Principal, High School
Pillar Care Continuum
Principal, High School – Pillar High School
Location: Livingston, NJ
Job Type: Full Time
Salary: $130,000.00 to $135,000.00
ABOUT PILLAR CARE CONTINUUM
Pillar Care Continuum is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities and other special needs by supporting personal growth, independence and participation in the community. Founded in 1953 to meet the needs of children with cerebral palsy and their families, Pillar Care has steadily grown and now delivers life-affirming services to infants, children, adults and their families throughout northern New Jersey through 27 program locations. Pillar Care provides specialized programs to meet a wide range of educational, therapeutic, and social needs of people with various disabilities. The agency serves over 1,650 families each year and employs 700 full- and part-time employees.
Pillar Elementary School and Pillar High School are separate facilities located in Livingston, NJ, with a shared philosophical approach to meeting the unique needs of students with a wide range of disabilities. Pillar Schools specialize in serving students with multiple and severe disabilities and medical challenges. Pillar Schools stress a rigorous and comprehensive therapy program and utilize state-of-the-art educational and assistive technology while maintaining a traditional academic environment.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Principal provides visionary, strategic, instructional, and operational leadership for Pillar High School. This highly visible leadership role offers the opportunity to shape an exceptional educational environment where students with disabilities can learn, grow, and achieve their fullest potential. The Principal sets the school’s direction, champions a safe, inclusive, and student-centered culture, and ensures excellence and compliance across all programs and services.
This role leads curriculum and instruction, student achievement, multidisciplinary services, staff development and performance, family and district partnerships, school operations, and fiscal stewardship. Working collaboratively with educators, clinicians, families, referring districts, and agency leadership, the Principal drives continuous improvement, strengthens educational outcomes, and advances Pillar Care’s mission of enhancing the lives of people with disabilities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic and Instructional Leadership
- Provide strategic and instructional leadership for the design, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of educational programs, instructional practices, curriculum, lesson plans, treatment plans, and individualized student goals.
- Establish short- and long-term school goals aligned with Pillar Care’s mission and strategic priorities; assess program effectiveness, efficiency, utilization, and outcomes; and drive measurable improvements in educational quality and student achievement.
Integrated Program and Regulatory Oversight
- Coordinate educational, clinical, medical, therapeutic, and operational services to deliver cohesive, student-centered programming; lead department and leadership meetings; and strengthen communication among staff, administrators, families, and referring school districts.
- Ensure full compliance with applicable New Jersey Department of Education, federal, state, and local requirements, including accurate, timely, and complete documentation, reporting, and recordkeeping.
Fiscal, Staff, and School Operations
- Develop, administer, and monitor the annual operating budget in alignment with organizational priorities and funding requirements; allocate resources responsibly; oversee expenditures and requisitions; participate in budget reviews and funding discussions; and ensure timely submission of required financial and statistical reports.
- Build staff capability through coaching, technical guidance, and professional development; partner with Quality Improvement, Compliance, and Training to identify learning needs, deliver targeted training, and strengthen competency, accountability, and performance.
- Direct school operations related to student attendance, transportation, required reporting, and safety; ensure timely completion of accident and incident reports and sustained compliance with internal and external health and safety standards.
Student Admissions and Quality Improvement
- Lead student admissions and placement activities, including record reviews, site visits, intake determinations, and initial and annual Individualized Education Program meetings, to evaluate program fit and support appropriate educational planning.
- Drive continuous quality improvement through program self-assessments, outcome monitoring, internal audits, stakeholder surveys, corrective action planning, and active participation in accreditation, licensing, and external review activities.
Stakeholder and Community Relations
- Represent Pillar High School professionally with students, families, referring districts, government agencies, community partners, and the public; participate in relevant local and state organizations; and remain current on developments affecting special education policy and practice.
- Address and resolve concerns, complaints, and operational issues promptly, fairly, and professionally; foster constructive problem-solving and participate in formal or informal dispute resolution when appropriate.
Executive and Agency Leadership
- Lead all aspects of school personnel management, including workforce planning, recruitment, selection, onboarding, supervision, performance evaluation, staff development, work assignments, time and attendance oversight, leave approvals, employee relations, and recommendations regarding promotion, transfer, corrective action, or separation in accordance with organizational policy.
- Serve as an active member of Pillar Care’s senior management team and contribute to agency-wide strategic planning, policy development, operational decision-making, cross-functional initiatives, management meetings, and leadership development.
- Partner with agency leadership to develop, implement, communicate, and consistently administer organizational policies, procedures, strategic priorities, and change initiatives.
- Cultivate a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive environment that meaningfully engages employees, volunteers, students, families, and community partners.
- Perform other related duties and leadership assignments as directed by the Chief Executive Officer in support of school and organizational priorities.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or institution required; Master’s degree in Education or leadership preferred
- 5+ years of teaching experience and 3+ years in school leadership roles with proven student achievement outcomes
- Knowledge of Special education philosophy, evidence-based instructional practices, child and adolescent development, and educational programming for students with disabilities required
- Knowledge of Federal and New Jersey laws, regulations, and standards governing special education, student rights, school operations, health and safety, and required documentation.
- Strong ability and knowledge of strategic planning, program development and evaluation, curriculum and instruction, organizational leadership, staff supervision and development, budgeting, quality improvement, and change management. Skills and Abilities
- Excellent relationship management and ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with employees, supervisors, students, families, referring districts, and community partners.
- Adaptable, resilient and growth-oriented with ability to lead, learn,
- Demonstrated ability to provide decisive leadership, effectively supervise and motivate staff, set clear performance expectations, and drive accountability for measurable results.
- Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative, and make timely, well-informed decisions independently with minimal supervision.
- Communicate clearly, confidently, and effectively, both verbally and in writing, and demonstrate strong proficiency in applicable technology, data systems, and software to support informed decision-making and operational effectiveness.
- Demonstrated integrity and discretion in safeguarding confidential and sensitive student, family, employee, and organizational information in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies.
- Maintain full compliance with all required Pillar Care training and demonstrate the ability to effectively train, coach, mentor, and support staff in strengthening performance and professional capability.
- Demonstrated commitment to championing and modeling Pillar Care’s Culture of Excellence, mission, and core values in all leadership decisions, actions, and interactions.
Why Work for Pillar Care
As a member of the Pillar Care Continuum agency, you will join a supportive, collaborative community dedicated to person-centered care dedicated to helping students, families and employees thrive.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, vision insurance coverage for you and your family
- 4% 401K matching contributions
- Employer paid life insurance and Long-Term Disability program
- Flexible Spending Plan and Health Reimbursement Accounts offered
- Generous Paid Time Off (Vacation, sick and personal time) and Holiday Pay
- EE Discount and Wellness Programs
How to Apply:
Apply to www.pillarnj.org or use the link below.
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and their resume.
This job description is a brief listing of the functions and requirements of the position named above. It is not intended to serve as a contract for employment nor to list in specific detail every aspect of the job nor to limit the performance of those duties. Other tasks may be assigned as deemed necessary by agency administration.
Every Pillar Care employee is responsible for the implementation of the Exposure Control Plan (ECP). As specified in our exposure control plan this position is classified as: Category 2.
Category 2
Employees who perform tasks that involve no exposure to blood ·or body fluids but may perform unplanned procedures usually performed by
Category I employees.