By: Melinda Bochner, Steering Committee Chair
With the upcoming departure of Principal Griffin at the end of this school year, the principal hiring process is underway. Following our school’s Principal Hiring policy and regulation, SF-02 and SF-02-R, we have composed our 14-member Principal Hiring Committee (PHC). Thank you to the participants from the D’Evelyn Accountability Committee, the Dennison Accountability Committee, our D’Evelyn staff, and the school’s Founders for volunteering your time and energy to this important project. On February 28th, we met to approve the members of the PHC, all of whom stated their commitment to upholding the school’s Founding Document, dedicated at least 20 hours to the process, agreed to reread the Founding Document and other important materials, and vowed to conduct a fair, non-discriminatory and confidential search for an exceptional person to lead our fine school. On March 7th, we gathered for a training session where we discussed in-depth the attributes we are seeking in our next principal, as gleaned from the Founding Document. The first and foremost requirement is that the individual we hire hold a deep and sincere understanding and belief in our school’s educational philosophy. Our principal must believe in the team approach to solving issues, able to work with parents, students, staff, and the Steering Committee. Our principal must serve as a leader, a role model, and an inspiration to all. It is his or her responsibility to maintain our curriculum, the training of our staff, and our excellence in every regard. The list goes on, and the bar is exceptionally high. The job description is currently posted nation-wide; on March 27th we will close the application window and will meet the following day to review the applications. Qualified individuals who appear to meet our requirements will be invited to interview with the PHC on April 1st. That evening, based on the results of the interviews, applications, and essays, the PHC will determine which candidates to invite to interview again. The final candidates will participate in a second round of interviews with the PHC on April 4th, where they will also meet with our three Focus Groups. The Focus Groups include volunteer parents from both D’Evelyn and Dennison, students selected by the Social Studies department staff, and volunteer D’Evelyn staff members. Every participant will provide written feedback, pros and cons, about each candidate, as well as their vote. At the end of the day, the PHC will review all the information we have gathered: Focus Group input, 2nd round interview performance, 1st round interview performance, essays, and applications. The 14 members of the PHC, representing the different constituencies in our community, will discuss and deliberate to reach a consensus. We are committed to selecting an extraordinary individual who will continue D’Evelyn’s academic excellence and provide a renewed excitement and passion for our outstanding school while maintaining an unwavering commitment to our school’s founding principles. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any member of the Steering Committee with your questions, suggestions, and concerns. We will listen and, within the constraints of our confidentiality agreement, answer your questions with candor and transparency. Thank you to every member of the D’Evelyn community for your interest and support of this critical process and for your commitment to our wonderful school. Melinda Bochner 319-338-4414 [email protected] Comments are closed.
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The Steering Committee is the governing board of the school and establishes policies designed to maintain and enhance its liberal arts philosophy. The Steering Committee appoints Directors to the Board of the D'Evelyn Education Foundation. Archives
March 2023
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