ATTENTION: Our AP and Principal Pools have opened for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in applying, follow the links listed under our Current Openings. That being said, if you are interested in current AP and/or Principal openings, we ask you to reach out to the schools directly. This way, schools will know of your immediate interest and review your information to determine a fit for their current openings. If a school is interested in hiring you for their current AP or Principal openings, next steps will be provided to you at that point. For any questions, please contact our SchoolLeaderCareer@dpsk12.org inbox.

Application Process

DPS utilizes a pool process for Principal and Assistant Principal (AP) applications. If you currently don’t hold a School Leader role (Principal/Assistant Principal) in DPS, to apply for specific school vacancies, candidates must first apply to our central screening process and screen into the candidate pools, linked below.

If you currently hold a Principal role in DPS (does not include DPS Charter schools), you DO NOT have to go through the screening process but you still need to apply to the Principal Pool posting in order to apply to school-based roles. Similarly, if you currently hold an Assistant Principal role in DPS (does not include DPS Charter schools), you DO NOT have to go through the screening process, but you still need to apply to the Assistant Principal Pool posting in order to apply to school-based roles. If you currently hold an Assistant Principal role in DPS and want to apply to a Principal Role, you do need to go through our screening process and apply to the Principal Pool posting.

A principal’s license is not required to apply: Anyone can apply to the Principal and Assistant Principal pool regardless of administrative license status because of the Denver Lead Today (DLT) program. If someone without a license is hired, they will have to complete licensure through DLT program. Anyone who applies to the pool without an admin license should be aware of this commitment and if they don’t hold an active teacher’s license for 3 years or more, they will need to be in DLT for 3 years.

Step 1. Online Application

Submit your online application to the Principal/Assistant Principal pool posting and include the following documents in your application:
Resume
One (1) letter of recommendation
Cover letter that answers the following questions:
- Why do you want to be a school leader in DPS?
- What has been your record of student academic achievement? (please give measurable outcomes)
- What experience have you had influencing adults to achieve significant results for students? (Including but not limited to coaching, mentoring, providing feedback, etc.)
- What is your experience working with diverse student populations? (including but not limited to race, ethnicity, socio-economic)
- What is your experience teaching or leading second language learners?
Note: All candidates interested in leadership opportunities (AP/Principal) need to apply to the current Principal Pool and Assistant Principal Pool posting before they can apply to school specific Principal and Assistant Principal openings.

Step 2. Phone Screen

If selected, you will be invited by school leader screener to set up a 30-40 minutes phone interview.

Step 3. Pool Interview

If selected to move forward after the phone screen, you will be invited to Pool interview (In-person for Principal Pool and Remote interview for Assistant Principal Pool).
The interview will consist of various activities ranging from group activity to role-play to 1:1 Q&A interview.
Suggested reading materials: LEAD Framework and LEAP Framework for Effective Teaching
Clearly be able to define your vision for school leadership

Step 4 – Apply to Specific Vacancies

After the pool interview, if selected for the Highly Qualified Pool you will be given access to apply to specific school vacancies, which can be found on the external job board and internal job board.

Step 5 – School Based Interviews

Once you are in the Highly Qualified Pool and able to apply to school specific vacancies, hiring managers may reach out to you if they are interested in your candidacy and you will be able to participate in the school based interviews.
The timeline for school based interviews varies by school
The school based interview process is unique to each school designed by a committee of stakeholders
School based interviews can include a Learning Walk, Community Forum, Assessment Center, Interviews with Senior Leadership

Current Openings: Assistant Principal and Principal

Last updated: Dec 10, 2021

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND PRINCIPAL POOLS – 2022-2023

Assistant Principal Pool: Job ID 50852 – Apply here

Principal Pool: Job ID 50853 – Apply here

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL VACANCIES

Montbello MS: Job ID 50157 – Apply here

Palmer ES: Job ID 49837 – Apply here

PRINCIPAL VACANCIES

Florence Crittenton HS: Job ID 51016 – Apply here

Merril MS: Job ID 50602– Apply here

Southmoor ES: Job ID 50588 – Apply here

Hamilton MS: Job ID 50549 – Apply here

Cheltenham ES – Interim: Job ID 50479– Apply here

Denver School of the Arts (HS): Job ID 48141 – Apply here

ES = Elementary School | MS = Middle School

HS = High School | YZ = Year Zero

Click here to view the schools’ websites

Need Help?

SchoolLeaderCareers@dpsk12.org