Build the school. Lead the classroom. Break the mould.

Hardisty Community Charter School is looking for a different kind of educator.

We are hiring a 0.5 Principal / 0.5 Kindergarten Teacher to help open and lead a new Kindergarten to Grade 6 public charter school in Hardisty, Alberta.

This is not a typical principal role.

This is not a typical teaching role.

And that is exactly why it may be the right opportunity for the right person.

HCCS is being built to do school differently. We want to create a school that is practical, academically strong, community-connected, entrepreneurial, and genuinely valued by students, parents, staff, and the broader community.

We are looking for someone who does not just want to work in a school.

We are looking for someone who wants to help build one.

About our school.

Hardisty Community Charter School is built around the Entrepreneurial Learning Framework, where students learn through real-world, age-appropriate ventures that create value for themselves, their classmates, their families, and their community.

Students will learn the Alberta Programs of Study. The difference is how they will learn. At HCCS, learning will be connected to practical problem-solving, leadership, financial literacy, creativity, responsibility, communication, and community life.

Our goal is simple: strong academics, strong character, practical skills, and students who grow up believing they can take initiative and build things that matter.

About the role.

The successful candidate will serve as both the school Principal and Kindergarten Teacher.

As Principal, you will help lead the day-to-day operation of the school, support staff, build school culture, work with the Superintendent and Board of Directors, communicate with families, and help ensure the school operates in alignment with Alberta Education requirements and the school’s approved charter.

As Kindergarten Teacher, you will lead the ECS classroom and help establish the foundation for the school’s youngest learners through strong early literacy, numeracy, routines, developmentally appropriate learning, and age-appropriate entrepreneurial experiences.

This role is for someone who does not want to choose between teaching and leadership.

It is for someone who wants both.

A different employment model.

This position is not being offered under a traditional teachers’ collective agreement.

Instead, we invite the successful candidate to work directly with the Charter School Board to negotiate an employment agreement that reflects the unique nature of this role.

This is one of the appeals of a charter school like HCCS.

We are not an administrative-heavy organization removed from the classroom. We are a new, small, community-based school authority directly connected to students, staff, families, and the day-to-day realities of the school.

Shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to discuss the role, expectations, compensation, benefits, leadership allowance, professional learning support, and other employment terms directly with the Board of Directors.

We know this is not the norm in Alberta education.

For the right person, that will be part of the appeal.

What makes this opportunity unique.

The successful candidate will help shape:

• The culture of a new public charter school.
• The first Kindergarten program at HCCS.
• The practical implementation of the Entrepreneurial Learning Framework.
• Teacher collaboration and instructional routines.
• Parent and community engagement.
• Student leadership and school traditions.
• School systems, procedures, and expectations.
• A school model that could become an example for rural education in Alberta.

We are not trying to recreate the same system families already know.

We are trying to build something that works, something people value, and something worth talking about.

What we are looking for.

The ideal candidate will be:

• A strong Kindergarten, early years, or elementary teacher.
• Interested in school leadership and instructional improvement.
• Entrepreneurial, practical, flexible, and solution-focused.
• Excited by the challenge of helping build a new school.
• Comfortable working in a small rural school environment.
• A strong communicator with students, parents, staff, and community members.
• Able to balance classroom teaching with school leadership responsibilities.
• Committed to high expectations, strong academics, and practical learning.
• Open to a directly negotiated employment model.
• Willing to help create something new, not simply maintain what already exists.

Required qualifications.

Applicants must have:

• A valid Alberta teaching certificate, or eligibility for Alberta teacher certification.
• Alberta leadership certification, or eligibility to meet leadership certification requirements.
• Strong understanding of Kindergarten, early childhood, or elementary education.
• Ability to meet all required criminal record, vulnerable sector, and child intervention checks.
• Commitment to Alberta Programs of Study and Alberta Education requirements.

Preferred qualifications.

The following would be considered assets:

• Kindergarten or early years teaching experience.
• Previous leadership experience, such as principal, vice-principal, learning coach, lead teacher, or curriculum lead.
• Experience in a small rural school.
• Experience with project-based, entrepreneurial, experiential, or community-connected learning
• Interest in financial literacy, leadership, agriculture, trades, business, or practical life-skill learning.
• Strong parent communication and community engagement skills.

Why Hardisty.

Hardisty is a close-knit rural Alberta community with strong local support for the return of a local school.

This is a rare opportunity to make a visible and lasting impact – not just on students, but on a community.

For the right educator, this role offers something unusual: the chance to teach, lead, build, and innovate at the same time.