teams and individuals to enhance performance.
• Oversee the planning and delivery of staff meetings, including where necessary, bringing in outside speakers.
• Keep abreast of the latest developments in the curriculum and disseminate effectively to other members of staff.
• Plan, delegate and evaluate work carried out by team(s) and individuals.
• Create, maintain, and enhance effective relationships.
• Recruit and select teaching and support staff.
  
  
  

Leading and Managing Staff

• Work with the Principal to build a professional learning community which enables others to achieve.
• Support staff, within your team and within the whole school, in achieving high standards through effective continuing professional development.
• Be committed to and take responsibility for your own professional development and undertake performance management, setting and agreeing targets linked to school development priorities with the Principal.
• Implement successful performance management processes with allocated team of staff.
• Treat people fairly, equitably and with dignity and respect to create and maintain a positive school culture.
• Build a collaborative learning culture within the school and actively engage with other schools to build effective learning communities.
• Acknowledge the responsibilities and celebrate the achievements of individuals and teams.
• Develop and maintain a culture of high expectations for self and others.
  
  
  

Efficient and Effective Deployment of Staff and Resources

• Work with the Principal to provide effective organization and management of the school and seek ways to improve organizational structures and functions based on rigorous self-evaluation.
• Work with the Principal to ensure the school and the people and resources within it are well organized and managed to provide an efficient, effective, and safe learning environment.
• Oversee and evaluate the subject/area budget allocation to ensure the budget is spent in line with subject/area learning priorities and best value principles.
• Secure and allocate resources to support effective learning and teaching within the subject area(s).
• Monitor and control the use of resources and budget according to the school’s agreed financial procedures.
  
  
  

Accountability

• Work with the Principal to ensure the school’s accountability to a wide range of groups, particularly parents, ADEK and Aldar Academies SLT.
• Ensure that pupils enjoy and benefit from a high-quality education, promoting collective responsibility within the whole school community.
• Develop a school ethos which enables everyone to work collaboratively, share knowledge and understanding, celebrate success and accept responsibility for outcomes.
• Develop and present a coherent, understandable, and accurate account of the school’s performance to a range of audiences including parents and Aldar colleagues.
• Reflect on personal contribution to school achievements and take account of feedback from others.
• Agree, monitor, and evaluate pupil targets to ensure all students make sufficient progress.
• Engage all staff in the creation, consistent implementation, and Improvement in schemes of work and curriculum plans which encapsulates key school learning strategies.
• Provide guidance on a choice of teaching and learning methods/strategies.
• Coach and mentor other staff and exemplify good practice.
• Undertake shared planning, team teaching as required within allocated subject areas.
• Develop and implement systems for recording individual pupil’s progress.
• Evaluate the quality of teaching and standards of achievement, setting targets for improvement.
  
  
  

Strengthening Community

• Work with the Principal to engage with the internal and external school community to secure equity and entitlement.
• Work with the Principal to collaborate with other schools and Aldar Academies HQ in order to share expertise and bring positive benefits to their own and other schools.
• Work with the Principal to work collaboratively at both strategic and operational levels with parents and across multiple agencies for the well- being of all children.
  
  
  

Specific Duties for Vice Principal

• To provide professional leadership and management of key areas of the School Development Plan as agreed, on an annual basis, with the Principal.
• To be responsible for internal and external assessment practices across the school.
• To provide professional leadership and management of the curriculum in the elementary phase of the school.
• To take an active role in the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the development of identified areas leading to high standards of teaching, effective use of resources and improved standards of learning and achievement for all students.
  
  
  

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree in Education or B.Sc degree with PGCE is essential. Desirable Master’s degree
  
  
  

Minimum Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of teaching experience.
• Line/Performance Management or Pastoral experience is required.
• Experience of leading whole school initiatives that have led to improvement in standards and achievement.
• Middle leadership experience is required.
  
  
  

Job Specific Knowledge & Skills

• Very good/outstanding teacher
• Teaching across ability range with proven success
• Experience of leading whole school initiatives that have led to improvement in standards and achievement
• Middle leadership experience
• Senior leadership experience is desirable.
• Experience of line/performance management
• Experience of working in more than one International School
• Experience of teaching IB
• Leadership skills
• Inter-personal skills
  
  
  

Aldar Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Offers of appointment are subject to satisfactory references and police clearance.