ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI ******************** Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools

ARCHDIOCESE OF CINCINNATI ******************** Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools Revised Fall, 2012

Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools Archdiocese of Cincinnati Purpose This document is meant to provide pastors with information and support for hiring a principal at a parish elementary school. Principals are the academic, spiritual, and operational leaders of their schools; as such, it is vital that motivated, well qualified, and highly effective individuals be hired for this key responsibility. This packet provides step-by-step descriptions for supporting an outgoing principal, posting the open principal position, forming and training a search committee, screening applicants, making the final hire, and transition planning. As you go through this process, remember that the Catholic Schools Office is poised to fully support you. Our office is dedicated to partnering with all pastors to ensure that our schools recruit and retain the best leaders possible. Please feel free to call upon us at any time. NOTE: This packet frequently makes use of the term Regional Director. If you are unsure of your assigned Regional Director, please contact the Catholic Schools Office. Table of Contents The Outgoing Principal.....3 The Search Process...4 Conducting Interviews.....7 The Hire...8 Appendix A: Steps in the Principal Hiring Process...10 Appendix B: Qualifications & Duties of a Catholic School Principal..11 Appendix C: Sample Principal Interview Questions.....14 Appendix D: Sample Interview Rubric..16 2

The Outgoing Principal Principals leave for a variety of reasons. Whether this departure is voluntary or involuntary, it is important that you develop a plan for how the outgoing principal will transition away from his/her duties. When considering this issue, it is critical that you remain in contact with the Archdiocesan Director of Human Resources as to the legal risks and responsibilities of this transition. The first important step in this process is announcing the departure of the outgoing principal. You must carefully consider when and how this announcement will be made, and who will be the first to hear of it. In general, we recommend the following steps in announcing the departure of the principal: IF THE PRINCIPAL IS LEAVING VOLUNTARILY (i.e. a resignation, retirement, etc.): 1.) The Principal should inform the pastor of his/her departure in writing. It is recommended that this contact be made by the end of February (at the latest) of the current school year. 2.) The pastor should inform the assigned Regional Director of the imminent departure. 3.) The pastor or principal should inform the staff of the parish and school. 4.) The pastor or principal should inform the Educational Commission of the school. 5.) The pastor or principal should inform the parents, students, and general community of the parish and school. IF THE PRINCIPAL IS LEAVING INVOLUNTARILY: 1.) The pastor should inform the Superintendent of Catholic Schools of his intentions regarding the principal s future employment. 2.) With consultation of the Superintendent (who will likewise inform the Director of Human Resources), the pastor should inform the principal of his decision. If the principal will be serving out the remainder of the school year, it is recommended that this contact be made by the end of March at the latest. The Superintendent will inform the Regional Director of the departure of the principal. 3.) The pastor or principal should inform the staff of the parish and school. 4.) The pastor or principal should inform the Educational Commission of the school. 5.) The pastor or principal should inform the parents, students, and general community of the parish and school. Remember that, in all cases, the message is critical. Transitions of leadership are difficult, and many parents, staff members, and students will feel anxious as the principal leaves the school. Once again, the Catholic Schools Office is committed to making this transition as smooth as possible. We encourage you to be in close communication with us throughout this transition. 3

