2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS

1. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS The School Panel & Principal Selection Process was developed based on Title 5 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, Chapter 5, Sections 517-520.Background Process for Each Principal CandidateBefore the local school interview, each candidate:1) submitted a resume, written application and information on their education, experience and appropriate licensure; 2) interviewed with 3-6 senior leaders from the Chancellor’s Office, Office of Human Capital, the Chief of Schools’ Office and the Chief Academic Officer’s Office;3) interviewed with the Chancellor;4) was placed in a pool of eligible candidates; and, 5) was chosen from the pool and assigned to particular school(s) to interview.

2. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS DCPS Core Competencies For Principalship, SY 2011-2012 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP Student Achievement Focus (SF) Believes in the possibility, promise and potential in every student (no excuses for why children cannot achieve) Can speak to this promise down to the classroom level (teacher, specific subgroups, resources needed for special education, ESL, etc) Leadership Vision (LV) Develops, articulates and implements a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the school community Possesses ability to inspire and motivate students/adults on the vision Instructional Expertise (IE) Demonstrates knowledge of how to use instruction to reach student achievement goals Able to identify and describe effective instructional practices and how to provide feedback, coaching and professional development to teachers to improve the quality of instruction throughout the school Demonstrates knowledge of educational theory and practices, including focus on standards-based instruction

3. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS DCPS Core Competencies For Principalship, SY 2011-2012 ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP Systems & Resource Management (SM) Creates school-level policies, procedures and structures to effectively and efficiently operate a school Maximizes resources (physical, technological, financial, time and human) to reach goals People Management (PM) Has an ability to objectively manage employee performance and growth through feedback and coaching Holds adults accountable for student success Ensures effective professional development and growth opportunities for all employees LEADERSHIP FOR INCREASED EFFECTIVENESS  Strategic Problem-Solving (SP) Articulates short- and long-term goals with each problem and to address school-wide issues/plans Identifies problems, organizes people and resources appropriately to make decisions and action plans Utilizes multiple sources of data to inform decision-making

4. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS DCPS Core Competencies For Principalship, SY 2011-2012 LEADERSHIP FOR INCREASED EFFECTIVENESS (CONTINUED) Family & Community Engagement (FE) Interacts and communicates effectively with multiple audiences, including staff, parents, students and community members Demonstrates commitment to and understanding of how to engage family and community members in the development of and work towards the school’s goals Shared Leadership (SL) Demonstrates an effective approach to team-building, including clarity of purpose, shared responsibility Builds effective relationships with staff members to move everyone towards school goals, varying leadership approaches (when needed) Values, solicits and integrates different perspectives effectively Persistence & Resilience (PR) Exhibits relentless focus on student achievement in the face of challenges and obstacles Anticipates and plans for challenges and potential obstacles; when faced with a challenge/obstacle, makes changes to achieve goals Demonstrates an understanding of the realities of and difficulties leading in urban schools Personal Development (PD) Demonstrates self-awareness, ability to articulate own strengths and growth areas Models continuous learning and openness to feedback and improving own performance

5. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Principal Departure Announcement & School Community Meetings The Instructional Superintendent tells the school community that the Principal is departing. For Principals in an ‘interim’ status, the Instructional Superintendent explains that particular situation to the school community. This information is first communicated to the LSAT. The Instructional Superintendent then meets with the teachers and staff first and separate from the parents and community. At both the teacher/staff and parent/community meetings, this document is presented and reviewed. The intention is that all school community members understand the process to be used for selection of the next Principal. The staff meeting can usually occur with a day’s notice, especially if this is during the school year. The parent and community meeting will actually take more coordination so that the LSAT/PTA/HSA and other parent groups can communicate the need and importance of the meeting.

6. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Additional Process Guidelines Any adjustments made to the school panel and Principal selection process require approval from the Instructional Superintendent and the Office of Human Capital. The purpose of the school panel is to make a recommendation to the Chancellor. The only hiring authority for DCPS Principals is the Chancellor. It must also be noted that when a vacancy occurs, the Chancellor may laterally transfer a current principal into the vacancy.

7. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Determination of School Community Panel Members During the teacher/staff and parent/community meetings, the groups shall elect who will participate in the selection process. Prior to the actual elections, the individuals must be made aware that this may include up to a full-day commitment and that, if (s)/elected, they will be required to participate in all interviews.

8. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Additional School Community Panel Member Notes The number of teachers and the number of parents serving on the panel shall be such that there is one more teacher than parents. If the parents want to include a fourth representative on the panel, the panel must include an additional teacher. The resulting panel would then include four parents and five teachers. For the purpose of this selection panel, a community member shall be defined as someone that is not a staff member, not a parent or guardian of a child at the school and is active in the school or has meaningful ties to the immediate school community. For each category of (s)/elected members of the panel, the groups shall also (s)/elect at least one alternate. Each alternate must plan to arrive on the day of the actual interviews. If during the actual day of the interview, the numbers are not equal (due to unforeseen absences, alternates not available, etc), the interview must continue with the members in attendance. Alternates in attendance during the actual day of the interview can observe, but not participate in the paneling process. If the vacancy is for a Middle School or Senior High School Principal, the selection panel may decide whether to have a student participate on the panel.

9. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Additional School Community Panel Member Notes - Continued The Director of Human Resources (or designee) will assign a representative to attend each local school panel. The Human Resources representative will be a non-voting member of the selection panel. Following the interviews, the Human Resources representative will tabulate the results and report those results to the Chancellor and the school’s Instructional Superintendent. All individuals must be made aware that this is may include up to a full-day commitment and that, if (s)/elected, they will be required to participate in all interviews. In situations that are clearly less than ideal (such as an August principal resignation) where it is difficult to create this panel on a short notice, elected members on committees such as the LSAT may be chosen to fill similar positions on the school panel. Again, using the LSAT members should only occur in extreme situations where it is difficult to yield a full panel of stakeholders through the normal process stated in the previous pages (staff, parent/community meetings, etc).

10. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Resulting School Panel Composition (1) LSAT Chair (appointed to the panel) (1) PTA/HSA President (appointed to the panel) (1) WTU Building Representative (appointed to the panel) (4, maximum 5) Teachers (elected by teachers, ET-15 and EG-09 only) (1) Support Staff (appointed to the panel if on the LSAT, otherwise elected by support staff) (3, maximum 4) Parents (elected) (2) Community Members (elected, 1 by teachers and 1 by parents) (1-4) Parent Representatives from Feeder Schools (elected) (1) Student (optional, appointed to the panel) (1) HR Specialist (non-voting, appointed)

11. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Questions for the Principal Candidates DCPS Human Resources and Instructional Superintendents have standard questions that can be used for the actual principal interviews. Please refer to Appendix A. If a panel wants to create its own interview questions, they are welcome to, but there are stipulations: Each panel interview will be approximately 1 hour (with 45 minutes for pre-determined questions and 15 minutes for follow-up questions). This time needs to be consistent for all candidates. There should only be 10-12 questions. Each question should only be one question. There should not be parts (a),(b),(c) and so on for each question. The questions should cover the different topics upon which the candidates will be rated: Leadership Vision, Student Achievement Focus, Instructional Expertise, Shared Leadership, People Management, Strategic Problem-Solving, Systems & Resource Management, Family & Community Engagement, Persistence & Resilience, Personal Development. During the meeting to create questions, there may also be a discussion on principal qualifications, what should be looked for generally in excellent principals and what the school and community is looking for in their next principal. The questions must be submitted more than 24 hours before the panel interview date to the Instructional Superintendent for their review. It is the panel’s responsibility to ensure that the Instructional Superintendent or his/her designee has those questions. If the Instructional Superintendent has concerns with the questions, the panel should discuss and finalize before the interview so that the questions are ready for the candidates. During the actual interview, once all questions have been asked and answered, the remaining time will be used for follow up questions.

12. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Preparing for the School Community Panel Interview Once the panel has been selected, the Instructional Superintendent works with HR to arrive at a date for the interviews. When the date has been set, the Instructional Superintendent or HR will notify the entire panel. This notification needs to occur in a timely fashion. Prior to the confirmed interview date, the panel will be instructed to arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to the first interview for orientation and pre-panel discussion. The panel will also be advised by the Instructional Superintendent to make their own arrangements for food for the panel members. If the panel wants to review the resumes before the interview, the Instructional Superintendent or designee will schedule a time and day, preferably the day before the interview, for the resumes to be reviewed by the school panel. The time allotted for this will be 1 hour. At the beginning of the interview day, the HR Representative shall confirm the attendance of all panel members. If a panel member is missing or unable to attend, the alternate for that position shall be placed on the panel. Again, each alternate must attend the beginning of the interview day for just this reason. Once the interviews begin, an alternate in attendance, but not needed can stay and silently observe or leave the interview. The HR Representative shall open the day, thanking members for their attendance and highlighting that the school selection panel will make a recommendation to the Chancellor, who makes hiring decisions. The HR Representative will explain the process for the day and explain the contents of the folders and expectations of panelists. During the interview day, the Instructional Superintendent or designee will be in attendance as an observer.

13. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS During the Interview & Post-Interview Once the interviews begin, any late panel members will not be allowed to participate. Each interview will begin with an introduction from the HR representative detailing this process for the candidate. The first question will be a general “tell us about yourself” for the candidate. After each interview, each panel member will rate the candidate based on the pre-determined criteria. After each interview, all ratings will be returned to the HR representative. The HR representative will then tally the points and calculate the average score for the each candidate. At the end of all interviews, the HR representative will facilitate a discussion around the qualities of each candidate, which will include the average score of each candidate. After the recommendations have been submitted to the Chancellor and a decision reached, the school panel and community will be notified by the Instructional Superintendent of the selection of the new Principal. Finalizing this decision may take up to two weeks.

14. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix A – Sample Questions Instructional Leadership: Student Achievement Focus (SF)  -- Diagnosing and meeting the needs of each student is critical to the success of any school. Specifically, what plans would you put in place to make certain that every teacher and staff member will promote high expectations for students? Provide examples of programs you have implemented in other schools to ensure high expectations for students in the school building. -- What assurance can you give the panel that at the end of the school year, the children in your school will have significantly advanced socially and academically during your first year with the school? -- How does the principal ensure success of all students? -- Please describe your approach to student life and leadership. Be specific and include student government. Instructional Leadership: Leadership Vision (LV) -- As principal of __ School you will be expected to clearly define and express your philosophy for meeting the needs of all students. Explain how you will be able to mesh your philosophy with the specific profile and needs of this school. -- What is your vision for __ School and what would be your plan and timeframe for implementing strategies? -- Describe a highly effective school and the unique skill sets or competencies you possess that will ensure that your school is successful. -- You have just been appointed principal. What are the first three things you would do and why? -- What is your vision, and how would you apply your vision in this unique educational community? -- How do you assess whether your staff is inspired by and invested in your vision? -- What is your vision for __, and how do you plan to implement it, and evaluate its effectiveness? -- How do you expect to create a shared vision for our school and how would you communicate that vision to key stakeholders? -- How long would you expect it to take to realize your vision at your particular school? Instructional Leadership: Instructional Expertise (IE)  -- Special Education, Academically Talented, and ESOL students have different needs. Describe strategies you use for these learners to find success in school. -- How do you plan to improve instruction and elevate test scores?  -- NCLB legislation requires that all student subgroups reach proficiency in reading and in math. Specifically, how will you address this challenge as a principal for each subgroup? -- What strategies will you implement in your school to foster differentiated instruction? -- As a principal, how will you make certain that you have organized for instructional success? At what point will you determine any level of success? How will you make changes in your instructional plan?

15. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix A – Sample Questions, Page 2 Instructional Leadership: Instructional Expertise (IE) Continued… -- What educational trends/practices do you think are critical to your success in a school? What leads you to these particular practices? -- Your school has the option of using a pre-packaged curriculum that for the past two years has shown marked improvement in test scores and literacy rates amongst students in your district. The program requires faculty to use specific instructional methods and deviation from the program is strongly discouraged. How would you decide whether or not to use the program? What if the staff differs from your opinion? -- What strategies will you use to increase classroom effectiveness? -- Please explain your teaching background. Organizational Leadership: Systems & Resource Management (SM)  -- This school, __ has operated on the concept of shared partnership in developing a strong climate for academic and management excellence. What does that mean to you? -- Explain the importance of organization to running a school, and how would you organize your school? -- School culture and climate are critical to establishing a well-run, fairly and firmly disciplined school. It is expected that you will define and consistently implement standards. How can you best do this? How will you encourage parental support?  -- School climate is critical in establishing an effective school. __ must have a principal who is a strong administrator and has well defined behavioral expectations for students. Parents must be assured that their children are safe and secure and teachers must believe they are supported. Please explain to the panel how you will maintain a positive school climate. -- Classroom management and discipline are great concerns in every school district. What are your strategies to combat this problem at the local school level?  -- __ School has severe attendance issues; how do you plan to address attendance issues? -- Tell about a culture shift that you were responsible for in a past position. Describe the steps you took, challenges you overcame and how you would do things differently. -- As principal, what school-wide management systems will you establish to ensure that each student in your school is proficient in reading, math and writing? What specific strategies will you use for ESL and Special Education students? -- Good discipline is required if teachers are to do their best for children; and it’s a requirement for successful learning. How would you maintain good discipline as a principal? Include preventative strategies in your response. -- Many discipline policies dissolve when they are unevenly enforced. In your experience, how have you contributed to establishing and maintaining discipline? -- What will you do to understand the current school culture? -- Given the time constraints of each day, how will you establish to assist teachers in using best practices to affect student academic success? Please describe 2-3 key elements of an effective school culture?

16. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix A – Sample Questions, Page 3 Organizational Leadership: People Management (PM) -- In every school, administrators must deal with ongoing tensions between management and instructional issues. How do you plan to address these issues so that instruction becomes and remains your top priority in deed and not just word? -- One main reason cited by teachers as their reason for leaving during the first three years is lack of administrative support. How would you tackle this issue? -- How will you assess the effectiveness of the faculty throughout the year? -- Imagine you are the principal and some staff members are not meeting their professional responsibilities, such as excessive tardiness and being AWOL, while students are habitually violating the uniform policy, what do you do to fix these problems? -- One of the responsibilities you will have is that of evaluating teacher performance. What would you do if you found a teacher who was clearly having difficulty with classroom management and/or teaching content? -- How will you ensure meaningful professional growth for all faculty and staff members during your tenure? -- How will you assess the effectiveness of the faculty throughout the year? -- If you were holding your first staff meeting tomorrow, what would it look like? -- What strategies would you employ to deal with: staff members who do not seem to fit the school culture? Students in general? -- Tell me about the most challenging management situation you have faced. -- What method would you use to select your staff? Leadership for Increased Effectiveness: Strategic Problem-Solving (SP) -- How will students’ growth and development be measured?  -- Over the past year, __ has experienced a decline in professional stature, community and parental support and a decline in high academic achievement. How will you begin focus on recovery? -- What would be your long range plan to improve technology through your school? What would you do first? -- What data would you use to demonstrate your success/progress? -- At the end of the year, how would you measure the success/progress of your school? -- __ School students have a wide range of academic backgrounds. What steps would you use to effectively bridge that gap? -- A parent and a teacher are at odds over a student who is failing. The parent has contacted the teacher without satisfaction. What specific steps would you take to resolve this matter? Please include your general beliefs on home and school communication. -- What data would you use to demonstrate your success/progress as a principal? -- What would be the two most important goals you set out to accomplish next year?

17. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix A – Sample Questions, Page 4 Leadership for Increased Effectiveness: Family & Community Engagement (FE) -- Research indicates that to be an effective school, there must be strong and active parental involvement. Please share with the panel your plans or strategies to increase parental involvement. -- Effective leaders must be able to communicate well with the school community to include the parents, students, teachers and support staff. Please share with the panel your strategy in keeping an open line of communication with the school community. -- We are aware that the principal is the leader of the school. However, to have an effective school, the principal cannot do it alone. Please share with the panel how you plan to include the staff and parents in making decisions about important issues related to the school. -- How do you plan to bring parents, community and volunteer resources to our school? -- Highly effective schools are schools with active parent and community involvement. Describe some of the steps you would take immediately upon your appointment to ensure ongoing and active parental involvement. -- In your experience, how have you been able to create a positive learning community where students, parents, faculty and community are actively engaged? -- How are key stakeholders involved in your decision-making processes? -- The school board has cut funding for afterschool enrichment programs. Your parents and immediate community are in an uproar. How do you handle this situation? -- Describe an unconventional way in which you have engaged the community to support your school’s goals. -- What community resources would you draw upon from this particular neighborhood? -- What would you do to ensure appropriate participation of the community in the life of the school? Leadership for Increased Effectiveness: Shared Leadership (SL)  -- How can you, as a new principal, develop strong interpersonal and communication skills?  -- With the constant changes __School has undergone in the past _ years, how do you plan to promote positive staff morale and cohesiveness and shared goals? -- Good communication with all segments of the community, being firm but fair, being accessible, and having no “favorites” in the work place are qualities of a professional school-based leader. Tell this panel why you are this kind are leader and how you would demonstrate these qualities as a principal. -- What communication systems have you found to be effective in previous positions? Tell about a time when poor communication derailed an otherwise solid plan/activity.

18. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix A – Sample Questions, Page 5 Leadership for Increased Effectiveness: Persistence & Resilience (PR) -- Please share with the panel a brief history of your educational training and experience that uniquely qualifies you to a principal in DCPS. -- Can you share with the panel any research that you have done to help you prepare yourself to be a successful principal with DC Public Schools? -- Why are you interested in leading in a transformation school? -- What challenges and opportunities do you anticipate in working at __school? Leadership for Increased Effectiveness: Personal Development (PD) -- Tell us why we should strongly consider your interest in being the principal of __ School?  -- Describe your administrative style and the programs or strategies you have personally developed and found successful. -- If this panel happened to hear a group of your former students standing on the corner talking about you, what are three things they would say that best describe you as a school based leader? -- In your own words, what does it mean to be the instructional leader of a school? -- What can students and teachers expect from you as an instructional leader of the school? -- On a scale of 1-10, how effective an administrator have you been/will you be? What evidence do you have to support that rating?

19. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix B – School Community Panel, Sample Sign-in Sheet

20. 2012 SCHOOL COMMUNITY PANEL AND PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS Appendix C – Sample Community Panel Meeting Schedule