High School Assistant Principal at Forte Preparatory Academy

Committed to changing the game for students in Northwest Queens, we are in search of a leader that strives for excellence even when the path of least resistance seems easier. A leader who is passionate about building community and is also committed to the persistence and stamina it requires to do the work. A person who does not shy away from giving critical feedback and can navigate with ease different styles of communication and the various constituents in a school community. Open to feedback, and eager to improve, this individual’s primary goal is to provide students with choices at the next level in a learning environment that is simultaneously challenging, stimulating and fun.

This is a special opportunity to be a founding member of this new high school which opened in Fall 2023.

Who We Are:

Forte Prep Academy High School is a new 9th through 12th grade college preparatory, tuition-free public charter school for Queens, New York, with a focus on serving the Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona communities. We will educate over 300 students in 9th through 11th grade in the 2025-26 School Year. Our mission is: Through a relentless pursuit of academic, community, and personal excellence, Forte Prep Academy Charter Schools equip all students to become the next generation of leaders in Queens and beyond.

We do this work because 77% of high school graduates in our neighborhood are unprepared for the academic rigor of college. We do this work so that these students can beat the odds stacked against them and change those odds forever.

Our commitments are as follows:

We are committed to preparation for high school, college and beyond. We are committed to unlocking potential in every student. 

We are committed to excellent teaching and learning. 

We are committed to diversity and seek to reflect and honor the diversity of our community within the walls of our school.

We are committed to an intentional school culture ensuring that everything we do that supports a student's success beyond high school are built and maintained, grade by grade, year to year.

We are committed to parents/families. 

This is where you come in. 

What We Need/The Opportunity

Forte Prep Academy High School will open its doors/welcome students in Fall 2023. The Assistant Principal's primary responsibility is to support the school in driving outcomes for students as a key member of the school’s leadership team.  In addition, assists the High School Campus Director/Principal in managing the day-to-day school operations. The Assistant Principal is also a visible leader for the school and is responsible for supporting the Principal in engaging key constituents – students, staff, parents/caregivers, and community – to assist in the creation of a school environment that empowers students to achieve ambitious goals, thus preparing them for colleges, careers and lifelong learning.

The Assistant Principal assists the Principal, as directed, in the academic, administrative, and counseling activities of the school.

Who You Are:

• You are inspired by Forte Prep’s mission, vision, and values. You are excited to join a team that is committed to removing barriers and addressing the achievement gap. You thrive in a work environment that values community, a strong commitment to excellence, equity, and high expectations for students and faculty

• You believe that all students, regardless of background, have the ability to develop the skills and confidence to pursue the path they choose – college, career, and beyond; demonstrated commitment to the school’s unique community

• You have the ability to set direction for a team and motivate others to action

• You have demonstrated student achievement results in your own classroom and from teachers that you manage
• You demonstrate the ability to create inclusive environments that honor and support a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives

• You are adept at data analysis; ability to extract meaningful insights across school-wide data
• You have an expertise in what the school-wide academic standards and state assessments require of students’ knowledge and skills to demonstrate mastery; able to translate student mastery requirements into instructional plans and strategies
• You have a deep understanding of appropriate application and differentiation of high-leverage instructional strategies based on comprehension of child/adolescent development and pedagogy

• You have experience working in historically educationally underserved communities and communities of color (preferred)
• You have previous school-level leadership experience (preferred)
• You have a  Bachelor’s degree (required), Master’s degree or higher in education or related field (strongly preferred)

• You have a minimum three years teaching experience (strongly preferred)

Student Achievement and Success

• Meet targets for overall school achievement and academic progress for all individual students
• Monitor and track trends in student performance across all academic areas, including specialized instruction and English Language Learning, to ensure school performance toward meeting Forte Prep’s vision and mission
• Provide social-emotional resources to meet students’ needs.
• Develop own and teacher’s knowledge of best practices in instructional methods and teach teachers how to match particular strategies to students’ needs
• Lead Data Driven Instruction: Help teachers determine how data aligns to end-of-year goals (what is being assessed and how it maps to standards); break-out data to analyze how different student groups are performing; determine what data is saying about areas of student mastery and growth; and identify specific instructional actions and adjustments to meet students’ needs
• Take ownership of the academic outcomes in classrooms assigned to coach/manage

School Leadership

• Be a visible leader of the school by supporting the Principal in providing communication to parents/caregivers, students, staff, community members, and, when necessary and appropriate, at school events
• Provide oversight of the standards, policies, and protocols set forth in the Student Handbook to ensure that they are maintained by students, families, and teachers and, when necessary and appropriate, support the Principal in overseeing this implementation.
• Provide oversight of the standards, policies, and protocols set forth in the Employee Handbook to ensure that they are maintained by staff, and when necessary and appropriate, support the Principal in overseeing this implementation.
• Oversee the work of the Instructional Coach(es)  to ensure consistency with the defined characteristics of the Instructional Coach role and teacher performance
• Offer additional presence and communication with the support staff as necessary and appropriate
• Drive instruction and support teacher improvement towards meeting performance goal metrics
• Assist in the creation of the school’s instructional strategic plan and ensure its execution.
• Support Principal’s plan to sustain a culture of excellence among school staff to carry through key areas of Forte Prep’s culture, assessment, data analysis, instructional planning, instructional delivery, and use of the curriculum to improve teachers’ skill levels.
• May assist the Principal in the monitoring of local school budget and facilities, as directed

Personnel Management and Development

• Drive all work in personnel management and development with the mindset of supporting staff with student success and performance in mind
• Support the Principal with the supervision of school personnel in all aspects of work and evaluation
• Oversee the implementation of the supports and interventions used in the Performance Improvement Plans
• Review and compile evidence regularly from teacher performance evaluations provided by an Instructional Coach; conduct observations, as well as individual and group meetings, supporting the Principal, who holds final responsibility for the evaluation of each teacher
• Support the Principal with the management, supervision, and support of school staff, including, but not limited to, the selection, retention and dismissal (non-renewal) of teachers
• May develop and lead in-service professional development training

Compensation

Salary range is $95-105k commensurate with your experience, with additional compensation each year until school reaches full capacity (grades 9-12). Forte Prep Academy High School employees are provided with a benefits package that includes medical, vision, and dental insurance, 403 B matching, parental leave, tuition reimbursement, a smartphone, and a laptop.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Forte Preparatory Academy Charter Schools are committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws. Additionally, we prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose such discrimination and harassment or who participate in an equal opportunity investigation.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $95-105k   per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekend availability

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus pay
• Signing bonus

COVID-19 considerations:

Vaccines required, masks optional (if vaccinated).

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Glendale, NY 11385: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: One location