The Search Process Once the announcement has been made that the principal is leaving, the time has come to begin the search for his/her successor. It is recommended that this search begin as soon as possible. Most potential principals are seeking employment during the months of February, March, and April. Thus, the longer you wait to begin the search, the smaller the pool of potential applicants will be. Posting the Job Opening: The first step in the principal search process is posting a job opening. You should utilize the Job Description template (available through the Catholic Schools Office) to develop a Job Posting. When you are ready to post the open position, you should contact your assigned Regional Director. A job description will then be posted on the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools website. Likewise, announcements regarding the job opening will be circulated internally to schools and parishes throughout the Archdiocese. Postings may also be placed on the website of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) as well as other national websites. It is the responsibility of the Catholic Schools Office to post this opening for you. In posting your job opening, you may want to consider advertising the position in local newspapers and church bulletins. Likewise, you may want to utilize online job agencies (such as Monster.com ) as well as contact local universities of the job opening. Ultimately, the goal is to attract as many well qualified candidates as possible. The more candidates that apply to the position, the more likely it will be that you will find the best possible fit for your school. The job opening will include a job description for the position of principal. For this purpose, the Catholic Schools Office uses a template job description. A copy of this job description can be found attached to this packet (see Appendix B). If you wish to make changes in this description, you should inform your assigned Regional Director. The posted job description will require all applicants to complete a Principal Job Application. Applications are available on the Archdiocesan website (www.catholiccincinnati.org) under Human Resources (instructions on how to access the application will be included in the job description). Note that job postings should require that interested applicants submit information to the Catholic Schools Office (not your location). See the next section for more information. The Approved Candidate Hiring Pool: As of the 2012-2013 school year, all principal applicants must be pre-screened by the Catholic Schools Office. Individual schools may only consider principal candidates once they have been added to the official Approved Candidate Hiring Pool. Thus, if any candidate contacts you directly about your job posting, you should inform them to submit their application to the Catholic Schools Office so that they can be cleared. In approving potential candidates, the Catholic Schools Office will review basic qualifications, ask some basic questions of each candidate, and perform fingerprint checks. Any candidates with issues will be noted on the Hiring Pool documentation. As fingerprinting will be performed at this stage of the process, you need not fingerprint candidates once you have selected 4

them for interviews. You are free to interview any candidate on the Approved Candidate Hiring Pool, including those that did not necessarily indicate an initial interest in your school (some candidates simply send the Catholic Schools Office their information with no particular school specified). The Search Committee: During the weeks after you post the principal position, you should form your Search Committee. Although the final decision regarding the hire of a principal resides with the pastor, current Archdiocesan policy requires pastors to utilize such a committee when making hires. The Search Committee will be charged with reviewing and choosing candidates from the Approved Candidate Hiring Pool, conducting interviews of the finalists, and making a final recommendation to the pastor. The Search Committee should be comprised of well informed and positive members of your school/parish community. In forming the search committee, we recommend the following: 1.) Search committees should number approximately 5-8 members. 2.) Members of the search committee should represent various stakeholder groups. Thus, we suggest proportional representatives of teachers/staff members, school parents, school commission members, and non-parent parishioners. Students and alumni can also be included if desired. 3.) We strongly recommend placing the current Business Manager and/or the parish Catechetical Leader (i.e. DRE, CRE, or equivalent) on the committee. 4.) We strongly recommend that your assigned Regional Director serve on the Search Committee. As the Regional Director may be coordinating searches at other schools, he/she may be aware of issues with specific candidates. The Regional Director is also happy to Chair the search process if you wish (it is sometimes valuable to have an outsider perform this role). 5.) The outgoing principal should not serve on the Search Committee. 6.) In all cases, Search Committee members should be individuals who support and understand the wider mission of Catholic education. They should have an ingrained belief in the future of the school, demonstrate positive communication skills, and have an ability to stay focused in a meeting setting. As such, it is strongly recommended that you do not seek volunteers for this committee; rather, it is suggested that you (or your designee) carefully select individuals who demonstrate these traits. As you form your Search Committee, you should identify an organized and communicative committee member to serve as Chairperson. It is recommended that the Chairperson not be a teacher or staff member. 5

