Elementary School Principal

The American Embassy School, New Delhi

India and New Delhi have so much to offer to new residents. There are several historical and

cultural sites to visit within the city, along with beautiful parks, delicious food and friendly

people. There is a vibrant art scene, an expansive international community and rich cultural

undertones to daily life. Whether families are looking for adventure, culture, history, beaches,

mountains or community service opportunities there will be something for everyone in Incredible

India!

AES community members are fortunate to benefit from outstanding educators, plentiful resources

and a beautiful campus. New Delhi and India also provide excellent learning opportunities for

students and adults alike and AES makes a strong effort to assist our community members to

connect with an area of the world with a remarkably rich history.

Serving approximately 1120 international students and their families from across the globe. At

AES, we strive to provide authentic and relevant academic and co-curricular programs that

meet the needs of each student. We embrace collaboration, creativity and professionalism as

we model a joyful, balanced, learning environment for our students.

For more than 65 years, the motto at AES has been Enter to Learn. Leave to Serve. We take our

commitment seriously and have opportunities for students to not only understand and take

responsible action within the curriculum, but also a healthy extracurricular service club offering. In

addition, we have developed an infrastructure that invites and encourages students to identify areas

of need and develop additional programs in a student-inspired, student-initiated, student-run model.

The American Embassy School is a community of diverse learners. We celebrate the strength of our diversity and our commitment to nurturing a culture of belonging. All members of our school community actively support every learner’s academic, social and emotional growth.

Our faculty is experienced, inspirational and

innovative. The faculty comprises of members

from dozens of countries, equipped with a

wealth of knowledge and diverse teaching

experiences. Beyond excellence in our

classrooms, teachers continuously empower

our students to find their true selves through

challenge, service and exploration of their

passions and interests.

AES is known for its welcoming community

and facilitating the easiest transitions

possible. One of the best ways to adjust is

to get involved. Volunteering on campus,

working with an NGO, exploring Delhi,

taking a class, joining a club, playing a

sport, or getting involved in the arts – we

hope you’ll find the right fit for you. The

close ties between members of the AES

community is evident in the day-to-day

interaction. This is attributed to the many

volunteers of our Parent School Association

(PSA), who are dedicated to supporting the

students, faculty, staff and parents. There

are also many opportunities for parents to

play an active role in the AES community.

The Board of Governors is responsible for

making sure the American Embassy School

lives up to its mission to encourage the

joyful pursuit of excellence in all aspects of

a student’s education. The Board does this

by setting the strategic vision for the school

and creating school policies to turn that

vision into practice.

Our early childhood program is grounded in our school’s beliefs that each child is a unique

individual who develops at his/her own rate, that play is essential to a child’s academic, social

and emotional development, and that children thrive in an environment that is warm, caring and

rich with resources and opportunities.

In the Elementary School, we aspire for our students to be joyful, caring, inquisitive, thoughtful,

creative, responsible, respectful, honest, and persistent. The Elementary School works together

in grade-level teams. Each classroom has a full-time teaching assistant. Additional support for

our teachers includes planning together and co-teaching with their EAL teacher, Learning

support teacher, Counselor or Specialist teachers.

The average class size in Elementary School is 18.

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The Elementary School employs 65 faculty members of which 72% are U.S citizens.

The Elementary School Sood Library

houses over 35,000 books that are available

to AES students, families and teachers. The

library offers an extensive collection of

fiction, non-fiction and multilingual books in

a variety of formats—print and digital—as

well as access to online databases and

reading websites to support classroom

curriculum.

The Makerspace offers a wide variety of

hands-on activities (such as building,

computer programming, and even sewing)

to support academic learning. Through this

space, we encourage the development of a

mindset that values playfulness and

experimentation, growth and iteration, and

collaboration and community.

AES also has state-of-the-art sports

facilities including a 25-meter lap pool,

toddler pool, diving pool, 5 tennis courts, 2

gymnasiums, fitness room, basketball

courts (both indoor and outdoor), artificial

turf full-size playing field and a natural

playing field.

