San Benito High School District is one step closer to hiring a
director of educational services, and the hunt for a permanent
principal continues this week.
San Benito High School District is one step closer to hiring a director of educational services, and the hunt for a permanent principal continues this week.
After two weeks of interviews, Superintendent Jean Burns Slater will deliver a recommendation to the board Wednesday for the director of education services position, which will replace the assistant superintendent’s job. Current Assistant Superintendent Mike Robustelli is retiring at the end of this school year.
“We’re really looking for someone who is highly qualified and working toward achieving our mission statement,” Board President Shelley Donati said.
During the first week of interviews, a committee of parents, teachers and staff screened the candidates and made suggestions to the superintendent, the director of human resources and selected board members. They joined the committee for week two. A recommendation has been agreed upon and will be presented to the board for a vote.
“This has been a real opportunity to get input from teachers, staff, students and parents,” Slater said. “It’s all very exciting.”
Twelve people from all over the state applied for the position. Director of Human Resources Evelyn Muro said the person who holds this job will have to be able to multi-task, since they’ll be in charge of overseeing migrant education, English language development, special education and all categorical programs at the school. The salary will be between $88,000 to $99,000, according to Muro.
“We’re looking for someone who can definitely juggle a lot of hats,” she said. “It’s a detail-oriented job.”
Just as the director of education services hiring process is wrapping up, the committee will begin its first round of interviews for the principal position this week. The nine candidates, including interim principal Duane Morgan, will be interviewed by the committee and will go through a written assessment and an observational assessment, where they’ll visit classrooms.
“We’re looking for someone who can look at what the school can be, not just what it is,” Slater said.
The salary for the principal position is between $90,000 and $102,000. The committee is expected to submit a principal recommendation to the board by May 26, but Slater said no deadline is set in stone.
“This isn’t something we want to rush,” she said.
Muro said making the right decision and finding someone who is a match with the district is most important.
“It has been really fun getting to know everyone and having them share their expertise,” she said. “It’s been a wonderful process, and I think we’re all excited.”
While the district isn’t setting a definite deadline for the interviewing process to close, Slater said they would like to have both positions finalized by July 1, and the administrators would begin with the 2004-2005 school year.