Review of Candidates: Once at least four weeks have passed since the position has been posted, the time has now come to determine the candidates who will be interviewed. To start this process, you (or your designee) should review the listed candidates on the Approved Candidate Hiring Pool. You should pick as many viable candidates as possible. Once these individuals have been identified, you should contact your assigned Regional Director to obtain the full application (including resumes) for each viable candidate). Once this information has been received, a date, time, and location for the initial meeting of the Search Committee should be established. At this meeting, the pastor or Chairperson should outline the basic purpose of the Search Committee. It is recommended that the following topics be covered as part of this initial meeting: 1.) Initial prayer and introductions 2.) An outline of the purpose of the committee (i.e. to identify and recommend the best candidate for the principal position) 3.) An awareness that God is working through the process 4.) An understanding that all discussions and information are extremely confidential 5.) An overview of the hiring process (as per this packet) Once these basic concepts have been covered, Search Committee members should review the collected applications. If needed, your Regional Director can forward the full applications. They should seek to narrow down the number of candidates to 3-6 individuals. In all cases, candidates should be weighed against the requirements of the job (as per the job description). The final 3-6 applicants will comprise the finalists that will receive an interview. At the end of the meeting, a specific date for interviews should be established. If desired, Search Committee members can also have a discussion as to the interview structure and specific questions. The Role of the Pastor: You can define how involved you wish to be in each step of this process. Some pastors prefer to be an active part of the Search Committee, and participate in both the culling of candidates and the interviews themselves. Other pastors prefer to let the committee work independently. If you choose the latter method, it is vital that you remain apprised as to the decisions and directions of the Search Committee. Fingerprinting and Reference Checks: References should be checked for each of the finalists before interviews take place. References may be checked by a member of the Search Committee. Committee members should always strive to check at least two references for each candidate in addition to the most recent employer (regardless of whether the most recent employer is listed as a reference). All candidates on the Approved Candidate Hiring Pool have been fingerprinted and screened. Any candidate a problematic background will be noted in the Approved Candidate Hiring Pool or outright removed from this list. Thus, you need not ask candidate to go through the fingerprinting process. 6

Conducting Interviews Once you have narrowed down the number of candidates for the position, the Chairperson should contact the finalists and establish the interview schedule. Some committees prefer to conduct all interviews as part of a single, lengthy meeting. Others prefer to complete interviews on multiple occasions. This will depend upon the individual needs of the pastor and committee members. Candidates should be interviewed individually. It is recommended that each interview last 45-60 minutes. During this time, candidates should respond to questions that encompass a variety of his/her duties. A list of potential interview questions can be found in Appendix C. Before the first interview takes place, committee members should establish who will ask which question, and in what order. It is suggested that committee members take notes or rank candidates according to a pre-established rubric. A sample rubric can be found attached to this packet. Throughout the interview process, Search Committee members must be mindful of both the content and the delivery of the candidate's responses to the questions. Oftentimes, what a candidate does not say is as important as what is verbally communicated. Committee members should seek to gauge the level of sincerity, passion, and evident spirituality for each candidate. Again, it is vital that the best possible candidate be identified for the position. Committee members should keep open minds, but be ready to closely scrutinize each candidate during interviews. The Final Choice: Once all candidates have been interviewed, the Search Committee should recommend their top candidate to the Pastor. In cases where the Pastor does not directly participate in the initial interviews, the Pastor should schedule individual interviews with the top candidate or candidates. As Pastor, it is your decision as to who is ultimately hired. However, remember that the final candidate must meet the minimal qualifications of the position. Likewise, the candidate should receive favorable responses from references as well as the fingerprinting process. 7

The Hire Once the final candidate has been selected, you should complete the following tasks: 1.) Inform the Superintendent of your decision. 2.) Inform the Search Committee of your decision. 3.) Ensure that you have determined an appropriate salary and benefits package for the position. The salary and benefits package should be reflective of Archdiocesan Human Resources policy. You should consider the published principal Salary Scale when determining salary. 4.) You should then contact the final candidate and offer the job. Some salary negotiation may take place (once again, please consult the appropriate Human Resources policies and Salary Scale). 5.) Assuming that the candidate accepts the position, you should draw up a contract. If you do not have a copy of a Principal Contract at the parish, you can contact your Regional Director to receive a blank copy. The contract should be filled out and presented to the principal for his/her signature (remember that the principal must successfully complete a BCI/FBI check prior to singing contract (see above)). 6.) You and your principal should sign three copies of each contract (each copy should have an original signature; do not make copies of a single contract). After signing, you should retain one contract for your files. The second contract should be given to the person being hired. The final copy should be sent to the Catholic Schools Office, care of the Superintendent. 7.) After the contract has been hired, you should inform all remaining candidates that the position has been filled. 8.) Once a contract has been signed, you may announce the hiring of the principal to your school and parish community. To do this, you should develop a communication plan (see Introducing the New Principal to Your Community ). If the candidate does not accept the position, you will need to decide whether you wish to hire the runner-up candidate. If this is the case, you can repeat the steps above with the runnerup. However, you should only hire the runner-up candidate if you feel that the individual will truly be a positive and viable principal for your school. You should not just settle for a sub-par principal. There is nothing wrong with continuing the search process if you have not found the right person for the position. Remember: We only want the best and brightest as principals of our schools. As such, you should have high standards for the position and not stop searching until you find the best person! Introducing the New Principal to Your Community: You will announce the new principal to your community as part of the hiring process (see step #7, above). It is recommended that this announcement be first made to the teachers and staff members of the school and parish (via letter, e-mail, or in person). You should then inform the 8