As part of our ongoing commitment to

innovation and following best practices,

AES installed the first open flexible learning

classroom in the 5th grade in 2018. The

success of the learning and collaboration

that took place here convinced us to

introduce these personalized learning

spaces throughout the school. We currently

have 4 grade level classrooms, 3 of which

are in the Elementary school

Students also enjoy specialized instruction in Art, Music, Library, PE and Indian Studies. AES

has a 1:1 iPad program in Grades K-5. We believe that technology integration needs to be

balanced, authentic and international. We focus on enabling AES students to be engaged,

responsible and balanced digital citizens.

Early Childhood Program

Our multiage Pre-Kindergarten program for

children 3 and 4 years of age and is inspired

by the principles of Reggio Emilia. We offer

an outstanding educational program that

allows each student to grow and be

challenged at their individual level of

readiness.

Restitution

The Elementary School has adopted

Restitution as the classroom discipline and

social development model. Restitution is

defined as: Creating the conditions for

people to fix their mistakes and return to the

group strengthened. Each year new

teachers complete Restitution training.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Students who need English support in

Grade 1–5 receive services from an EAL

specialist in the grade-level classroom. The

EAL specialist and the classroom teacher

co-plan and co-teach lessons to ensure all

students can succeed in the curriculum.

Approximately 28% of ES students receive

English as Additional Language support.

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Students in Grades KG–5 have the

opportunity to engage in various

after-school activities to augment their ES

experience. These extra-curricular activities

stand for the Power of Passion.Over 80

activities are offered and over 400 students

participate each quarter. Examples of

activities include:

● Sports: football/soccer, basketball,

tennis, yoga

● Arts: visual & performing arts

● Music: choir, guitar & string

instruments

● Culture: Bollywood dancing & Hindi

● Academics: math club, science club,

public speaking & journalism

Friendship and social skills contribute to students’ personal and learning success.

Social-emotional programs are integrated into the learning environment and our counselors

provide personal support to help students develop emotional intelligence.

Passion pursuit is key to innovation, creativity and problem-solving. Children can use their

imagination, find and develop their passions and have a choice in what they pursue.

The American Embassy School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and

Schools, and holds memberships in the Near East South Asia Council of International Schools.

Top five strengths of the Elementary School at the American Embassy School ( as per the

community survey )

1. Committed Teachers and Staff

2. Focus on 21st-century skills (collaboration, communication, critical thinking, creativity,

and global studies initiatives)

3. The welcoming community spirit

4. Small class sizes and a low student-teacher ratio

5. The school’s committed educational philosophy

Position Description

The Principal provides leadership and management necessary to ensure the success of the

school in fulfilling the Mission of the School. The Principal is the learning leader and

administrative head of the Elementary School. S/he is responsible for optimizing the learning of

all students and for the on-going improvement of the section. The Principal works collaboratively

with the Leadership Team of the school to live our Mission, model our Core Values, prioritize

our Vision, and develop a holistic teaching and learning program relevant to the challenges of

the 21st century

Preferred qualifications include:

● Holds a relevant M.A./M.Ed. or equivalent advanced degree

● Breadth of experiences in a range of US and/or international schools that have led to the

development of multiple lenses and perspectives related to contemporary practices,

including but not limited to: balanced literacy, standard-based learning, Multi-tiered

Systems of Support, English as an Additional Language, Socio-emotional learning,

flexible learning communities, data, and service.

● Has strong background in balanced literacy, inquiry- and standards-based education,

project-based learning, service-learning, differentiated and personalized systems of

teaching and learning, EAL, and/or willingness to learn;

● A strong understanding of collaboration using skills related to presenting, facilitating,

coaching and consulting in order to develop highly effective groups. Adaptive Schools

and Cognitive Coaching training preferred

● Has life experiences that demonstrate, among other things, a growth mindset, versatility,

adaptability, and resilience.

