About this job
The High School Principal is an instructional, cultural, and divisional leader, overseeing a 430-student division and reporting to the Superintendent as a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Building on a strong academic program, talented faculty, engaged students, and committed families, the Principal will strengthen coherence, systems, and the student experience while guiding the High School’s development. Key responsibilities include leading teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment, student well-being, and academic pathways; developing and retaining talented faculty; and fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, accountability, and growth. The Principal will align programs, people, resources, and operations with Graded’s mission and priorities, using data to inform decisions and support continuous improvement. As a community leader, the Principal will build strong relationships, communicate with clarity, promote inclusion and belonging, navigate change thoughtfully, collaborate across the school, represent Graded within professional networks, and uphold the highest standards of student safety, safeguarding, and ethical practice.
About the school
Founded in 1920, Graded – The American School of São Paulo is a diverse international school of more than 1,300 students from Early Years through Grade 12. Rooted in academic excellence, intercultural understanding, and whole-child development, Graded combines American educational traditions with international perspectives and contemporary approaches to teaching and learning. Teaching and learning at Graded are purposeful, engaging, differentiated, and intellectually challenging. A central priority is deeper learning: making learning deep, enduring, and transferable by developing conceptual understanding, metacognitive skills, and the ability to apply knowledge in new contexts. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, collaborate effectively, and connect learning to authentic contexts. The school’s Learning Principles emphasize agency, collaboration, transfer, authenticity, and mastery as a process. Graded is accredited by NEASC, recognized by Brazil’s Ministry of Education, and authorized as an International Baccalaureate World School.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to submit a single PDF document to rayssa.coutinho@graded.br, including the following:
- A cover letter expressing interest in the position;
- A current résumé;
- A one-page statement of educational philosophy and practice; and
- A list of five professional references, including the name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each.
References will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission.
Our School
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