Middle School Principal

Job Title: Middle School Principal Wage/Hour Status: Exempt

Reports to: Network Executive Pay Grade: PEI

Dept./School: Academics and School Initiated Date: March 2026

La Joya Independent School District (ISD) is committed to excellence for students and our community. We have a strong, 100-year legacy in the Rio Grande Valley. The district’s vision - Educational Excellence:
The Right of Every Student - conveys our urgent focus on students.

Our work is rooted in five district priorities, which require collaboration and deep commitment to supporting one another as we serve the community.

• Customer Service
• Trust & Transparency
• High-Quality Instruction
• Excellence in Leadership
• Integrity & Accountability

We are focused on ensuring every student in La Joya ISD has access to a high-quality, best-fit school as we work to improve from a B-district to an A-rated district. We serve more than 22,000 students in more than 30 schools and span six municipalities, covering more than 220 square miles.

We are seeking a Principal that can lead one of the district’s middle schools to new heights of excellence, opportunity, and achievement. The Principal will serve as the executive of a mufti-facted middle school campus. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated impact on student outcomes, accelerating student growth, navigating the complexities of the middle school environment, building strong community relationships, creating a culture of support and excellence, and coaching and developing staff.

You must have the commitment and urgency, and strategic system leadership skills needed to help expand excellence and build structures to sustain that excellence over time. You will have to be skilled in adaptive change management in a very fast environment.

You will be joining a district that is building on a legacy of achievement while rapidly improving and creating systems to reach new heights for student outcomes. You will receive intentional, targeted support in your leadership journey and have access to the highest-quality, research-based resources and instructional materials. We are also a district focused on continuous improvement and rigorous analysis of where we need to grow and learn.

Education/Certification:

• Master’s degree required; preferred in Education, Educational Leadership or related field
• Valid or eligible to receive Texas Principal Certification or MId-Management Certification
• Currently or eligible to become T-TESS certified

Experience:

• Minimum of three year’s teaching experience
• Minimum of one year’s experience as an Assistant Principal
• Minimum of three year’s experience as a Principal preferred

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Proven success in leading a school or district community toward continuous improvement in academic goals with a relentless pursuit of academic excellence for all students
• Deep knowledge of curriculum and instruction as well as evidence-based practices in multiple content areas, in middle school preferred
• Understanding and experience with middle school coursework and preparation for the high-school environment
• Demonstrated leadership on district-wide committees and/or district-wide activities
• Proven experience to use and interpret data to inform decision-making processes that allow for intentional actions and lead to improved student/campus achievement
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral)
• Leadership, management, and organizational skills
• Experience with diverse populations
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

• Serve as a transformational leader working to create a best-in-class learning environment.
• Participate in professional development and training to improve skills related to job assignment.
• Foster collegiality and team building among staff members.
• Provide for two-way communication with staff, students, parents, and community.
• Demonstrate professional, ethical, and responsible behavior. Serve as a role model for all campus staff.
• Develop and set annual campus performance objectives.
• Lead the development of the campus improvement plan with staff, parents and…