cover letter sample for school principal

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3 Principal Cover Letter Examples for the Role in 2024

• Principal Cover Letter
• Assistant Principal Cover Letter
• Assistant Principal No Experience Cover Letter
• Write Your Principal Cover Letter

Every school needs someone organized to oversee operations. That’s where your excellent skill set comes in, helping counsel students, coordinate curriculum standards, and manage staff members.

Are your cover letter and complementary principal resume ready to show you’re up to the task for each school’s needs?

While you’re great at creating the best learning experiences, knowing what to write and how to write a cover letter for this crucial leadership role can be challenging. That’s why we’ve researched and created our principal cover letter examples and free cover letter generator to make it much easier for you to stand out.

Principal Cover Letter Example

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Why this cover letter works

• But don’t stop there. Go ahead and spotlight the results ignited by your actions. Something like: “My implementation of data-informed education policies led to a dramatic 13% drop in truancy and an impressive 11% surge in graduation rates.”

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Assistant Principal Cover Letter Example

• Introducing this alignment right at the outset sets a solid foundation for the rest of your assistant principal cover letter. It signals your enthusiasm for the hiring company while subtly communicating, “I’m one of you.”

Assistant Principal No Experience Cover Letter Example

• In spotlighting how he ensures the prompt orchestration of 48 events and facilitates a substantial decrease of 36% in redundant tasks, Hugo’s narrative sings of a tap-into-action nature and ability to contribute substantially, even as an assistant principal no experience.

Related cover letter examples

• Principal resume
• Administrative assistant
• Operations manager

How to Add the Right Details to Your Principal Cover Letter

Think of your principal cover letter like you’re designing a curriculum plan based on specific student needs. You would likely review relevant information to ensure you add the right aspects, like group projects or individualized learning opportunities. 

You can take a similar approach to your cover letter. Start by reviewing each principal job description to determine the school’s mission and most essential needs. Then, write a custom cover letter for each job detailing aspects like how you deploy effective staff development systems to achieve the best student experience.

Optimize the opening of your principal cover letter

Schools receive many applications that hiring teams must review, so it’ll be important to grab attention immediately in your cover letter. A good way to start is to greet a specific hiring manager by name, which can often be found in the job description or on the school’s website. It has the same effect as building student connections by learning their names. 

As you get into the opening paragraph, consider how you connect with the school’s mission and where your abilities fit in. For instance, you could explain how you’ll use your professional skills in e-learning systems to help a school develop a modern tech-driven learning experience. 

The opener below could use some work since it doesn’t get into specific details about the skills this principal applicant brings or their connection to the school’s mission. 

Feels a bit too bland! 

I’m eager to be applying to your principal job opening. With years of experience in the educational system, I’d be excited to use my diverse skill set as part of your team.

The opener below does a much better job sharing the applicant’s passion for community-oriented service and their ethical education skills that will stand out. 

A great opener connected to the school’s mission!

Dear Mr. Hall,

Knowing about Heritage Hall School’s impressive commitment to holistic education and community-oriented service reminded me why I’m eager to be your school principal. As a believer in ethical education, I’m confident I can lead your school to nurture well-being, empower students, and offer a remarkable educational experience.

Share the right details about your educational skill set in your cover letter’s body

As an educational leader, you know that schools use a lot of data to provide a great learning experience. 

You can use that knowledge to your advantage in the body of your cover letter by sharing your achievements in previous roles, such as how you implemented a project-based learning system that boosted material retention and test scores by 39%.  

If you don’t have much work experience , you could also include details about your achievements while obtaining your educational leadership degree or working as a teacher. 

A stellar body paragraph with educational metrics!

As head of operations at Crooked Oak High School, I cultivated proficiency in data analysis, using Tableau to extract and interpret divergent data forms. Through comprehensive reports, we increased graduation rates by 11% within three years.

Leave an impact with the closing of your principal cover letter

As you close your principal cover letter, consider how you can rephrase your top skills and connection to the school’s mission to leave a lasting impact. For example, you could write about how you’re excited to use your ethical learning skills in an organization that wants to foster an empowering student environment. 

Then, thank the school’s hiring manager for their time and use a call to action, such as “I’m eager to discuss with you further how I can make an impact for you as a principal.” It’s similar to how you may end a school board meeting after proposing a new educational program you want to implement. 

The closer below is a decent start. However, you’ll notice it lacks some essential details about the principal applicant’s skills or their connection to the school. 

This one’s lacking some key details! 

Thank you for considering me for your principal role. I’m eager to discuss in more detail how my skills fit your needs. 

Beth Marchand 

The example below does a better job of showcasing the applicant’s passion for the educational system and how they want to use their skills to create a dynamic learning environment. 

An excellent closer aligned with the school’s mission! 

At Roland Park Country School, I aim to bring an intuitive understanding of how the functioning gears of an educational institution turn. The versatility and efficiency developed from broad-based experiences put me in a strong position to hit the ground running as a school administrative assistant. Thanks for considering my application, and I can’t wait to dive into how I can promote a dynamic learning environment I’d have loved as a student.

Hugo Fernandes

You should add custom details to each principal cover letter you submit. It’ll help you stand out for varying needs, such as one school deploying a holistic learning system and another specializing in group-based learning. 

One page is the right length for principal cover letters. Keep it brief and relevant to each school’s needs, such as your knowledge of early-age curriculum development when applying to an elementary school. 

Every school has a slightly different culture and learning environment they want to create. Therefore, a great strategy is to try to match the tone they use in the job description to show how you’ll fit in with their educational needs.