Principal – Elementary School

Position:  Somerset Elementary School Principal

Work Schedule:  230 Days, Full-time

Start Date:  July 1, 2026

Salary & Benefits: available per the principal master agreement

School Overview

Somerset Elementary School serves a diverse student body of approximately 400 students in grades K-4.  It is blessed to have a strong Setting III Special Education program that prioritizes inclusion. The school is a close-knit, family-like school community where students, staff, and families feel deeply connected and supported. The school is grounded in a strong commitment to inclusivity and equity, ensuring that every student—regardless of background—feels valued, respected, and able to thrive. Somerset’s dedicated, highly professional staff are student-centered and work collaboratively to create a positive, engaging learning environment. High academic and behavioral expectations are paired with thoughtful support systems, balancing excellence with empathy. Above all, Somerset is known for its warm, welcoming culture rooted in kindness, strong relationships, and a shared belief in the potential of every child.

This is an excellent opportunity for an equity-focused instructional leader who works collaboratively with staff, students, and families to build a strong, inclusive, and supportive community both within the school and beyond its walls, and is dedicated to high achievement for all.

School Leader Profile:

-Commitment to Equity and Inclusion: is an advocate, takes courageous action to remove barriers to access and participation, and creates a welcoming school environment where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging.

-Student-Centered and Focused on Instructional Improvement: visible in classrooms, provides coaching and feedback, focused on best practice pedagogy, data savvy, and dedicated to both academic and personal growth for all students.

-Strong Communicator who is Highly Collaborative: clear, consistent, and transparent, navigates difficult conversations gracefully, a listener, problem-solver, empowers others, shares leadership and decision-making.

-Relationship Builder:  kind, compassionate, caring, empathetic, trustworthy, and visible.

-Community-Oriented: engaged with families and the community, creates and sustains partnerships, visible.

Summary:

The Somerset Elementary School Principal leads collaboratively to improve outcomes for all students while closing achievement, opportunity, and participation gaps.  A key area of work includes providing leadership and support to various collaborative teams, programs, committees, and individual teachers and staff.  Further, the principal builds and maintains a positive school climate and culture with students and staff.

Primary Responsibilities as Part of the Administrative Team:

-Lead and collaborate with others on the school implementation of the District 197 Strategic Plan.
-Lead and collaborate with others on the development, implementation, and evaluation of the school improvement plan.
-Lead and collaborate with others on the school implementation of district curriculum, instructional commitments, and assessments.
-Lead and support various school committees and programs
-Develop and maintain a safe and welcoming school environment
-Interpret and enforce school district policies and procedures
-Recruit, hire, support, develop, supervise, and evaluate staff
-Support student social, emotional, behavioral, and academic learning and development
-Supervise school activities
-Serve as part of the district leadership team and on district and community committees
-Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:

-MN K-12 administrative license
-Ability to build strong relationships with students, families, staff, and community
-Must be an instructional leader knowledgeable in best practices for learning and instruction
-Ability to support and facilitate site professional learning focused on continuous improvement
-Demonstrates an understanding of their own identity and intercultural competence
-Leads with an equity lens to close learning and opportunity gaps and address disproportionality
-Demonstrates ability to lead change, have courageous conversations, resolve conflicts, and a commitment to implementing data-informed decisions
-Commitment to developing an equitable culture, systems, and practices
-Experience working with a discipline philosophy that is focused on validating and affirming student differences while maintaining a safe, focused, and supportive learning environment
-Reflective, receptive to feedback
-Shows effective skills in staff motivation, supervision, curriculum development, and site management
-Possesses excellent public relations, communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills
-A compassionate leader with integrity
-Ability to plan and organize work effectively, and plan and supervise the work of others
-Knowledgeable in standards and curriculum, fiscal management, and education law
Desired Qualifications: 

-Bilingual
-Leadership experience in the field of education
-Teaching experience at the elementary level
-Proven successful experiences leading in a setting comprised of a diverse student population
-Strong collaborator and communicator who demonstrates effective communication with diverse student, teacher, parent and community populations
-A proven commitment to community service and the ability to develop community partnerships
-Proven experience in providing meaningful recognition and support to staff and students

The duties of this position may change from time to time. ISD 197 reserves the right to add or delete duties and responsibilities at their discretion. The job description is intended to describe the general level of work being performed. It is not intended to be all-inclusive