Thank you so much to everyone who came to the parent focus group tonight.  For those of you who did not, I'll give a brief summary: 

About 20-25 parents met in the library from 6-8.  Armando Alaniz, Executive Principal of the Lee Feeder Pattern and head of the Principal Selection Committee (the new principal will report to him as did Mr. Garza), began by explaining the principal search process. (See my post--The Candidate Selection Process--which contains the same information)  He also facilitated a discussion of the qualities and attributes that parents felt were most necessary for our new principal.  There was widespread agreement on these issues. 

 Below is a summary of the characteristics that parents at the focus group said were most important in a new principal:

 

Parent Requested Principal Skills and Attributes

Briargrove Elementary School

June 2009

Academic Expectations

·             Exemplary School – minimum expectation

·             What is being taught in the school raises the level for all    

          students to Exemplary (not let testing for Exemplary status    

          guide teaching)

·             Consistency in student workload

·             Curriculum and vertical alignment with teachers

·            High Expectations, Rigor for All

·            High Standards

o       Over-prepared for middle school, good salesperson of our “public” product

o       Math and Science

 

Experience in Elementary School

·            Enjoys children, patient, makes eye contact, child interaction   

             “child-centric”

 

Good Communicator

·            Technology Savvy

·                    Confidence, charisma, motivator, (enforces communication

         from teacher to parents) commands respect), commands

         respect, can deal with confrontation/problem solver,

         engaging speaker

·                    Curriculum communication to parents

·                    Expectations communicated to parents and student

 

 

              Forward-thinking/Visionary

·                                  Technology Savvy (Computer, blog, e-mail, reduce copying)

·                    Visionary, think ahead, make Briargrove unique experience/model school for fun programs – recycling, make special projects part of learning process & not burden teachers more “service-learning)

·                    Someone who is willing to be a “learner” and can “grow”

·                    Identify and keep good talent

·                    “Good hiring skills”

              Strong Disciplinarian

·                    Attendance, discipline procedures

·                    Strength in discipline issues

·                    Cafeteria management, discipline, teachers want to teach

 

 

 

              Strong Leader

·                    Multi-tasking (test preparation, knowing parents/students,

               good communicator, team principal-teachers-students)

·                    PTO/parent personalities

·                    Strong Policy Recognition & System (builder)

                   Policies/Organizational Skills (management skills, budget,

                   school & PTO)

·                    Consistency in leadership, fairness

·                    Private pre-school utilization as feeder for school

·                    Understand the “competition”

·                    Navigator  - bureaucracy, government (federal & state)

·                    Open-mindedness and embracing of parental involvement

·                    Strong parent personalities

 

 

·                    Computer, blog, e-mail, reduce copying

·                    Learning

·                    Someone who can leverage the relationship with community, parents

·                    School of choice, private school options, carters/magnets

·                    Knows Houston and HISD system

·                    Ownership and involvement in school issues student sensitivity of all students, “hand-on” principal  GT/Vanguard program

·                    Culture Creator

o       Inspires love of learning, sets standard for culture in school

o       “Fun”