Longfellow Elementary Principal Salida School District

Fremont Economic Development Corporation; Salida (CO); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Flexible Work Schedule

Paid Time Off (PTO)

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Professional Development & Support

PERA Retirement

Job summary

A local school district in Salida, Colorado, is looking for a dynamic leader to manage Longfellow Elementary. The candidate must have a Master’s in Education and experience in elementary teaching. Responsibilities include staff supervision, budget management, and community engagement. The district prides itself on a supportive community and a commitment to student success, offering benefits like health insurance and flexible schedules.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Education required.
• Experience in elementary school teaching is essential.
• Instructional coaching certification appreciated.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and evaluate performance of staff.
• Provide job coaching to enhance professional growth.
• Ensure campus safety and health.

Skills

Computer skills including Microsoft Office, Excel and Google Apps.

Organizational skills and attention to detail.

Ability to collaborate with team members.

Leadership skills that support program objectives.

Possess successful experience in professional coaching.

Education

Master's Degree in Education

Elementary School Teaching Experience

Instructional Coaching Certification preferred

Job description

This position is for the 2026-2027 school year.

Welcome to the Salida School District! Click here to see what makes our schools special and why Salida is an amazing place to live.

Longfellow Elementary is home to 430 kindergarten through 4th grade students and 60 staff members. All of our staff follow the framework of “every kid safe, every kid learning, every kid loved” each day, and it is evident when you walk through our front doors. Longfellow has been recognized year after year with state recognition from a Colorado Succeeds Award to the Governor's Distinguished Improvement Award, demonstrating that we consistently exceed student growth expectations. Longfellow is successful because of the staff, families and community who come together to support our young learners. We partner with community organizations throughout the year to build skills and experiences for our students including bike and river safety, numerous sports offerings, field trips, chances to get to know our local fire and police friends, and literacy growth. We also have an exceptional parent/guardian volunteer association that supports our students and staff throughout the year.

We are looking for a dynamic leader to continue the success of Longfellow Elementary. We need a leader that can build upon the strong foundation of staff and programs. Our leaders must be able to navigate small town life, communicating and participating with our whole community. Helping staff, parents and community to work together to accomplish the work is essential by developing clear structures. The community and staff expect that instructional minutes are precious and should be protected. A strong early childhood system supports Longfellow's kindergarten through fourth grade programming. The K-4 model is not typical and we need a leader that is able to balance human development models with early math and literacy frameworks. With proven faculty in place the leader will need to sustain the building culture and develop ways to support professional development.

Salida Schools are more than a place for learning - they anchor the values and sense of belonging that define us as a community. With a philosophy of knowing every student by name, by need, and by connected adult, the district’s six schools serve over 1300 students from pre‑K through 12th grade and are the heart of our region. Salida School District R‑32‑J has been recognized with the District of Distinction honor multiple times since 2013, placing it in the top ten percent of schools in the state of Colorado. The District has created an SEL Framework that guides support to students as they show up as human beings and appropriate to their developmental stage. Salida Schools has also created a powerful partnership with Colorado Mountain College that supports concurrent enrollment classes, work‑based learning and internships, and associate degrees and professional credentials to our high school students.

The District has a stable leadership team that supports principals in ensuring their work is cogent with other programs. The Board of Education is stable and continues to emphasize student needs. The District is proud to be stable financially, continually increasing staff pay. Housing prices have increased the last few years similar to the rest of Colorado, reach out if you have questions about this. More information regarding District strategic planning efforts is available HERE. Recent Annual Reports for the District can be found HERE. Current salary schedule HERE. If you'd like the full job description, please click HERE or request at [e-mail].

Initial applications will be reviewed by faculty and staff the week of February 9th, and initial interviews will be set the week of February 16th. We look forward to reviewing your application.

REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications Required:

• Master's Degree in Education
• Elementary School Teaching Experience
• Instructional Coaching Certification preferred

Skills Preferred:

• Computer skills including Microsoft Office, Excel and Google Apps.
• Organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to collaborate with team members.
• Leadership skills that support program objectives.
• Possess successful experience in professional coaching.

Areas of Responsibility and Duties Specific to this Job:

• Supervise and evaluate the performance of staff assigned to campus including dean, teacher(s), counselor, librarian, instructional aides, clerical support staff, and day time custodian.
• Provide job coaching to ensure assigned staff are growing in professional acumen.
• Provide instructional leadership, staff supervision, and community engagement.
• Maintain a safe and healthy building.
• Communicate effectively and efficiently with all stakeholders.
• Comply with district policies and state and federal laws and regulations affecting the schools.
• Participate in all training required by the state of Colorado.
• Develop and maintain a campus budget based on needs, enrollment, and personnel.

Why Salida School District?

The award‑winning Salida School District is much more than a small rural mountain district. Salida Schools are recognized throughout the state as leaders and trendsetters in public education. With a philosophy of knowing every student by name and by need, the district’s six schools serve over 1,300 students from pre‑K through 12th grade and are the heart of Chaffee County. The community is built on a dedication to education, business development, the arts and culture, as well as health and wellness, all of which are vital components of our community. Come see what makes Salida so special.

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Flexible Work Schedule
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Professional Development & Support
• PERA Retirement

**Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee, time to time; the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. Click “View Application” below for more detail on this specific job.