[2025 - 2026] KIPP Gaston Principal in Residence

Company Description

Every School. Every Student. Every Day.

The Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) North Carolina is a network of eight tuition-free, college-preparatory public charter schools serving approximately 3,000 students in grades K-12 across Durham, Halifax, Northampton, and Mecklenburg counties. At KIPP NC, we are dedicated to improving life outcomes for North Carolina’s children through the delivery of rigorous, research-based curricula and by paving the way for students to achieve their definition of success.

At KIPP, we recognize the critical role of Assistant Principals in fostering vibrant school communities and driving academic excellence. Assistant Principals are at the heart of our mission, serving as instructional leaders, culture-builders, and advocates for teachers and students alike. We celebrate the unique talents, leadership, and determination Assistant Principals bring to our schools, and we are committed to supporting their growth and impact.

Respect and collaboration are at the core of our approach. We value the leadership journeys of our Assistant Principals, offering competitive pay, benefits, and professional development tailored to their needs. Through mentorship, leadership opportunities, and a strong KIPP Team and Family network, we ensure Assistant Principals are empowered to grow as leaders and make a lasting difference in the lives of students and teachers.

Together, our students, schools, families, and communities share an ambitious vision: a future without limits. Join KIPP NC as an Assistant Principal and play a transformative role in shaping that future—one school, one student, every day.

Job Description

A Principal in Residence (PIR) is an Assistant Principal who aspires to be Principal preparing to lead a KIPP North Carolina school in two years. PIRs are committed to and actively contribute to the success of their placement school and KIPP North Carolina's ability to achieve our mission: together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.

As a Principal in Residence, leaders will:

• Act as a member of the school leadership team and gradually transition to school leadership responsibilities: The PIR’s role mirrors that of an assistant principal for the majority of the development program, namely: coaching and developing teachers, teacher leaders and deans and contributing to the overall academic and cultural vision of the school.  Towards the end of their time as a PIR, the role mirrors more of a school leader, with clear responsibilities fully owned by the PIR at the school level.

• Actively develop School Leader leadership skills & competencies: In addition to their school-based performance goals, PIRs regularly engage in on-the-job opportunities to develop the leadership skills and competencies needed to thrive as school leaders, outlined in a development roadmap. 

• Benefit from on-the-job mentorship: PIRs are supported in their development by a mentor school leader who acts as the coach and model for exceptional school leadership.

• Receive ongoing one-on-one coaching: PIRs also receive regular coaching from the regional Director of Leadership Development to support them in developing the mindsets and dispositions of highly effective leaders

• Readiness Checkpoints: Readiness checkpoints provide an opportunity for the PIR and support team to reflect on progress towards becoming a school leader.

• Formal Professional Development: PIRs will receive formal professional development aligned to KIPP NC’s leadership competencies and targeting specific developmental needs 

• Build & Engage Lifelines: PIRs will engage in all learning alongside a cohort of peers who will lead our schools in the coming years.

Key Responsibilities

1. Model and support implementation of the school’s vision and goals

• Supports development of School Leader’s school-wide vision and takes an active role in investing and mobilizing teachers to achieve the collective goals of the school; owns the implementation of select school priorities in support of the school-wide vision

• With guidance from the School Leader, leads the planning and goal setting for the grades/departments that he/she coaches and ensures alignment with school-wide goals

1. Contribute to school-wide planning and prioritize time to accomplish goals

   • Provides input into the strategic planning of the school, and identifies areas of ownership for self and direct reports

   • Effectively plan to meet goals through prioritization and excellent time management and coach others to do the same

2. Develop teacher and emerging leaders with School Leader’s guidance 

   • Leads grade level/department level collaboration and learning

   • Effectively manages and develops teachers of a wide range of skill and experience level by defining responsibilities, setting goals and providing ongoing high-impact feedback and support

   • Supports the School Leader in developing emerging teacher leaders through goal-setting, coaching and providing feedback

3. Model strong staff and student culture and manage school-wide behavioral systems 

   • Manages parts of the daily school operations (e.g. arrival/dismissal, lunch/recess) 

   • Acts as the first Leadership Team contact on student intervention and parent engagement and determines appropriate next steps

   • Supports teachers in understanding process and roles in student support and intervention and develops systems and structures to execute on those roles

   • Supports teachers in building an inclusive environment for all students

4. Collaborate with School Leader to hire and retain diverse, highly-effective staff

5. Build own and team’s content knowledge

   • Develops deep mastery over the academic standards, curriculum and assessments in the subjects/grades for which he/she/they coach 

   • Engages in self-driven, ongoing learning regarding curriculum, pedagogy, coaching and school leadership

   • Collaborates with content coaches to support teachers in instructing and assessing and connects teachers with relevant resources to improve their content knowledge and instruction

   • Identifies gaps across grade level or department and develops and executes strategies to close gaps

6. Develop and coach teachers

   • Leads data-driven instruction by analyzing homeroom specific and grade/department level data and developing and executing plans to address gaps and by helping teachers do the same thing for their classes

   • Provides high-quality instructional coaching by accurately diagnosing classroom instruction and providing frequent feedback for teachers across skill level; intensively coach new and struggling teachers with a range of coaching techniques 

   • Leads effective school-wide professional development

7. Model personal leadership traits

   • Embody personal leadership traits by building trusting relationships, reflecting on own identity, practicing strong self-care practices, demonstrating a growth mindset and remaining calmly committed to KIPP North Carolina’s mission and vision through difficult circumstances

Qualifications

Skills & Qualifications

• Possesses a deep commitment to improving the lives of kids from economically marginalized communities 

• Demonstrated ability to drive academic results directly and through others 

• Demonstrated leadership, management and coaching experience

• A combination of five years of teaching and school-level instructional experience (with a minimum of two years of school-level leadership experience in addition to the current school year) 

• At least one year of experience as an Assistant Principal or equivalent role 

• Experience teaching and/or coaching core subjects (Preferred)

Additional Information

Additional Information

• Hours are 7am - 5pm, Monday - Friday
• Curriculum, materials, and resources are provided
• School Leaders are 12 month employees and work through the summer
• Must be able to stand 8+ hours per day
• Must be able to lift 50+ lbs

Compensation

PIRs are Assistant Principals in a 1 - 2 year Leadership Development Program, so they are paid on the KIPP NC Assistant Principal Compensation Scale.

Assistant Principal Compensation Scale

• Healthcare (medical, vision, and dental) at no cost to individuals and deep discounts for dependents
• Enrollment in a retirement program with employer match
• On-going professional development opportunities:
  • Monthly Assistant Principal cohort meetings in-person and virtual
  • Support from Relay Graduate School of Education
  • Leadership coaches
• Generous time off:
  • Paid Time Off  (17 days PTO & 6 days sick leave annually)
  • Time off for all major national holidays (including Fall Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break)