School Commission (if possible). Finally, you should inform students, school parents, and parishioners. It is suggested that you plan a Meet the Principal event in which students, parents, and parishioners can be introduced to the principal at a public gathering (such as after a weekend Mass or PTA meeting). Principals typically begin their new duties on the first of July or August of the upcoming school year. Final Reminder: Throughout the search and hiring process, remember that the Catholic Schools Office is poised to help you. As previously stated, we are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible. Both your assigned Regional Director and the Superintendent are ready to assist you through every step of this process. Thus, feel free to call upon our office at any time. 9

APPENDIX A: Steps in the Principal Hiring Process This appendix is meant to provide you with an outline of the steps of hiring a parish school principal. For all steps, please refer to the appropriate portion of this packet for more details. 1.) Outgoing principal informs pastor that he/she is leaving (or, in cases of nonrenewal of a principal s contract, the pastor discusses the non-renewal with the Superintendent and then informs the principal). (p. 3) 2.) Announcement is made regarding the outgoing principal s departure. (p. 3) 3.) Pastor contacts the Regional Director to post the opening for a new principal. (p. 4) 4.) Pastor forms Search Committee and appoints Chairperson. (p. 4) 5.) Pastor (or designee) reviews Approved Candidate Hiring Pool and identifies all viable candidates. The Pastor (or designee) requests copies of the applications of viable candidates from the Regional Director. (p. 4) 6.) After at least four weeks, the pastor convenes the Search Committee. The Search Committee is apprised of their mission and duties. The Search Committee narrows down the number of candidates to 3-6 finalists. The Chairperson informs all candidates of their status. (p. 5) 7.) Pastor or Search Committee members check references on finalists. (p. 6) 8.) Search Committee conducts interviews and recommends hire to the Pastor. (p. 7) 9.) Pastor determines the final hire. (p. 7) 10.) Pastor informs the Superintendent and Search Committee of his decision. Benefits and salary are determined. (p. 8) 11.) Pastor offers job to top candidate.* (p. 8) 12.) Assuming the candidate accepts the position, a contract is drawn up and signed by the pastor and new principal.** Three contracts are signed and distributed to the pastor, new principal, and the Catholic Schools Office. 13.) Pastor announces the appointment of the principal to the general community. * If the top candidate does not accept the position, please refer to page 8 of this packet. ** This contract is dependent upon the principal s successful completion of the Decree on Child Protection training (as per Archdiocesan policy) 10

APPENDIX B: Qualifications and Duties of a Catholic School Principal (extracted from the Archdiocesan Education Policy Manual (2012), 803.00-804.05) 803.00 Principals 803.01 Appointment Each elementary and secondary school in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is to have an appointed Principal. The Principal serves as the day-to-day administrator of the school, and leads the school s religious, academic, and operational programs. The approved form of governance for the school defines the Principal appointment process (see policies 804.02 (elementary) and 805.02 (secondary)). 803.02 Qualifications Any person appointed to serve as Principal in a school of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati shall: a) be a practicing Catholic in full communion with the Church b) possess a Master s Degree in education (or be actively working towards a Master s Degree) c) hold (or be eligible for) a valid Ohio Certification/Licensure for a Principal (see policy 803.03) d) provide evidence of three years of successful teaching and/or leadership ability in a school setting e) hold or be working toward Archdiocesan catechetical certification f) for parish, consolidated, inter-parish, and Archdiocesan schools, receive approval from the Catholic Schools Office prior to hire 803.03 Certification/Licensure of Principals All Catholic school Principals must possess a standard provisional, professional license or a permanent license from the Ohio Department of Education. Principals who are certified with a non-tax license shall be given three years to obtain a standard license. If such a license is not obtained in three years, the Principal shall be subject to not being offered an employment contract for the following year (and all successive years). All Principals shall hold or be working toward Archdiocesan catechetical certification. 803.04 Jurisdiction of Principal The Principal has jurisdiction over the hiring, appointing, directing, and discharging of 11

