Principal

AUL Denver

THE ROLE

AUL Denver seeks a Principal who believes that culturally-responsive learning, joy, accountability, care, structure, and flexibility are essential to serving young people and dares to imagine what school can be for students who have not found success in traditional settings. This leader will bring both empathy and clarity to building a safe, engaging, and empowering learning environment and provide strong instructional leadership while connecting students to the wraparound services and opportunities they need beyond the classroom.

The new leader will be relational and strategic, addressing conflict directly while cultivating a high-performing adult culture grounded in shared ownership, direct communication, and clear and consistent expectations. The leader will coach and empower educators to strengthen their practice, continuously grow, and remain accountable for outcomes that directly impact student well-being and achievement.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, this leader will actively engage their community in honest conversations about identity, equity, and systemic oppression, and translate those commitments into daily practices, norms, and policies that ensure every student experiences belonging, respect, and opportunity.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties include but are not limited to:

Staff Leadership & Development

• Foster and empower a high-performing, collaborative adult culture rooted in trust, accountability, and shared ownership.
• Identify expertise, collaborate and delegate effectively, and cultivate leadership within staff, to create pathways for impact, growth, and advancement.
• Coach, empower, and retain a high-performing staff through targeted, data-driven professional learning aligned to instructional priorities, students, staff, and school needs.
• Effectively manage team dynamics, address conflict directly, and ensure strong follow-through and performance.

Instructional Leadership & Academic Outcomes

• Ensure the implementation of differentiated, standards-aligned, and high-quality instruction that meets students’ diverse needs, including alternative education, special education, and multilingual learners.
• Ensure implementation of trauma-informed frameworks and instructional practices across classrooms.
• Oversee a comprehensive Special Education (SPED) program, including individual education plans (IEPs) aligned to the needs of students and ongoing monitoring and improvements to meet legal and compliance requirements.
• Use data (e.g., attendance, achievement, assessment, well-being, belonging, and other expanded measures) to inform decisions, monitor progress, and adjust strategy.

Culture, Student Experience, & Equity Leadership

• Build and sustain a safe, inclusive, and relationship-centered school culture grounded in belonging, dignity, engagement, high expectations, and opportunities. Lead with a clear equity lens, ensuring anti-oppressive and restorative practices are fully embedded in the school’s culture, systems, decisions, daily practices, and experiences.
• Champion a student-centered, liberatory vision and approach to education that affirms identity, centers student voice, and creates meaningful opportunities for agency and leadership.
• Partner with staff and community partners to design and continuously improve wraparound services that remove barriers to learning and drive student well-being and achievement.

Community, Family, & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build authentic, trust-based, and collaborative relationships and partnerships with families, communities, and key external stakeholders and partners (e.g., district, community service providers).
• Communicate effectively across diverse audiences, gather ongoing feedback, and advocate for the needs and priorities of students, staff, and the school.

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Set and execute a clear vision for academic excellence and student success aligned with AUL Denver’s mission, vision, priorities, and day-to-day operations.
• Build and maintain systems that ensure clarity, consistency, buy-in, transparency, and accountability across the school.
• Partner with the Board on strategy, governance, and operations to ensure compliance with the district, charter, and Alternative Education Campus (AEC) requirements, strong financial management (e.g., budgeting, enrollment, grants, creative resource allocation), and long-term sustainability and impact.

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, & QUALIFICATIONS

Educational Background & Work Experience

• Bachelor's Degree (Required)
• School Leader Licence (Required) - Must currently hold a valid State of Colorado Principal License or can successfully obtain a valid license upon offer.
• At least 3 years of experience as a school administrator with direct responsibility for school academics, culture, staff management, and school operations. 
• Experience implementing trauma-informed academic strategies (e.g, trauma-informed student scheduling, concurrent enrollment, assessments, and expanded measures of learning) is a plus.
• At least 3 years of classroom teaching experience in a high school setting, ideally in an alternative, non-traditional, and/or high-needs environment.
• Experience overseeing and enabling successful school-wide implementation of robust instructional, special education (SPED), social-emotional learning (SEL), restorative justice, and community-building practices and structures.
• Strong track record of building and leading high-performing teams, including hiring, coaching, developing, empowering, and retaining mission-aligned, student-centered staff.
• Experience in a public charter school in a large urban district is a plus.
• Must successfully pass all background checks and clearances.

Key Skills, Mindsets & Characteristics

• Mission Alignment - Strong alignment with AUL Denver’s mission, vision, and educational philosophy.
• Unwavering Commitment to DEI, Anti-Oppressive Practices, & Serving Young People - Brings a genuine, sustained commitment to DEI, anti-oppressive practices, and serving a diverse student population, including multi-lingual learners, justice-engaged youth, and students with other unique identities and lived experiences.
• Effective Communication & Conflict Management - Communicates with clarity, consistency, and transparency; addresses conflict proactively to build an accountable, respectful, and solutions-oriented culture and practices.
• Accountable & Human-Centered Leadership - Maintains high expectations for self, staff, and students while leading with empathy and respect; balances support with clarity and accountability for results.
• Relational & Collaborative Leadership - Builds authentic, trust-based relationships with students, staff, families, and partners, and fosters shared ownership, values diverse perspectives, and cultivates a collaborative school environment.
• Adaptive & Solutions-Oriented - Thrives in ambiguity and the dynamic nature of alternative education; approaches challenges with curiosity, creativity, innovation, and a continuous learning mindset.
• Humility, Self-Awareness & Emotional Fortitude - Operates with a high level of humility, self-awareness, and emotional steadiness; seeks feedback, reflects on growth opportunities, and leads with calmness, focus, and resilience in high-pressure situations.

START DATE & BENEFITS

Start Date: We are hiring a school leader for the 2026-2027 school year with a June 2026 start date. To support a strong transition, AUL Denver is offering a stipend to the selected leader to participate in school visits, listening sessions, and pre-planning engagements ahead of the official start date. 

Benefits: AUL Denver offers a competitive benefits package that includes full medical and dental coverage with zero premiums for you and your family, vision, holidays, paid time off, and retirement.

To Apply: Interested applicants may submit their resume to our hiring consultant, Naressa Cofield ([email protected]) with the subject line, “Principal - AUL Denver”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the role is filled.

AUL Denver strongly encourages applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ community members, especially those with Black and/or Indigenous identities.

Accommodations: If you require accommodations, please indicate your request in the email with your resume. Qualified candidates who move forward in the hiring process will be contacted to discuss accommodation needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer
AUL Denver is an equal opportunity employer. AUL Denver’s policy is to afford equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, age, disability, marital status, medical condition, or any other classification that is protected under applicable local, state, or federal law.

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