● Strong interest in living in South Asia

● Master’s Degree in educational leadership, administration, curriculum and

instruction or related field required

● Elementary teaching certification preferred

● Principal certification preferred

Top 5 personal characteristics or qualities that would be important for the ideal

Elementary Principal to possess? ( as per the community survey )

1. Fair and understanding, empathetic

2. Engaging, inspiring, motivational

3. Knowledgeable about modern educational trends and methods

4. Friendly, warm, genuine

5. “Backbone” & ability to make hard decisions

Top 5 professional experiences that would be important for the next Principal to have

had? ( as per the community survey )

1. Experience as a principal or assistant principal in a high-quality elementary program

2. International teaching or administrative experience

3. Collaboration, team-building

4. Effective communication

5. Strategic planning & development

Other Key attributes

To be a supportive team leader and player.

● To support the teachers to experiment and try new systems in our renovated teaching

environments and then make decisions based on what would work for teachers and

students. Experience, Reflect, Discuss and Implement.

● Someone who understands and has experience with an inclusive model for supporting

diverse learners, such as a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) which includes

social-emotional-behavioral supports, learning supports, counseling, EAL and other

systems.

● Service Learning

Easily accessible and knowledgeable.

Should be curious and easily adaptable.

Opportunities for the next Elementary School Principal include:

● Playing an important role in a dynamic, active school with a strong sense of purpose and

direction

● The support of a fully engaged Director and a strong administrative team that works well

together

● A capable faculty that appreciates the school's commitment to excellence in education

and to their own professional growth and development

● Supportive parents who are proud of their school

● A vibrant and welcoming community spirit

● A school with active programs both locally and internationally

● Living and working in Incredible India

Challenges for the next Elementary School Principal include:

● Taking the time to get to know the community and to make a smooth transition

● Guiding the faculty in adopting new teaching methods and programmatic structures that

strengthen educational experiences in our newly renovated, flexible and collaborative

learning spaces.

● Being a task-driven, detail-oriented, highly organized leader in helping to resolve current

areas of concern including fiscal sustainability, curricular alignment, and school climate

● Being a visible and vocal steward of AES traditions and unique identity as an

educational institution

● Being a willing and active participant in cross-divisional coordination and collaboration,

and being a team player and effective partner on the senior leadership team.

Position Responsibilities

Reporting to the School Director, guides and evaluates professional staff in the development

and continual review of curriculum and instructional methodology throughout the year; assists

the Director with the recruitment, selection and evaluation of professional staff, provides advice

and guidance to professional staff members on a wide variety of professional and personnel

related issues; oversees the registration and admissions of children; works with students, liaises

with parents and fosters communication with the community; manages respective school

budget; and coordinates school-wide administrative issues with other principals and the Director.

1. Instructional Leadership: Guides and evaluates professional staff in the development

and continual review of curriculum and instructional methodology throughout the year by:

● developing school-wide and individual goals and objectives with the professional staff;

● informing professional staff of both strengths and weaknesses of their work and

ensuring that useful support and assistance are available to professional staff

members to improve the quality of teaching;

● discussing with teachers effective methods consistent with the practices of the

individual school and observing classroom learning and student work;

● communicating the importance of curriculum to students, teachers and parents;

● encouraging reflection;

● establishing and maintaining communication with lead teachers and teachers

concerning ongoing curricular issues;

● training teachers regarding the evaluation of teacher assistants, when applicable.