school employees within the limits of the employee regulations authorized by local governing documents and Archdiocesan policy. 803.05 Principals Meetings All elementary and secondary Principals shall participate in all Archdiocesan Principals Meetings and Region/Cluster Meetings. Principals of schools participating in the first two years of the OCSAA process must participate in the OCSAA orientation meetings. 803.06 New Principals Academy All elementary and secondary Principals who are new to the Archdiocese must participate (or have already participated) in the New Principals Academy (sponsored by the Catholic Schools Office). 804.00 Principals of Elementary Schools 804.01 School Office Approval All Principal candidates of parish, consolidated, and inter-parish schools shall be prescreened by the Catholic Schools Office. Pastors and Boards shall only interview candidates after they have been successfully approved by the Catholic Schools Office. Pastors and Boards that are aware of viable Principal candidates who have not been screened should refer them to their assigned Regional Director. Link to Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools 804.02 Appointment of Elementary Principals Parish Schools: The pastor is responsible for the appointment of the Principal (Cf. 1971 Synod, TA #69). In some cases, this authority may be delegated to a Board of Limited Jurisdiction (see policy 102.04). All Principal candidates must be pre-approved by the Catholic Schools Office prior to interview and hire (see policy 804.01). Pastors and/or Boards should utilize the hiring process outlined in the Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools. Consolidated Schools: The pastors of the sponsoring parishes are responsible for the appointment of the Principal (Cf. 1971 Synod, TA #69). In some cases, this authority may be delegated to a Board of Limited Jurisdiction (see policy 102.07). All Principal candidates must be pre-approved by the Catholic Schools Office prior to interview and hire (see policy 804.01). Pastors and/or Boards should utilize the hiring process outlined in the Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools. Principal contracts may be signed by the sponsoring pastors, a delegated pastor, or the Chairperson of the Board, as designated by the board bylaws. 12

Inter-Parish Schools: The pastors of the sponsoring parishes are responsible for the appointment of the Principal (Cf. 1971 Synod, TA #69). In some cases, this authority may be delegated to a Board of Limited Jurisdiction (see policy 102.09). All Principal candidates must be pre-approved by the Catholic Schools Office prior to interview and hire (see policy 804.01). Pastors and/or Boards should utilize the hiring process outlined in the Hiring Procedures for Parish Elementary Schools. Principal contracts may be signed by the sponsoring pastors, a delegated pastor, or the Chairperson of the Board, as designated by the board bylaws. Archdiocesan Elementary Schools: The Archbishop shall be responsible for appointing the Principal. The Superintendent shall initiate and lead the interview process and recommend the final hire to the Archbishop. The Superintendent and Principal shall sign the Principal s employment contract. Private Elementary Schools: The religious order, Board of Trustees, or other organization shall be responsibility for appointing the Principal. The Constitution of the school shall determine the hiring process. Principals must meet all qualifications, as outlined in policy 803.02. 804.03 Length of Contract In all Catholic schools, the contract for the certificated administrator is for one year. This shall be clearly stated in writing in the contract signed by the Principal and the employing agent. The approved Archdiocesan Principal contract shall be used for all Catholic school Principals. 804.04 Responsibilities and Duties The specific responsibilities of elementary school administrators, over and above those general responsibilities and duties listed as part of the Archdiocesan Administrator's Guide, shall be determined by written mutual agreement between the employing agent and the administrator. 804.05 Evaluation of Elementary Principal All Principals shall participate in the Archdiocesan Principal Evaluation Process, as promulgated by the Catholic Schools Office. This process provides for a regular performance evaluation of the Principal by their governing authority (pastor, Board, etc.) as well as their assigned Regional Director. 13

