Community members have definite ideas on skill set for new
principal
Gilroy – The great communicator. That’s what Gilroy High School’s next principal will have to be if parents and school officials get their way in the selection process.
“I think it’s such a difficult job to fill,” GHS parent Sherrie Kennedy said. “I guess we’re almost looking for God.”
The next principal will face a variety of conflicting demands from parents, teachers, students and administrators regarding everything from the school’s academic curriculum to discipline.
“This high school principal is such an important hire for us,” Superintendent Edwin Diaz said.
The first round of eliminations begin this week as the Gilroy Unified School District searches for a new principal. And with just 49 days before GHS opens its doors after summer vacation – community members and school board officials are speaking out about what they want in a new leader.
The search for a replacement was opened up to individuals outside the district after postings were placed on the Ed–join.org Web site and in the EdCal Newsletter for the Association of California Administrators.
Former GHS principal Bob Bravo resigned in late June to accept an administrative position in the Antioch Unified School District.
Since the advertisement was posted two weeks ago, 14 resumes have been submitted. Despite the tight window, district officials are hoping to fill the position by the mid–August. This week they are contacting individuals to serve on the 15 to 17 member panel, who will narrow the selection down to three candidates for the executive team to review. The panel will consist of parents, students, school board members, a city official and GHS staff members.
During this selection process, almost one third of the panel members will be parents – a new practice in the district.
“(The new principal) needs to be a person that wants to be here and work here, and be in the community – not just a bus stop,” Kennedy said. “Because it’s a beautiful area and it has a lot to offer … Our problems are not inner city. We still have some agriculture here. We’re not just big business.”
GHS parent Pat Goode echoed Kennedy’s sentiments, hoping the panel selects a candidate with excellent communication skills.
“I would like someone who will work with teachers and be supportive of them,” she said.
With only one high school in the district, the next GHS principal faces the challenge of leading about 2,400 students, 100 staff and being held accountable for the school.
“It’s an extremely high visibility job in the district,” said former GUSD board member Bob Kraemer. “Probably second only to the superintendent.”
For Kraemer, the next principal of GHS needs to connect internally with staff and students, but also will parents and community members.
“History has shown that its very difficult for a person to please all members of the community and do their job as well,” he said.
According to the job posting, the principal works 220 days. However, the position includes late nights and active involvement in extracurricular activities at the school.
For Ascension Solorsano Middle School principal, Sal Tomasello, GHS’ next principal needs to be someone with a lot of passion – with a lot of energy.
“The person’s got to want to be involved in the community,” he explained. “Because almost 90 percent of students in Gilroy are going to go there.”
Tomasello worked at GHS for 25 years, serving as a football coach, athletic director, and dean of students.
“GHS needs an instructional leader that’s going to continue the efforts Mr. Bravo has worked to foster,” Tomasello said. “That’s number one.”
While there is an added pressure that comes with the territory of leading the one high school in the school district, Tomasello believes there are many positives too, including growing with the students, and watching them develop into young adults.
His advice for the new principal boils down to communication: “Be visible. Be all over the campus. Interact with the kids. Interact with the staff. Interact with the community,” he said.
One of the problems facing the school district, is finding a replacement for Bravo so late in the season.
“My fear is as late as it is that we’re not going to find a person who meets are standards,” Tomasello, who is on the panel, said. “I hope I’m wrong.”
Another individual who has thrown his hat into the ring is GUSD board member Tom Bundros.
“It’s a big school, it’s a big job,” Bundros said.
And because of the high visibility of the position, Bundros has another standard he would look for in the candidates: “Somebody that can be under the microscope and do it gracefully.”
He would recommend the district find an interim principal if the candidates who emerge are not “10’s.”
However, he remains positive. After speaking with individuals from other school districts, he has heard that the pool of administrators has deepened over the past few years.
“Maybe that’s because other school districts are shrinking and we’re not,” he offered.
Kraemer felt it is too early in the search to be thinking about an interim position.
“To believe at this stage in the game that you’re going to need an interim is wrong,” he said. “Cast a big net. Get as many as you can. Sort quickly … But don’t pick somebody just because you feel you have to.”
