Principal's Secretary

Description

Under the supervision of the Principal, the Principal’s Secretary for the high school is responsible for ensuring the operational efficiency of the school’s main office and serves as a confidential assistant to the Principal, Assistant Principal, and other administrative staff. The position acts as the first point of contact for the school and promotes a professional school environment while safeguarding the integrity and security of sensitive student information.

• Maintain Principal’s calendar, schedule appointments and meetings.
• Plan, organize and coordinate school activities and communications.
• Serve as primary contact for students, parents and staff.
• Resolve administrative inquiries to maintain a positive school environment.
• Answer telephone communications and voicemail messages.
• Lead daily operations of office staff by providing training and technical guidance.
• Ensure total compliance with district procedures, establish work priorities and assist in staff performance evaluation preparation.
• Perform general secretarial tasks such as producing letters, data reports, photocopies, filing, mail distribution, etc.
• Draft, format and distribute official school correspondence and messaging.
• Manage student records: prepare and maintain reports, records and files regarding student data, personnel and school operations.
• Protect the highest level of integrity and security for all sensitive and confidential information.
• Coordinate substitute teacher and staff coverage, manage requests, assign substitutes, communicate schedules and ensure adequate coverage.

• Deep understanding of daily school office workflows, records management, mail distribution and administrative support systems.
• Familiarity with school district regulations, privacy laws such as FERPA, and standardized procedures for staff evaluations and reporting.
• Knowledge of substitute management systems and staffing requirements for seamless classroom coverage.
• Understanding protocols for handling sensitive student data and confidential personnel files with complete integrity.
• Expert-level calendar management and scheduling for high-level leadership.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and school-specific databases.
• Leadership and mentoring ability to guide office staff through training and workflow prioritization.
• Professional communication skills for drafting, formatting and proofreading official correspondence.
• Logistics and planning aptitude for school-wide activities, events, and complex scheduling.
• Conflict resolution skillset to remain calm and professional with inquiries from parents, students, and staff.
• Multitasking and prioritization capability to manage a high-volume environment.
• Interpersonal finesse as the face of the school and primary welcoming contact for a diverse community.
• Independent problem-solving with minimal supervision.

• High school diploma or equivalent (must provide documentation in the application).
• Foreign credentials evaluated as U.S. high school diploma or above by an MSDE–approved organization.
• Three years of general administrative support or clerical experience, with at least one year involving accounting or bookkeeping records.
• Associate Degree or 60 credit hours from an accredited college or university may substitute for up to two years of the required experience.

• Experience overseeing daily office operations and training administrative staff.
• Administrative support/clerical experience in a Pre–K–12 setting.
• Proficiency with word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs.

The duty day for this position is 8.5 hours, including a 30‑minute unpaid, duty‑free lunch period.

This is a 12‑month per year position in the Howard County Education Association, Educational Support Professionals (HCEA–ESP) employee unit. The current salary range for this position is Grade X on the Secretaries and Assistants salary scale. Step placement will be in accordance with the salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System…