APPENDIX C: Sample Principal Interview Questions NOTE: This appendix provides far more questions than are possible in a 45-60 minute interview. Thus, you should not endeavor to ask every question on this sheet; rather, you should select those questions which seem most appropriate for you. Likewise, feel free to create any additional questions that may be suitable for your interview. However, it is recommended that your interview include questions that address different areas of responsibility for a principal (i.e. spiritual leadership, academic leadership, etc.). General Questions: 1.) Describe your background in education. Why did you enter education? What has kept you working in the field? 2.) Describe your leadership style. What makes you an effective leader? In what areas do you struggle as a leader? 3.) Describe an occasion in which you demonstrated strong leadership. What made you a good leader in this instance? 4.) What are your long-term professional goals? Where do you see yourself in five and ten years? Spiritual Leadership: 1.) What is the mission of Catholic education? How are you part of this mission? 2.) How does your own spirituality motivate you in your job? In what ways do you draw strength from your faith? 3.) In your opinion, what is meant by an authentic Catholic identity for a Catholic school? How do you measure this Catholic identity and ensure that it is strong? 4.) Describe your comfort level of working with a pastor. What are the potential benefits and hesitations of working with a pastor? 5.) If you were principal, how would you act as an effective spiritual leader? Academic Leadership: 1.) What is academic excellence? If you were principal of our school, how would you ensure that the school offers an excellent academic program? 2.) What is good teaching? Describe the traits of a good teacher. 3.) If you were principal of our school, how would you provide for the ongoing professional development needs of your teachers? How would you ensure that you were truly meeting these needs? 4.) Describe your familiarity and comfort with using technology. How important is technology to the teaching and learning process? 14

5.) Do you consider it a priority to successfully teach students with special needs in Catholic schools? Describe how you might successfully instruct students with defined special needs. 6.) If you were principal, describe how you would meet the diverse needs of learners. How can you successfully provide for students with a variety of needs and backgrounds (i.e. advanced learners, special needs learners, students of different races/religions/income levels, etc.)? Community Leadership: 1.) If you were principal of our school, how would you ensure that our school remains a positive and welcoming community? 2.) Are you an effective communicator? How do you know? Are you comfortable with different forms of communication (i.e. verbal, written, electronic, public speaking, etc.)? 3.) What is your style of discipline with students? When disciplining students who have been sent to the principal s office, how and when do you involve the parents? 4.) If you were principal, how would you ensure that the school retains a positive relationship with the parish? What methods could be utilized to facilitate this relationship? 5.) SCENARIO: A mother of a fourth grade student approaches you with a complaint. According to the woman, her daughter is being consistently picked on by her teacher. The mother claims that her daughter is a good kid and would never misbehave. How do you handle this situation? 6.) SCENARIO: Your music teacher discusses a concern with you. According to her, she overheard two other teachers complaining about the pastor in the Teacher s Lounge. According to the music teacher, these same teachers have been overheard complaining about certain parents and even other teachers. How do you address this issue? Operational/Fiscal Leadership: 1.) How comfortable are you in managing a budget? Given the frequent limitations of school finances, how do you maintain a high quality of faith formation and academics while balancing a budget? 2.) What is your experience with writing grants? Please describe. 3.) Are you comfortable marketing our school to potential new families? Describe how you might market if you were the principal. 15

APPENDIX D Sample Interview Rubric CANDIDATE NAME: COMMITTEE MEMBER NAME: INSTRUCTIONS: For the candidate, mark your ranking of the candidate s skills in each of the defined areas. AREA POOR SATISFACTORY EXCEPTIONAL NOT Communication Ability Poise/Professionalism Evident Passion Response to Spiritual Questions Response to Academic Questions Response to Community Questions Response to Operational/Fiscal Questions Response to Other Questions (if applicable) OVERALL PERFORMANCE MEASURED NOTES: 16