2. Human Resource Leadership: Assists the Director with the recruitment, evaluation and

retention of professional staff by:

● advertising formally and/or informally to attract well qualified local candidates to apply

for vacancies as they occur;

● interviewing, evaluating documentation, and appointing local professional staff;

● working with and giving input to the Director for interviewing, evaluating

documentation and references and hiring overseas hire candidates;

● ensuring that all professional staff receive orientation and support sufficient for them

to work effectively; modeling the professional and personal qualities the school aims

to foster in employees;

● ensuring that employees carry out the educational mission, philosophy, policies and

procedures of the school;

● incorporating teachers’ curricular roles and responsibilities into their professional

evaluations;

● leading professional staff in upholding high standards of professional behavior and

responding immediately in situations that are harmful to children or to the school;

3. Operational and Organizational Leadership: Provides advice and guidance to

professional staff members on a wide variety of professional and personnel related issues

and manages respective school budget and coordinates school-wide administrative

issues with other principals and the Director by:

● devoting sufficient attention and resources to ensure that day to day matters are

handled expeditiously;

● ensuring that all board policies and administrative procedures are clearly articulated;

● working towards achieving high standards of pupil achievement and behavior;

● encouraging and challenging professional staff to initiate curriculum improvement in

line with the school's instructional program;

● mentoring/coaching faculty in the understanding and delivery of the curriculum;

● continually examining the instructional program to make the curriculum appropriate for

the student body;

● providing the necessary time and resources and creating structures to foster staff

collaboration on curriculum and program development;

● working with curriculum and other specialists in scheduling, organizing and

implementing effective programs;

● coordinating professional development opportunities with fellow administrators and

with professional staff;

● works with other administrators, program directors and lead teachers on the adoption

of curriculum programs and materials to be utilized;

● meeting weekly with the Director and other administrators to consult and keep up to

date on school policy and procedures;

● preparing monthly checklists/tickler file to provide a record from year to year of

activities and especially to assist during transition periods;

● scheduling classes and the assignment of responsibilities each school year;

● allocating resources in support of the curriculum;

● serving on Board sub-committees as assigned.

4. Pastoral Leadership: Oversees the registration and admission of new students through

the counselors and other appropriate specialists (eg. Admissions, EAL, Learning Center);

as well as on-going counseling services provided at the school.

● develops the master schedule, as appropriate, in coordination with the Assistant

Principal, guidance counselors and others;

● Coordinates with the counselors in preparation of a standardized testing program for

students by contracting for necessary scoring services, interpreting testing results to

the Board and making recommendations pertaining to curriculum based upon

indications of testing;

● supervises the guidance counselors.

5. Community Relations and Communication: Works with students, liaises with parents

and fosters communication with the community by:

● enhancing the school's image by being as visible as possible and interacting with

students during each school day;

● counseling parents with the assistance of the guidance counselor about children who

have academic and/or personal adjustment problems or exceptional talents;

● arranging and participating in student support conferences;

● maintaining accurate records of meetings/conferences/conversations for future

reference;

● communicating the school philosophy, curriculum and requirements to parents and

others;

● sharing information about upcoming school events ;

● showing sensitivity to the host country and encouraging faculty and students to do the

same.

6. Performs other duties not specified above as assigned by the Director or as needed by the

division such as:

● managing respective school budget and coordinating school-wide administrative

issues with other principals and the Director by meeting weekly with the Director and

other administrators to consult and keep up to date on school policy and procedures;

● preparing monthly check lists/tickler file to provide a record from year to year of

activities and especially to assist during transition periods;

● scheduling classes and the assignment of responsibilities each school year;

● allocating resources in support of the curriculum;

● serving on Board sub-committees as assigned;

● Handling special projects, e.g. introducing office automation, serving on task forces,

etc;

● overseeing/supervising whole school events as required;

● administers the operation of the school offices and office support staff.

Additional information about the school may be found at the AES website: aes.ac.in

Application Instructions: If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please send a resume,

cover letter, personal statement, and reference list (as separate documents) to John Faubert

(john.faubert@carneysandoe.com) or Sloane Meyer (sloane.meyer@carneysandoe.com). Please

do not contact the school directly.

NOTE: Candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible. In the event of an outstanding

applicant, AES reserves the right to make an appointment before the closing date for

applications.