Whoa! The short timeline and process the school district has in
place for hiring a new Gilroy High School principal is raising some
red flags.
Whoa! The short timeline and process the school district has in place for hiring a new Gilroy High School principal is raising some red flags.
As district officials pointed out, Bob Bravo’s resignation came late in the game, possibly making it more difficult to hire a quality individual because the pool of candidates has shrunk. That reality stands in stark juxtaposition to the need in this community – it’s hard to overemphasize the importance of a good hire to lead Gilroy High School.
At 2,400 students, GHS dominates the landscape and casts the largest reflection in the mirror that is GUSD.
The current images are mixed.
There are positive signs: Honors classes are growing after being reinstated; a new standards-based English curriculum is in place; and discipline issues on campus are taken seriously.
There are negative signs: Math teacher Wayne Scott sending an e-mail to the GHS staff urging non-cooperation with the parent club; dismal math test scores; and a virtually unheard of “academic freedom” clause in place only for high school teachers.
If Gilroy hires a dynamic leader, who can build a community coalition and garner support from all segments of the community, GHS could vault to a level of excellence and begin a sustained upward march. Hiring the wrong person could have disastrous consequences that will merely exacerbate any problems caused by a second high school coming into the picture in a few years.
Our process must be inclusive – high school critics welcome. Besides interested parents, a broad cross section of community leaders should be involved. And Gilroy should not be bashful about recruiting candidates, say, from the East Side Union High School District in San Jose, who may not apply unless they are approached. An experienced principal from outside the district who has achieved academic success and forged strong relationships with the community could be just what the doctor ordered.
Everything about the process should be scrutinized, including the salary. And, if necessary, we should consider an interim leader if we cannot find the right person within the short time frame outlined.
This community needs a breakthrough person at GHS, someone who respects the needs of all students, struggling and gifted, someone who can articulate a vision and a mission and someone who is not dissuaded from that mission by obstacles, internal or external.
Going the extra mile now is the right strategy to ensure a leap forward at GHS.
