Description

The Verona Area School District is seeking an equity-centered instructional leader with in-depth knowledge of Special Education programming, cultural builder, and community cultivator to join our progressive school district as of July 1, 2026, as the Associate Principal of Sugar Creek Elementary School. In this role, you will be the driving force behind our inclusive practices, leading staff in developing instructional methods and classroom modeling to ensure every student achieves measurable academic and functional growth. We need a collaborator who can build general education capacity through UDL and differentiation, while also serving as a primary resource for families to ensure meaningful participation in the educational process. Beyond instruction, you will be the cornerstone of building-level compliance, overseeing IDEA requirements, managing specialized staffing and schedules, and establishing data dashboards to monitor effectiveness and equity.  Our success is fostered and supported through the working relationships of all staff and is built on a foundation of equity, mutual respect, cultural responsiveness, the pursuit of excellence, and shared responsibility at school, at home, and in the community.  All roles at the Verona Area School District have a direct impact on students, including ensuring that all students achieve

In the Verona Area School District, our mission is that each student will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their personal goals, thrive in a diverse global society, and lead a healthy, self-fulfilling life. To meet this mission, the Verona Area School District will ensure that every individual has access to the educational, social, and emotional support they need to feel valued and affirmed in their unique identities and experiences. We acknowledge that inequities and power dynamics exist in our system such that some individuals, on the basis of their identities, face barriers to accessing the opportunities they need to experience success. In acknowledgment of such, the Verona Area School District is committed to disrupting these systems of inequity.

The Verona Area School District (VASD) is a Pre-K/4K–12 public school district of approximately 5,900 students located near Madison, WI. VASD is a thriving school district with 10 schools, including three charter schools and a two-way immersion Spanish program. Our incredible VASD student body is 40% non-white, 25% receive free or reduced lunches, 14% percentage are English Learners, and 9% receive special education services. Our staff is 900+ strong across all positions, including full and part-time.

Sugar Creek Elementary School is a grades K-5, monolingual and multilingual two-way immersion school in the Verona Area School District. There are many reasons why our school is an incredible school. One of those reasons is the diversity of the staff and students who call Sugar Creek their school. Of the almost 645 students who attend Sugar Creek Elementary School, 41% are students of color, 21% are students who are linguistically diverse, 9% are students with special needs, and 31% are students whose families receive assistance with meal costs. The dedicated and engaged, well-trained, and hard-working staff is a mix of highly experienced and those new to the profession who are eager to work collaboratively with each other and their next principal. 

If you would like to be considered for this position, you must be able to demonstrate you have provided leadership that resulted in action and deliverables in several areas. This means if you are chosen for an interview, you will need to provide us with evidence of results, including: 

Ensuring equitable access to education for students with disabilities; 
Expertise in IDEA compliance and procedural oversight, including the successful management of IEP development, timelines, and the implementation of inclusive programs and placements.
Increases in achievement for each student; 
Successful leadership of PBIS at the elementary level;
Understanding of a Two-Way Immersion program; 
Proven effective teaching and extensive leadership experience at the elementary level; 
Removing barriers to learning for students who have been historically marginalized; 
Equitable learning experiences for students, staff and parents; 
Effective use of systems and processes related to school climate; 
Collaboration with staff and families; 
Effective communication, listening, collaboration and relationship building skills; 
Designing and providing professional staff development; 
Strategic thinking and planning; 
Use of data to drive decisions of process and practice 
Problem finding and solving; and 
Continuous improvement implementation

Bilingual skills are valued but not a requirement for this position.   

Salary, Benefits, Length of Contract:  This position works a 220-day (10 month) contract with starting compensation that is negotiable but will be no less than $99,045 with an exceptional benefits package. 

How to Apply: Apply online at WECAN by completing the WECAN application; attaching a resume, cover letter and three (3) letters of recommendation that are no more than two years old. Additionally, you must submit a personal equity statement of no more than 150 words as an attachment to your application materials. Failure to provide a complete application will eliminate you from consideration. 

Contact Administrator: Kirstin Houghan, Incoming Principal Sugar Creek Elementary School

Deadline: 12:00 p.m. on April 17, 2026.

The Verona Area School District is an Equal Opportunity Educator/Employer. Candidates of color are strongly encouraged to apply.