Description

SUMMARY

The Dishman Hills High School Principal provides leadership aligned with the district’s strategic goals and the school’s personalized, mastery-based, and student-centered model. The principal leads a public alternative high school designed around relationships, relevance, rigor, flexible scheduling, mentoring, project-based learning, and multiple pathways for students to demonstrate mastery.

 The principal ensures instructional excellence, effective school operations, strong Professional Learning Communities, and a positive school climate that supports student achievement and well-being. This position includes the school’s multidistrict online program and ensures compliance with applicable OSPI online learning and Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) requirements. The principal is responsible for leading the broader DHHS model, including mastery-based learning, mentoring, student support systems, data reporting, technical systems, grants, state collaboration, and continuous improvement.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Lead Dishman Hills High School in alignment with district goals, school improvement priorities, and the school’s mission, vision, and core values.
• Promote a school culture grounded in belonging, self-discovery, personalized learning, perseverance, equity, and high expectations for all students.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with staff to create a culture of belonging, high expectations, and access to learning for all students.
• Promote and sustain a safe, welcoming school environment that supports students’ social, emotional, and academic success.
• Lead and sustain DHHS’s mastery-based learning model, including shared school wide outcomes, outcome targets, common rubrics, multiple evidence opportunities, feedback, revision, reassessment, and mastery-based grading practices.
• Ensure grading and assessment practices reflect current student mastery.
• Support implementation of project-based learning, culturally responsive and sustaining education, student voice and choice, and personalized learning pathways.
• Ensure compliance with Washington State ALE laws, including WAC 392-121-182.
• Oversee the development and implementation of Written Student Learning Plans (WSLPs) for all ALE students.
• Oversee the school’s multidistrict online program and ensure compliance with OSPI online learning requirements, approval processes, reporting expectations, and district procedures.
• Monitor the accuracy of online learning and ALE-related reporting, including CEDARS, P223, enrollment, attendance, and out-of-district choice documentation.
• Lead preparation for and response to OSPI compliance reviews, and ensure ALE courses and materials meet state standards and district requirements.
• Collaborate with OSPI, the Washington State Board of Education, district leaders, and other partners related to online learning, ALE, mastery-based learning, grants, legal changes, reporting, and program development.
• Supervise and support staff effectively planning and delivering in-person, virtual, hybrid, and individualized instruction.
• Oversee student support systems, including attendance monitoring, Student Support Team processes, student logs, re-engagement supports, and coordinated academic, behavioral, and social-emotional interventions.
• Provide instructional leadership by setting high expectations aligned to district priorities, state standards, DHHS shared outcomes and targets, and student needs.
• Lead implementation of evidence-based, standards-aligned instructional practices and a guaranteed and viable curriculum.
• Use data to guide decision-making, monitor student progress, identify trends and support differentiated instruction, and improve student outcomes.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement through teacher leadership, coaching, feedback, and professional learning.
• Lead the continued implementation of strong Professional Learning Communities focused on curriculum alignment, student data, mastery-based practices, Tier 1 supports, whole-child learning, and continuous improvement.
• Supervise, evaluate, and support staff using district frameworks and performance systems.
• Lead inclusive and equitable programs for students receiving special education, multilingual services, 504 supports, and other student services.
• Engage families and community partners to support student learning, engagement, re-engagement, and school improvement.
• Promote the school’s success and serve as a visible, accessible and empathetic leader.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with all stakeholders and district leadership.
• Run, analyze, and communicate reports to support student intervention, staff collaboration, compliance, grant reporting, and school improvement.
• Oversee student activities and ensure compliance with district policies, professional standards, and labor agreements.
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned.

Requirements

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in supporting and advocating for the success of students with diverse needs.
• Experience leading or working in an Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) or non-traditional high school setting.
• Experience implementing personalized, project-based, competency-based, virtual, or blended learning models.
• Demonstrated success improving student outcomes through data-driven leadership and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Washington State K-12 Principal Certification, or the ability to obtain one, no later than the first working day.
• Master’s Degree with a major in educational administration or education leadership.
• Three years of successful credentialed experience at the secondary level.
• Successful Washington State Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation Fingerprint Clearance.
• Completion of all district-required training within thirty (30) calendar days from the hire date.