​​​​Nancy Springer

As a building leader, one of the most influential and important responsibilities is to recruit, hire, and retain the best educators and staff members. This task has an extraordinary impact on school culture and student achievement. As part of the Mission Valley interview team for elementary teaching positions, I was able to gain the knowledge and skills required to recognize and hire excellent candidates. The recruiting process began with looking over applications and file documents, networking with other administrators, and visiting job/college fairs. Once several candidates are chosen, introducing them to your school through a guided tour and prepared folder of school data and information gives them an opportunity to get to know your school community a little better and assess how they may fit. The interview team I was a part of included the building principal, school social worker, special service teacher, and elementary teachers at similar grade levels. Once the interview process began, we took turns asking predetermined behavioral-based questions with an exchange of any clarification that may have been presented. This format allowed for the candidate to respond to a given situation, relate their actions, and the result that followed. Team members scored accordingly and then discussed the candidate’s responses and how they matched up with our school climate. There was also an open-ended period of the interview that allowed the candidate to tell us more about themselves or ask any questions they may have had about our school, staff, or procedures. Collaboratively, a selection was agreed upon and then the building principal followed up with a phone call/meeting to offer a position. If accepted the candidate would then meet with the district office to conclude the hiring process with necessary paperwork.