Let's pretend that all of the interview committee members had their interview packets eaten by their dogs before the interviews for an interim principal started today. And that you got an urgent text message from Superintendent Nicholson asking you to come up with 15 questions for the prospective candidates. What would you ask? What qualities do you want to see in an interim principal?
Even with an assistant principal and a relatively stable and seasoned staff, the job is not an easy one: there are nearly 500 kids and, in addition to our ELL program, we are now adding the LBRR program previously housed at the Whittemore. That's a whole lot of kids with a whole lot of needs. And, of course, any parent in his or her right mind knows that, at the end of the day, his or her kids are the only thing that really matters. When I worked at Children's Hospital, my co-workers and I would complain that for each patient, we actually had two patients, because of the care we needed to extend to the parents. I am sure that being an elementary school principal isn't too much different: you have to take care of your students, and the parents, and your staff. No, not an easy job at all.
One of the questions I would ask a candidate is, simply, "Why?" Why do you want to come to the Fitzgerald School? Why are you interested in this interim position? Why an elementary school? Why Waltham? And that last bit, that "why Waltham?" may be the most important "why" of all, as we have seen leaders leave the district.
What about you? What would you ask?
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