Strathroy Community Christian School

Principal/DSO 

Job Description

Strathroy Community Christian School is a vibrant, dynamic, and Christ-centered 21st century learning community. We’re excited about new possibilities and creative approaches to education, and passionate about shaping lives for Kingdom service.  We’re looking for an energetic and visionary leader to equip us for academic excellence, nurture our culture of creativity and innovation, and inspire us to new heights of learning, growth, wisdom, holiness, and love.  

The successful candidate will provide leadership in a variety of key areas, including spiritual leadership by embedding a Reformed Christian worldview into all practices; Board contribution by advising on policy and compliance while shaping the school’s mission and vision; staff leadership by fostering a supportive and professional environment for continuous improvement; and learning leadership by overseeing meaningful educational programs and student progress. Additionally, the Principal will lead student well-being, ensure efficient school administration, manage financial stewardship, maintain the school’s facilities, and serve as the primary spokesperson, overseeing community relations and outreach efforts. 

Mandate  

The School Principal is accountable to the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Strathroy Community  Christian School (SCCS) Society for the proper development, supervision and management of all school operations. In order to fulfill this comprehensive mandate, the Principal is expected to function as the Director of School Operations (DSO) by ensuring:  

• The organization and management of the school facilities provides the best physical setting achievable for the educational program;  
• The supervision of the faculty, support staff and school volunteers provides the best instructional engagement possible for the students;  
• The supervision of instructional and curricular program provides the best instructional  experience possible for the students;  
• The Strategic Plan is implemented within appropriate school operations; and the required compliance with government regulations and organizational guidelines for school operational matters is done in a timely and professional manner.  

Responsibility

The Principal is accountable directly to the BOD of the SCCS Society for all delegated responsibilities.  The Principal is to attend all meetings of the Board of Directors in order to be informed of Board matters and to provide professional advice on issues before the Board. 

The Principal participates in all strategic planning initiatives that the Board undertakes.  

The Principal must report regularly on school operations to the BOD. The Principal may be asked to prepare special reports detailing specific actions or situations within school operations when requested by the Board of Directors.  

The Principal is a member of the SCCS Society and is expected to attend Membership meetings and contribute meaningfully by providing updates and input with regards to school matters and initiatives. 

Committees  

The School Principal works cooperatively with the Board’s standing committees that involve school operational matters in order to assist the Board of Directors in their governance of the Society and the school which it operates. The nature of this working relationship varies with the mandate of each Standing Committee.  

The Board of Directors may appoint the School Principal to its ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time.  

The School Principal may establish school committees and working groups as needed to assist in the development and management of school operations. These committees are appointed by the School Principal; they report to the School Principal; and their duration, membership and/or termination is determined by the Principal.  

Principal Duties

The Principal’s duties are broadly grouped into four categories; Visionary, Educational, Administrative and Community duties and guided by the mission and vision of SCCS as well as the strategic planning goals and objectives.  

• Visionary Duties — In providing visionary leadership to the school community, the Principal shall: 
• Communicate a Christian worldview for the implementation of Christian Education for the school community  
• Facilitate a dynamic understanding of the integration of faith and vocation for school staff  
• Provide for meaningful devotional activities for school staff  
• Schedule full school chapels and help to facilitate them - ensuring that they are meaningful times of reflection and worship for staff and students
• Ensure that the teaching staff engage the students in meaningful devotions in the classrooms  
• Encourage student leadership in the life of the school  
• Model a Christian lifestyle in the personal conduct of the Principal’s duties and relationships  
• Encourage collaboration and positive relationships among all staff and educational volunteers, in accordance with the principles outlined in the Staff Code of Conduct and Confidentiality Agreement.

• Educational Duties

• Instructional Leadership — In order to provide an instructional program best suited to the education of all students, the Principal shall:  
• Establish, communicate and monitor program objectives within the school’s approved Course of Study  
• Work with relevant committees to conduct a regular cycle of curriculum review to ensure ongoing quality and relevance of materials and pedagogy.
• Acquire quality learning resources that will support and enhance the instruction of the Course of Study  
• Ensure that teaching assignments, schedules and their implementation meet acceptable standards for instruction  
• Supervise the proper implementation of student assessment and evaluation  
• Ensure proper reporting documents and procedures for student achievement  
• Conduct a program of standardized testing to assess objective school performance levels  
• Promote such students as the Principal deems proper  
• Monitor instructional program successes and opportunities through data  collection and developing relationships with local secondary education institutions  
• Staff Leadership — In order to provide the students with the best possible instructional quality, the Principal shall:  
• Lead the recruitment, selection and appointment of all school staff 
• Appoint a Vice-Principal(s) with a proper job description and time allocation
• Manage an effective and efficient school volunteer program  
• Assign appropriate workloads to the staff and volunteers in order to ensure the proper operation of the school  
• Provide for the mentoring support for all new and inexperienced staff
• Supervise and evaluate all school staff; including contract status, suspension, and possible dismissal recommendations  
• Implement professional development policies and programs for staff  
• Hold regular staff meetings to encourage the staff in their task as well as to ensure proper implementation of instructional programming and co-curricular activities  
• Manage and support the work of any marketing staff  
• Responsible for creating and/or recruiting written contributions for the quarterly newsletter that goes out to Membership (The Connection) 
• Collaborate and support the work of any grant writer  
• Student Leadership — In order to provide the best possible learning environment for all students, the Principal shall:  
• Ensure a Christian learning environment within the school community
• Demonstrate and hold staff and volunteers accountable for proper respect and concern for each student  
• Regulate and judiciously enforce the school’s Student Code of Conduct 
• Ensure that the health, safety and comfort of the students is not compromised while attending school or traveling on school-sanctioned excursions  
• Schedule and attend formal parent/teacher conferences on a regular basis  throughout the school year  
• Administrative Duties — In order to manage the operation of the school in a professional  manner, the School Principal shall:  
• Implement Board policies regarding school operations  
• Establish and monitor the annual instructional calendar  
• Establish an annual review and revision process of all school handbooks  
• Maintain and update the online Family Directory at the beginning of each school year with the assistance of office administration 
• Establish and monitor the educational budget and ensure the timely purchase of educational materials  
• Ensure the proper maintenance of personnel records in accordance with the school’s Confidentiality, Privacy, and Document Retention policies  
• Work with the bookkeeper to monitor proper accounting of in-school finances and funds  
• Ensure the professional operation of the School Office  
• Work alongside the transportation committee to ensure the proper management of the transportation services of the school
• Comply with all government regulations for school operations as found in provincial and federal law  
• Monitor all visitors to the school facilities during school hours  
• Ensure the proper maintenance of school facilities  
• Community Duties — In order to maintain constructive relations with parents, the school society, the local Christian community, and the municipal neighborhood, the Principal shall:  
• Demonstrate positive, professional interpersonal relationships with others  
• Encourage parental and community involvement in the school  
• Keep the parent community informed of school activities 
• Oversee of the school’s Learning Management System (Edsby) to keep parents and community informed of school activities
• Ensure that a robust recruitment plan and program are in place to attract future students to the school 
• Act as a spokesperson for the school and for Christian Education at large  
• Foster positive relationships with other Christian and educational organizations for the betterment of SCCS and Christian Education