Just to update, I have such a feeling of accomplishment. Our new principal is the one that we all wanted. We, being the interview committee. I know that we have put our elementary school in the hands of an experienced, caring, devoted person who will take our school into the future with great pride.
If anyone has the opportuinity to sit on an interview committee, please do. You'll have no regrets!
We are currently interviewing for our new principal. I am the only parent on the committee acting as the PTO rep. Our superintendent has printed up the questions and has our names (teachers and mine) next to our questions. This works very well. I found found this process no what I expected, but so much more! Very glad that I am doing this. Good luck to you!
I have been involved in interviews for principals and superintendent. I would think about what qualities you (and the PTO) would like in a new principal and go from there.
Usually you will not have alot of time to ask questions yourself, so get it down to 1 key question you would like answered. I hope that they want your input, and not just a "body" to say "we included parents".
Without being a pest I would be certain that everyone on the committee knows that you are there to represent the parents, and especially the children!
I certainly wish that our school board allowed parents to share in the process of hiring a new principal. We all hope that our new principal gets hired somewhere else next year. Our principal has caused alot of friction among teachers and staff, and no one is happy anymore. Several teachers have already retired and several more are hoping to leave. It's a sad situation for everyone.
My situation was pretty much the same as a1chef's in that we were given a set of questions to ask. Other than that you should just ask questions that relate to your organization as you are there because of your position in your PTO. The school staff and BOE will be asking the really tough questions concerning the main facets of being a prinicpal as that is what they are on the committee for. Believe me they do not expect you to be asking him/her about curriculum or his dealings with staff, school procedures, etc...
I am sure you can also ask your Super ahead of time what the format of the process will be.
I also agree with a1chef that you will know pretty quickly who you like and who you do not like. Then after the interviews you normally just sit with the panel and discuss who you liked and did not and why. In my case everyone was pretty much in agreement as to who they were interested in.
