Middle School Principal (FY28)

Woodland School District 50; United States; On-site; USD 115,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Woodland School District 50 is seeking a Middle School Principal (Grades 6-8) at Woodland Middle School. The successful candidate will lead curriculum, instruction, MTSS, and staff development to maximize student growth in a collaborative, equitable environment.

July 1, 2027 start date; salary range $115,000–$140,000 with 260-day exempt calendar. Responsibilities include establishing a shared vision, building positive relationships with families, and ensuring safe, inclusive learning spaces

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of school leadership experience and four (4) years of teaching or school support personnel experience in a public-school setting (preferably at the middle school, junior high, or upper elementary levels).
• Five (5) years of principal experience in a public middle school, demonstrated expertise in middle level philosophy, and Spanish proficiency.

Responsibilities

• -Works with staff, students, families, and community members to build a shared, student-centered middle school vision that ensures all learners are on the path to high school, college, and career readiness.
• -Ensures that the distinct identity and developmental needs of young adolescents drive all school decisions and goals.
• -Conducts timely conversations with staff based on academic and social-emotional performance data to enhance learning outcomes.
• -Creates and maintains a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and orderly learning environment that proactively addresses school safety and student discipline.
• -Develops and monitors schoolwide goals allocating personnel, time, and budgetary resources to support middle-level instructional priorities.
• -Oversees organizational structures, master scheduling, and modern educational technologies.
• -Establishes a rigorous, standards-based curriculum tailored for middle school learners; evaluates instruction and staff performance; supports MTSS and special education needs.
• -Facilitates job-embedded PLC experiences for instructional teams.
• -Engages families as partners and collaborates with community and district partners to expand learning opportunities.

Education

Master's Degree in Educational Leadership or School Administration

Doctorate in Educational Leadership or related field

Professional Educator License (PEL) with General Administrative Endorsement (K-12)

Job description

Position Type

Administration

Position Title

Middle School Principal (Grades 6-8)

Date Posted

October 16, 2026

Location

Woodland Middle School

Date Available

July 1, 2027

Reports To

Superintendent of Schools

Primary Function

To provide strategic, collaborative, and educational leadership for students in grades 6 through 8 by utilizing administrative and supervisory skills to ensure the academic, social, emotional, and physical development of every young adolescent. The Middle School Principal serves as the chief educational and administrative leader of the school, charged with creating a responsive, challenging, empowering, equitable, and engaging learning environment. The principal spends the majority of their time on curriculum, instruction, and staff development to maximize student growth and teacher effectiveness.

Qualifications

• 1. License: A. Required: Professional Educator License (PEL) with a General Administrative Endorsement (K-12). Qualified Illinois Teacher and Administrator Evaluator.
• 2. Education: A. Required: Master's Degree in Educational Leadership or School Administration B. Preferred: Doctorate in Educational Leadership or related field.
• 3. Experience: A. Required: Five (5) years of school leadership experience and four (4) years of teaching or school support personnel experience in a public-school setting (preferably at the middle school, junior high, or upper elementary levels). B. Preferred: Five (5) years of principal experience in a public middle school, demonstrated expertise in middle level philosophy, and Spanish proficiency.

Essential Performance Responsibilities

Living a Mission and Vision Focused on Results

• -Works with staff, students, families, and community members to build a shared, student-centered middle school vision that ensures all learners are on the path to high school, college, and career readiness.
• -Ensures that the distinct identity and developmental needs of young adolescents drive all school decisions and goals.
• -Conducts timely conversations with staff based on academic and social-emotional performance data to enhance learning outcomes.

Leading and Managing Systems Change

• -Creates and maintains a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and orderly learning environment that proactively addresses school safety and student discipline.
• -Develops and monitors schoolwide goals allocating personnel, time, and budgetary resources to support middle-level instructional priorities.
• -Oversees organizational structures, master scheduling (including team teaching, advisory, and interdisciplinary blocks), and modern educational technologies.

Improving Teaching and Learning

• -Serves as the primary instructional leader, establishing a rigorous, exploratory, integrative, and standards-based curriculum tailored for middle school learners.
• -Evaluates instruction and teacher performance through frequent observations, providing timely feedback aligned with district evaluation systems.
• -Evaluates support staff and provides timely feedback.
• -Establishes a continuous cycle of improvement using multiple assessment forms to differentiate instruction and support Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and special education needs.
• -Facilitates relevant, job-embedded professional learning community (PLC) experiences for instructional teams.

Building and Maintaining Collaborative Relationships

• -Engages families as valued partners in their children's education through clear, proactive communication systems.
• -Collaborates with community, business, and district partners to expand learning opportunities and support student success.
• -Establishes advisory structures ensuring every student has an adult advocate within the school.

Leading with Integrity and Professionalism

• -Fosters a culturally responsive school environment that treats all individuals equitably, respectfully, and with dignity.
• -Protects the rights, safety, and confidentiality of all students and staff members.
• -Models high ethical standards, transparency, and personal accountability in all professional interactions.

Creating and Sustaining a Culture of High Expectations

• -Cultivates high expectations for student achievement and adult performance while supporting health, wellness, and social-emotional competence school-wide.
• -Implements equitable, unbiased, and restorative student behavioral interventions.

