What does a middle school principal do?
A middle school principal is an individual who is responsible for managing the operations of a school that caters to children from the fifth to the eighth grades. This principal must supervise the responsibilities of all employees of the school, such as teachers, maintenance workers, and administrative staff members. The principal is required to conduct regular staff and parents' meetings to create a cooperative relationship that supports student learning. This principle must also lead and direct the development of educational programs that can optimize learning among middle school students.
Middle school principal responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real middle school principal resumes:
- Lead the NCA steering committee to assist with the school improvement process.
- Establish and maintain relationships with colleges, community organizations, and other schools to coordinate educational services.
- Collaborate with special education teachers and direct all IEP conferences.
- Support CTSO participation and advocate for the increase of more organizations on campus by building partnerships within the community.
Middle school principal skills and personality traits
We calculated that 6% of Middle School Principals are proficient in Professional Growth, Instructional Program, and Student Achievement. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Decision-making skills, and Interpersonal skills.
We break down the percentage of Middle School Principals that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Professional Growth, 6%
Delegated roles, responsibilities, and professional growth opportunities for assistant principals and staff to enhance the quality of instruction.
- Instructional Program, 6%
Launched the Building Led Team to assist in development and implementation of the school's instructional program.
- Student Achievement, 5%
Increased overall student achievement and dramatically reduced number of in- / out-of-school suspensions.
- Curriculum Development, 5%
Budget, curriculum development, implementation of technology initiatives, master schedule.
- Staff Development, 5%
Provide staff development to teachers and area schools pertaining to developing self-disciplined and self-directed students.
- School Administration, 5%
Provided support and other services for school and community activities; collaborated with school administration and departments.
Most middle school principals use their skills in "professional growth," "instructional program," and "student achievement" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential middle school principal responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a middle school principal to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "principals must communicate effectively with students, teachers, and parents." Middle school principals often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "facilitated weekly plc meeting (6-8th grade communication arts, social studies, fine arts & practical arts departments). "
Decision-making skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling middle school principal duties is decision-making skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "because principals are responsible for students, staff, and the overall operation of the school, they consider many factors when making decisions." According to a middle school principal resume, here's how middle school principals can utilize decision-making skills in their job responsibilities: "engage families and community members to ensure their involvement in all aspects of school decision-making and student learning. "
Interpersonal skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of middle school principals is interpersonal skills. This skill is critical to many everyday middle school principal duties, as "principals work with teachers, parents, and superintendents and must develop positive working relationships with them." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "counseled students in improving academic performance, health and interpersonal relations. "
Leadership skills. A big part of what middle school principals do relies on "leadership skills." You can see how essential it is to middle school principal responsibilities because "principals set educational goals and establish policies and procedures for the school." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical middle school principal tasks: "self-motivated with strong planning, organizational and leadership skills. "
Problem-solving skills. Another common skill required for middle school principal responsibilities is "problem-solving skills." This skill comes up in the duties of middle school principals all the time, as "teachers, students, and other staff report problems to the principal." An excerpt from a real middle school principal resume shows how this skill is central to what a middle school principal does: "interviewed and hired staff, evaluated staff performance, addressed complaints and resolved problems. "
The three companies that hire the most middle school principals are:
- The SOS Group
31 middle school principals jobs
- Soliant5 middle school principals jobs
- KIPP DC4 middle school principals jobs
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Compare different middle school principals
Middle school principal vs. Curriculum director
Superintendents oversee the administration of schools in a specific school district. They manage the educational programs of each school and create strategic decisions to ensure that the students are learning important subjects. They also supervise school administrators or principals and are responsible for hiring and guiding them. Superintendents should be familiar with their constituents and must always be ready to listen to their needs. It is important that superintendents are good decision-makers and communicators. They are expected to lead their respective districts in achieving their vision. Superintendents drive the team towards their goals and create strategic steps to ensure success.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between middle school principals and curriculum director. For instance, middle school principal responsibilities require skills such as "school administration," "student performance," "instructional strategies," and "learning environment." Whereas a curriculum director is skilled in "mathematics," "child care," "language arts," and "classroom observations." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Curriculum directors really shine in the non profits industry with an average salary of $63,521. Comparatively, middle school principals tend to make the most money in the education industry with an average salary of $73,778.The education levels that curriculum directors earn slightly differ from middle school principals. In particular, curriculum directors are 9.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a middle school principal. Additionally, they're 1.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Middle school principal vs. Superintendent
An educational administrator oversees the daily operations of a learning institution, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They have the responsibility to supervise the hiring and training of teaching and non-teaching staff, develop educational programs and projects, conduct research and analysis to enhance existing facilities, set budgets and goals, establish guidelines and timelines, and address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Moreover, an educational administrator implements the institution's policies and regulations, maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for the students.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real middle school principal resumes. While middle school principal responsibilities can utilize skills like "professional growth," "instructional program," "student achievement," and "curriculum development," superintendents use skills like "osha," "quality standards," "construction management," and "logistics."
Superintendents earn a lower average salary than middle school principals. But superintendents earn the highest pay in the construction industry, with an average salary of $85,679. Additionally, middle school principals earn the highest salaries in the education with average pay of $73,778 annually.superintendents earn lower levels of education than middle school principals in general. They're 30.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for middle school principals in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Albert Boerema Ph.D.
Professor, Calvin University
I have watched them be advised to become proficient, even expert, at particular technological innovation. What has been interesting about that is the specific innovation recommendations change over the years. It has become clear to me that there is no technical fix to the challenge of education. It is just challenging work. Digital technology can make some aspects of it more comfortable. It can make it possible to continue our work, as we have discovered during the covid situation, but helping children grow and develop will always be hard work.
Middle school principal vs. Director of physical education
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, middle school principals are more likely to have skills like "professional growth," "instructional program," "student achievement," and "staff development." But a director of physical education is more likely to have skills like "physical education curriculum," "student athletes," "physical education," and "volleyball."
Directors of physical education typically earn lower educational levels compared to middle school principals. Specifically, they're 17.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Middle school principal vs. Educational administrator
Even though a few skill sets overlap between middle school principals and educational administrators, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a middle school principal might have more use for skills like "professional growth," "student learning," "continuous improvement," and "student performance." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of educational administrators require skills like "professional development," "rehabilitation," "medical education," and "syllabus. "
In general, educational administrators earn the most working in the health care industry, with an average salary of $80,904. The highest-paying industry for a middle school principal is the education industry.educational administrators reach lower levels of education compared to middle school principals, in general. The difference is that they're 17.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of middle school principal
Updated January 8, 2025
