DIOCESE OF HARRISBURG - OFFICE OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION
ELEMENTARY PRINCIPALS’ JOB DESCRIPTION
School: St. Patrick School
City & State: Carlisle, PA
Apply at https://www.hbgdiocese.org/patprincipal

Payroll Grade: 16                                  FLSA Status: EXEMPT

The Elementary School Principal in the Diocese of Harrisburg has the primary responsibility for both the spiritual and educational leadership and the administration of the school, which seeks to offer high-quality academic programs integrated with religious truths and values. The Elementary School Principal is directly accountable to the Pastor.

In general, administrative tasks include:

• Organization of the school so that appropriate religious formation and learning can take place.
• Development of a competent faculty and staff.
• Development and implementation of an appropriate curriculum.
• Provision for the safety, welfare, and care of the students while they are attending school.
• Management of the physical facilities of the school.
• Management of the financial and business affairs of the school as determined by the approved budget by the Pastor and the School Board.
• Development of good school-community relationships and involvement in all aspects of the Development Program.

 
The minimum expectations for achieving the above tasks are the following:

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. To administer the school according to Diocesan and local policies.
2. To give leadership for achieving the goals of Catholic education.
3. To show evidence of knowledge of the Catholic Philosophy of Education.
4. To work towards the creation of a Catholic community within the school.
5. To be a leader in the school faith community, integrating the goals and objectives of the school with those of local parish(es) especially in the faith formation and ongoing development of students and faculty. 
6. To provide opportunities for prayer and the sacraments for staff and students.
7. To maintain open channels for two-way communications with all segments of the school clientele.
8. To show respect for individuals and fairness in dealing with others.

RELATIONSHIP WITH BOARD

1. To serve as the Executive Officer of a Board of Education, executing and implementing its policies and directives in coordination with those of the Catholic Schools Department. 
2. To report regularly to the Board regarding the implementation of diocesan/local policies, curriculum development, evaluation, and school concerns.
3. To prepare the necessary background material for local policy formation and for long-range planning.
4. To update the Board on current educational trends, issues, new laws, and other in-service matters that will be useful to them.
5. To assist the Board and the Pastor in the preparation of the annual budget and to administer and monitor the approved budget within the designated parameters.
6. To confer regularly and frequently with the Chairperson of the Board of Education. 

LEADERSHIP OF FACULTY AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

1. To hire and assign teachers in accordance with Diocesan policies.
2. To provide orientation and ongoing in-service for the faculty according to their needs.
3. To direct and involve the faculty in an ongoing program of philosophy and Mission Statement evaluation, curriculum assessment, and planning for instructional improvement.
4. To assist the entire faculty in the integration of the Catholic Philosophy of Education into the curriculum.
5. To ensure the implementation of the Diocesan Religion curriculum and a spiritual and religious formation program for the faculty and students.  
6. To promote the growth of the faculty through ongoing supervision and evaluation.
7. To diversify the curriculum to serve the scope of abilities, talents, interests, and needs of students.
8. To be familiar with all textbooks and instructional materials used throughout the school.
9. To devise a plan for the regular replacement of textbooks and materials. 
10. To assist teachers in the guidance, assessment, and analysis of student achievement.
11. To provide the faculty with materials and resources necessary for their assigned tasks.
12. To conduct monthly faculty meetings and to provide opportunities for faculty involvement in the agenda preparation.
13. To oversee the scheduling of classes and daily lesson planning by teachers.

MANAGEMENT AND RECORD-KEEPING

1. To develop and communicate routine procedures for the operation of the school.
2. To publish rules, regulations, schedules, and procedures, and to be consistent in expectations regarding them.
3. To maintain discipline throughout the school so that a learning environment prevails.
4. To unify expectations for high academic standards throughout the school.
5. To implement fire, tornado, health, and safety codes in the school and on the school grounds.
6. To provide appropriate maintenance and cleanliness of the school for the safety and well-being of the students.
7. To meet deadlines with official school reports and statistics as required by Diocesan and State personnel.
8. To keep school files organized in a professional manner.
9. To maintain an up-to-date professional file for each teacher.
10. To be responsible for overseeing that accurate and up-to-date cumulative, attendance, and health records are kept on every student.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

1. To provide opportunities for regular conferences and meetings of parents and teachers.
2. To provide channels for parent involvement and input in curriculum and school policies.
3. To alert parents to the special needs and/or problems of their children.
4. To keep parents informed through regular school bulletins.
5. To cooperate with, and help to promote, the various programs existing in and for the school.
6. To represent the school to the general community.
7. To develop and maintain public relations with and among appropriate publics.

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

1. To engage in the Elementary Principal’s Personal Performance Review
2. To engage in an annual Elementary Principal’s Performance Review with the Pastor/Executive Pastor.
3. To complete the Elementary Principal’s SUMMARY sheet
4. To update the Elementary Principal’s Information sheet annually. 

QUALIFICATIONS

1. A practicing Catholic, whose value system and lifestyle are consistent with Catholic Church teaching, committed to ongoing personal spiritual development, and willing and able to foster a faith community among faculty members and students.
2. An educator who holds a Master's degree in Educational Administration with a Pennsylvania Administrative certificate or a Master's degree in Education with a commitment to pursue the required courses for a Pennsylvania Administrative certificate.
3. An educator who has had at least five (5) current years of satisfactory Catholic school teaching/administrative experience.
4. An educator who is able to present evidence of certification of religious studies comparable to the current requirements established by the Office of Catechetical Training or one who is committed to attaining such certification within the first three years of principalship.

The Catholic Schools' Department reserves the right to waive whichever of the qualifications it deems individual circumstances warrant.

About St. Patrick Elementary School

The Diocese of Harrisburg was established on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX. Bishop Jeremiah F. Shanahan, a 34 year-old Priest and seminary rector from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, was named to lead this new diocese. Eighteen counties composed the Diocese of Harrisburg at that time. That changed in later years to fifteen counties comprised of 7,660 square miles today. They include: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The Diocese is blessed with one Cathedral and 2 Basilicas. Saint Patrick Cathedral, Harrisburg, is the mother church of the Diocese. Sacred Heart Basilica, Conewago, is the oldest stone church in use in the United States. The Basilica of Saints Cyril and Methodius is located in Danville, PA. Since its founding, eleven Bishops have led the Diocese of Harrisburg. The current Bishop, the Most Reverend Ronald W. Gainer, was appointed Bishop of Harrisburg by his Holiness Pope Francis on January 24, 2014. He was installed as Bishop of Harrisburg on March 19, 2014. The Diocesan Administration Center, located in suburban Harrisburg, serves as the administrative off...ices to the Bishop and his staff. Our neighbors are the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Dioceses of Allentown to the east, Scranton to the north, Altoona-Johnstown to the west, and the Archdiocese of Baltimore to the south. Harrisburg is the capital of the Commonwealth, and within our boundaries are to be found historic Gettysburg and Conewago Chapel, Hanover, famous for its shoes and horses, and the sweetest town on earth, Hershey. The beautiful Susquehanna runs through the Diocese and some of the richest farmland in the world is found in Pennsylvania Dutch country in Lancaster County.

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Connections working at St. Patrick Elementary School