Managerial & Administrative Responsibilities

• -Curriculum & Instruction: Leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of middle school curricular programs, extracurricular activities, and guidance services.
• -Staff Supervision: Recruits, interviews, hires, assigns, trains, and evaluates professional, paraprofessional, and support personnel. Leads a team of assistant principals.
• -Operations & Safety: Manages school budgets, student activity funds, building maintenance, emergency preparedness plans, busing, and lunch programs in coordination with district office administration.
• -Record Keeping: Oversees attendance, registration, student records, and required local, state, or federal reporting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Planning & Pedagogy

Deep knowledge of middle school child development, active/inquiry-based pedagogy, and differentiated instruction.

Planning and Preparation

Organize instruction and learning activities grounded in a strong understanding of curriculum, content standards, and individual student needs; Develop and adapt lessons, units and learning materials that are responsive to students' strengths, interests, and cultural identities; Take significant ownership of designing and implementing instructional plans, either through original creation or adaptation of existing resources; Engage in data-informed planning to ensure equitable access to learning of all students

Learning Environments

Establish and maintain a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment that fosters students well-being and academic success; Recognize and respond to the individual identities, including race and culture, of each student to create a sense of belonging; Promote social-emotional learning, encourage academic risk-taking, and support positive behavioral and learning mindsets; Building strong, trusting relationships with students that serve as the foundation for a positive and effective learning environment

Learning Experiences

Design and deliver engaging, standards-aligned learning experiences that promote deep understanding, critical thinking, and purposeful learning; Ensure instruction is relevant, meaningful, and connected to students' lives, aspirations, and diverse identities; Differentiate instruction to meet varied learning needs, and provide appropriate supports and challenges for all students; Collaborate with students in co-creating a community of learners where everyone is affirmed, empowered, and held to high expectations

Principled Teaching

Commit to continuous personal and professional growth through reflection, collaboration, and data-driven improvement; Contribute positively to the school and district community, modeling ethical, equitable, and student-centered practices; Build strong partnerships with families and the broader community to support holistic student development; Advocate for the success of each student, particularly those whose identities and potential have not yet been fully affirmed or realized in schools; Demonstrate resilience, integrity, and a deep sense of purpose in service of students' long-term success

Technical: Proficient in student information systems, Google Suite, learning management platforms, and data analysis software.

Interpersonal: Strong collaborative, crisis management, and conflict-resolution skills; skilled at communicating complex educational matters effectively to diverse audiences. Additional Info Ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with staff, parents, students, businesses and community. Must have strong organization, communication and interpersonal skills; and a strong sense of teamwork. Must be able to cope with deadline pressures; make difficult decisions that impact the organization in a positive sense; work harmoniously with the community, students, parents, staff, and administration, etc.; communicate effectively with students, parents and staff; and exhibit sound judgment in dealing with people. Must also be a creative problem solver; and empathetic, humanistic and open-minded. Embraces change, maintains a collaborative spirit, and approaches interactions with approachability and respect.

District Core Competencies

1. Supports the establishment of mutual respect and equal human dignity across the entire school community.
2. Welcomes and promotes inclusion, equity, and diversity.
3. Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to the success and developmental growth of all students.
4. Understands that one's identity may be different from students, parents, and staff. Appreciates those differences for the success of all students.
5. Works collaboratively and respectfully with students, parents, staff and community members across diverse identities and backgrounds.
6. Anticipates, identifies, and adapts to change in support of continuous improvement.
7. Communicates in an approachable, respectful and professional manner.
8. Participates in professional development and training to enhance effectiveness.
9. Takes initiative, manages multiple priorities, and organizes work efficiently.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions

Manual Dexterity: Work requires definite skilled and accurate physical operations requiring some closely coordination performance.

Physical Effort: Light to moderate physical effort, including moving across a large middle school building, climbing stairs, and occasionally lifting up to 20-30 pounds.

Working Conditions: Standard office and middle school environments; frequent exposure to high-noise settings (cafeterias, gymnasiums, hallways). Must be flexible to attend evening events, board meetings, and extracurricular activities as needed. Must be available to work nights and weekends as needed, especially in an emergency. Must also be available to attend events outside of the district as needed. Must be available to travel to schools, meetings, and conferences as needed.

Terms of Employment

Exempt, Full-Time 260-Day non-union position.

Salary Range

$115,000-$140,000

Evaluation

Conducted annually by the Superintendent of Schools in accordance with Board Policy and Illinois State Code. This description has been prepared to assist in properly evaluating various classes of responsibilities, skills, working conditions, etc. It is intended to indicate the kinds of tasks and characteristic levels of work difficulty that will be required of positions that will be given this title. It is not intended as a complete list of specific duties and responsibilities. Nor is it intended to limit, or in any way modify the right of the supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision. Scheduling flexibility is required to accommodate changing school/district needs. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned that are of similar kind or level of difficulty.

Contact Persons

Dr. Robert Machak

Superintendent of Schools

[e-mail]

847-596-5601

Application Deadline

November 20, 2026. Applications reviewed upon receipt

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Woodland School District 50 is an Equal Opportunity Employer with established policies prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, ancestry, marital status,arrest record, military status, order of protection status, unfavorable military discharge, citizenship status provided the individual is authorized to work in the United States, use of lawful products while not at work, being a victim of domestic or sexual violence, genetic information, physical or mental handicap or disability, if otherwise able to perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, or other legally protected categories. The Associate Superintendent of Educational Services (847-596-5631) addresses questions regarding student discrimination and serves as the District's Title IX Coordinator, and the Executive Director of Human Resources (847-596-5640) answers questions concerning employment discrimination.