Principal, William Allen High School, Allentown School District

About Allentown School District

Allentown School District (ASD) is one of the largest K-12 districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, proudly serving approximately 16,700 students across 25 schools. Founded in 1828, the district is a dynamic, thriving and diverse place where over 25 languages are spoken. With a vision of being a learning community that cultivates positive relationships and offers rigorous and meaningful curricula, and a mission of meeting the unique educational needs of each student by igniting their passion for learning and fostering an academic culture, the 2,500 teachers and staff at ASD take pride in their central role in shaping the future by nurturing the minds of students through an unparalleled educational experience. 

About the Principal of William Allen High School

Officially known as William Allen High School since 1960,  William Allen High School boasts a long and proud history going back to 1858. Allen High School currently serves approximately 3000 students and 200 staff members across a campus of six buildings. The Principal of William Allen High School is a transformational leader responsible for driving student achievement, building a high-performing school culture, and leading the turnaround of a high-needs urban school. This leader will collaborate with staff, families, and the broader community to ensure every student has a clear pathway to college or post-secondary success.

What You’ll Do (“Key Responsibilities”)

• Drive student achievement by measuring individual growth and ensuring every student has a clear pathway to college or post-secondary education.
• Lead the turnaround of an underperforming school by designing and executing bold, data-informed strategies to dramatically improve outcomes.
• Build and sustain a positive school culture and climate that supports the whole child and fosters high expectations for all.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing staff and leadership team through coaching, meaningful evaluation, and professional development.
• Use real-time data and research to drive instructional decisions, including reviewing early warning systems, quarterly data reports, and school improvement plan progress.
• Design and implement a rigorous, fair, and transparent staff evaluation system that uses student growth data as a significant factor.
• Collaborate with parents, community members, district administrators, and external stakeholders to accelerate student achievement through innovative strategies.
• Oversee curriculum design and ensure full alignment to standards, assessments, and instructional resources through the Standards Aligned Systems (SAS) platform.
• Manage school operations including discipline, attendance, scheduling, records, and grade reporting in alignment with district policies.
• Administer programs for students with special needs, English language learners, and other specialized student populations.
• Coordinate Title I funds and grant resources in alignment with the district’s strategic plan and student achievement data.
• Supervise and evaluate extracurricular programs through regular attendance and structured review.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the school, families, colleges, community organizations, and the broader public.

Requirements

Skills You’ll Need to be Successful (“Core Competencies”)

Visionary Leadership

• Ability to inspire a shared vision and create a culture of high achievement and continuous improvement.
• Proven track record leading school turnaround or transformation efforts in an urban or high-needs environment.
• Comfortable taking calculated risks with a “do whatever it takes” mindset to transform school performance.

Instructional Expertise

• Deep knowledge of curriculum development, instructional best practices, and data-driven decision making.
• Experience conducting meaningful classroom observations and translating findings into targeted staff growth.

People & Communication

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to manage difficult or emotional situations with professionalism and calm.
• Clear, persuasive written and oral communicator across diverse audiences including staff, families, and community.
• Builds trust, welcomes feedback, and fosters a culture of collaboration and shared decision making.

Organizational & Strategic Thinking

• Sets aggressive, transparent goals and holds self and others accountable to measurable results.
• Manages budgets responsibly and aligns resources to strategic school and district priorities.
• Skilled problem solver, able to define issues, gathers data, and develops actionable plans for improvement.

Personal Character

• High integrity, strong work ethic, and deep commitment to equity and educational excellence.
• Culturally responsive leader with genuine respect and sensitivity for diversity and inclusion.
• Reliable, punctual, and committed to the sustained effort required to lead a high-needs school.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree with a major in educational leadership, educational supervision, or a related field from an accredited college or university; Doctorate preferred.
• Eligible or hold a Pennsylvania Principal Certification.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience as a school administrator, preferable in an urban, turnaround, and/or high-needs environment.
• Satisfactory work record & criminal/child abuse clearances (Acts 34 and 151).
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collect and analyze data to drive improvement.
• Bilingual in Spanish preferred.
• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits

Salary range for this integral leadership position is between $132,000 to $185,000 and commensurate with prior experience. In addition, a comprehensive benefits package will be included in the ultimate offer for the identified sole finalist. We look forward to discussing details with you as the interview process progresses.