Job Description

About the School

Cristo Rey Charleston High School is a college preparatory, Catholic school for students of all faiths, that will educate young people of limited resources to become persons of faith, purpose, and service. Cristo Rey Charleston is the 42nd Cristo Rey model school in the United States and will welcome the founding class of students in August of 2026. The school will be located in North Charleston, SC and will serve approximately 400 students in grades 9-12 from across the greater Charleston area. Each student participates in the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), an integral part of the Cristo Rey model in which every student works one day a week throughout their four years at the school. The one day per week students are at work, teachers have extended planning and collaboration opportunities.

Mission: Cristo Rey Charleston High School, a Catholic college preparatory school open to students

of all faiths, delivers rigorous academics and real-world work experience to students from families

with limited resources. Our goal is clear: to ensure every student is accepted into college and

supported through graduation and beyond.

Vision: Cristo Rey Charleston strives for a world where our students, guided by God’s love and

grace, use their talents to create positive change and serve others.

Responsibilities

Cristo Rey Charleston High School Ideal Job Candidate

Cristo Rey Charleston attracts and hires capable individuals of character who are called to cultivate

the God-given talents within each student. We've chosen to answer the call because we are

committed to helping develop students who will impact the world through showcasing their

excellence.

An ideal candidate should have an appreciation of the school’s mission, a commitment to the values of Catholic education, and be comfortable modeling an active and inspiring faith life for all in the community.

Founding Principal

Position Summary

Cristo Rey Charleston High School seeks a Catholic, mission-driven, innovative, collaborative,

student focused, and community-centered Principal to serve as the academic and educational leader.

The Founding Principal reports directly to the school’s President and serves as a critical member of

the school’s senior leadership team. As the Founding Principal, you will have an opportunity to build and develop one of Charleston’s most unique educational institutions and shape the future leaders of our community.

Primary Responsibilities

Catholic Identity and Cristo Rey Mission

● Responsible for fostering a culture of academic excellence and Gospel values. Advances a

spirit conducive to prayer and study across the school community.

● Actively work to create a loving environment that is focused on what is best for students.

Ensure that all members of the school community are treated fairly, equitably, and with respect

and compassion; positively support all stakeholders.

● Actively participate in and support the school's leadership team; promote and support the

importance of integrating academics with the Corporate Work Study Program as part of a

college preparatory experience; ensure clear communication of shared expectations for

students.

● Work with the school's Catholic endorser, Cristo Rey Institute, to develop and sustain the

school's identity as a Catholic School for students of all faiths.

Instructional Leadership

● Serve as the lead learner in the building: provide personal and visible leadership to all

members of the learning community and seek continuous improvement in a student-centric

environment.

● Improve Teaching and Learning: Oversee and support intellectually rigorous and coherent

systems of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to promote each student’s academic

success and well-being. This includes curriculum alignment to academic standards; regular

cycles of observation and feedback for individual coaching; professional learning, aligned to

the school’s Academic Vision, for all faculty.

● Establish a shared understanding of team (grade level, content, and all faculty) purpose and

effective team practices, observe and coach teams, and distribute leadership to teams.

● Lead the implementation of school-wide formative/interim assessments, analysis of data,

and monitoring of student progress; identify and prioritize needs and determine team and

individual interventions; communicate academic data to stakeholders.

School Culture and Family Involvement

● Foster and promote a school culture, rooted in relationships, that values diversity and the

unique gifts that all staff, students and families bring to the school community.

● Ensure that parents are welcomed and acknowledged as partners with the school. Develop

and implement strategies for meaningful and reciprocal family and community engagement.

● Cultivate a positive school culture defined by shared purpose and vision, high expectations,

professionalism, and accountability to ensure the success and well-being of each student.

● Serve as a model of the school’s values and mindsets and hold self and others accountable to

maintaining high standards and high support; actively promote the regular exchange of

affirming and constructive feedback among members of the school’s staff.

● Work with the school staff and community to create and implement the necessary systems to

ensure a safe and productive environment and that support the ongoing achievement of

School and Network improvement priorities.

Strategic Planning

● Lead the school community to develop a detailed, concrete, and compelling vision for

excellence that encompasses academics, school culture, community engagement, alumni

engagement (when applicable), and partnership with the Corporate Work Study Program. This

vision must reflect a critical understanding of the students’ varied cultural identities, along with

the school’s Catholic identity; consult with the President and other stakeholders to incorporate

their understanding of the school’s context and to secure their investment in the school’s vision

for excellence.

● In consultation with the President and other key stakeholders, develop a multi-year strategic

plan that is aligned to the school’s shared vision of excellence, that leverages the resources of

the Cristo Rey Network, and incorporates knowledge of current realities and progress-to-goals.

● Predict the needs of staff, students, and families in pursuing the strategic plan, adjusting over

time, as necessary; anticipate barriers, and develop measures of effectiveness and plan for

contingencies.

● Design and execute processes and systems for progress-monitoring with goals and metrics

across all critical areas of the strategic plan.

● Establish concrete, ambitious, meaningful medium- and long-term goals that serve as

qualitative and quantitative indicators of students’ college-readiness.

Developing Professional Capacity of Instructional and Student Support Personnel

● Directs the recruitment, selection, and retention of faculty, assistant principals, other

instructional and extracurricular staff who are best fitted to the mission of the school.

● Develops the professional capacity and practice of school personnel to promote each student’s

academic success and well-being.

Qualifications

Master’s Degree or higher

● Minimum five years experience in high school leadership position, including teacher

observation and coaching; Minimum 3 years of high school teaching experience

● Commitment to Catholic education, demonstrated ability to serve as a faith leader

● Demonstrated commitment to working with diverse communities and proven experience

working with individuals and families from limited resource communities

● Principal’s license (or commitment to complete licensure within one year of hire)

● Fluency in Spanish preferred

How to Apply

● Cover Letter (not longer than one page).

● Resume

● References: Please include 3 professional references

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Cristo Rey Charleston High School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions,

policies, and practices are made in accordance with applicable federal, state and local anti-

discrimination laws. Cristo Rey Charleston will not engage or tolerate unlawful discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, creed, color, religion, alienage or national origin, ancestry, age, disability or handicap, sex, marital status, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other characteristics.

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