Principal | Cedar Rapids, Iowa

A school built on academic excellence and student joy Cedar Rapids, IA

Cedar Rapids Prep opened its doors in August 2025 to 250 students in grades 6–8 with a focus on what matters most: excellent teachers, consistent high expectations paired with joy, and using data and feedback to guide our work. In 2026–2027, the school adds 9th grade and expands its middle school cohorts, growing toward an eventual enrollment of 1,200+ students across K-12.

The results speak for themselves:

• 80% of 6th and 7th graders and 68% of 8th graders met their full-year NWEA MAP math growth goal at mid-year
• 72%–80% of students have already met their reading growth goals at mid-year
• Average daily attendance exceeds 94%
• 97% of families report that staff genuinely care about their success and that their child is appropriately challenged academically
• Average score out of 10 on recommending CRP:
  Staff: 9.65/10 | Students: 8.43/10 | Family NPS: 8.89/10

Due to an unexpected leadership transition, Cedar Rapids Prep is seeking an exceptional Principal to carry forward the unprecedented work already underway. This is a rare opportunity to step into a school with a winning culture, a deeply committed team, and a community that is fully invested in its mission - and to lead it to even greater heights.

Reporting to the Chief of Schools, James Troupis, the Principal is the instructional, cultural, and operational leader of Cedar Rapids Prep. This leader will sustain and accelerate what has already been built while guiding the school through its next chapter of growth - including the addition of high school grades and a new $30M+ flagship campus in Hiawatha currently under renovation.

This is not a turnaround. This is an acceleration. The right leader walks into a school community that loves what it’s becoming - one with the resources, support, and philanthropic backing to go further than any Iowa K–12 school has gone before.

• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing team of educators and operations staff, creating a culture that is both deeply positive and relentlessly focused on results
• Own school-wide hiring, onboarding, and performance management, ensuring clear expectations, consistent feedback, and accountability for outcomes
• Foster a staff community grounded in collaboration, continuous improvement, and shared ownership of student success

• Set and uphold a clear vision for excellent instruction rooted in Opportunity Education Network’s approach to active learning and student engagement
• Build and manage the instructional leadership system, including the Dean of Academics and instructional coaches, to ensure consistent, high-quality coaching across classrooms
• Use walkthroughs, student work, and data to monitor instructional quality and drive alignment, consistency, and continuous improvement
• Ensure professional learning is purposeful, data-driven, and directly tied to improving classroom practice and student outcomes
• Hold a high bar for rigor and personalization, ensuring every student is on a pathway that leads to strong academic growth and meaningful postsecondary options

• Be a constant, visible presence in the school, building real relationships with students and knowing them well
• Protect and strengthen a culture where every student feels they belong and is expected to do hard things
• Set a clear, high bar for behavior, engagement, and academic ownership, and ensure it is consistently upheld across the school
• Actively motivate, celebrate, and push students and staff, creating a culture that is both joyful and ambitious
• Ensure students experience consistency and clarity in expectations across classrooms, transitions, and the full school day

• Oversee day-to-day operations for the school or assigned campus, ensuring systems run smoothly, reliably, and without distraction from learning
• Partner closely with the Dean of Operations to deliver strong execution across scheduling, budget, compliance, and facilities
• Create a consistently excellent family and student experience, from first impression to daily interactions, with…