Newark Is Changing How It Hires School Principals

NEWARK, NJ — A process of hiring school principals that’s lain dormant in the Newark Public School system for the past decade has been revived. The result: seven new administrators for the city’s schools.

Earlier this week, newly instated Superintendent Roger León received unanimous approval from the Newark Board of Education to hire seven new principals in the district. Three of the new principals will work at elementary schools, three at high schools and one at a specialized school, administrators said.

In an attempt to involve local parents and residents in the crucial decisions involved with running a school district – including the recruitment of key personnel – León brought back a once-mandatory hiring process that he said will help “empower the community.”

As part of the process, the district created an interview panel composed of 48 “key stakeholders” representing each school. The panel in turn recommended new principals to hire, administrators said.

The selection process continued with a central office screening and review of candidates that applied through LeadNewark.com, the district’s online application portal. The vetted candidates underwent a rigorous “Selection Day” process by the Human Resource Department, administrators said.

Josephine Garcia, chair of the Newark Board of Education, explained more about how the new method works in a Wednesday news release:

“In the district’s new process, the most qualified candidates are advanced to an interview panel comprising of students, families, teachers, community members and partners. The school-based team recommended candidates for a final interview with the superintendent, who then ultimately recommended to the Newark Board of Education a candidate for hire.”

Reginald Bledsoe, chair of the Newark Board of Education Personnel Committee, said that the board “fully supported” León’s recommendations and unanimously endorsed his candidates.

Like León, the new principals were all born, educated or served as educators in the Newark Public Schools, administrators said.

• See related article: Newark Welcomes 1st Latino School Superintendent In 163 Years

The new principals represent “an extraordinary time” for the local school community and city at large, León said.

“We have a unique opportunity to write our collective story about what the future of education will look like in Newark,” León said. “The principal selection process will be no exception. Empowering the community in decision-making will undoubtedly result in high levels of engagement in all matters related to education.”

• See related article: Positive Vibes As Newark Schools Return To Local Control

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Photo: Newark Public Schools

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