Choosing a new Chief Sealth principal: Community meeting set

When Chief Sealth International High School principal John Boyd announced two weeks ago that he is leaving for a new job in Highline Public Schools, management at Seattle Public Schools promised the community would get a chance to participate in the selection of his successor. The next major step has just been announced by the district:

Chief Sealth International High School staff, students, parents, alums, and community members are invited to a community meeting on Monday, August 1, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. to give input into the qualities you would like to see in the new principal of Chief Sealth International High School. The meeting will be held at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence (JSCEE) in room 2700. The John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence is located at 2445 3rd Avenue South.

If you are unable to attend the community meeting, you are welcome to fill out a short survey to provide input: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WMMMT5L

You are also welcome to e-mail Aurora Lora, Executive Director for West Seattle Schools at aalora@seattleschools.org to provide additional feedback.

ADDED 2:01 PM: An addendum from Sealth athletics director/activities coordinator Sam Reed, who sent this to the Chief Sealth PTSA mailing list but gave permission for it to be republished:

Please take the opportunity, as mentioned below, to provide your input and opinions on the future leadership at Chief Sealth International High School.

The most recent information I received alludes to the fact that District leadership plans to hire an interim principal for the entire 2011-2012 school year. Aurora Lora and Superintendant Susan Enfield have put together a list of potential names and will be making an almost immediate decision based on the opinions given at the meeting, through e-mails received and through the survey linked below. They hope to have the interim principal named before Mr. Boyd’s last day (August 5).

Similar to the process undertaken at West Seattle High School last year, the interim principal will be evaluated extensively in the Spring and a decision will be made at that time whether to convert that person to a permanent position or undertake a complete interview process.

Curious July 28, 2011 (4:13 am)

Odd that mtg is @ JSC downtown – wish SPS leadership was more user friendly and scheduled @ Sealth since that’s where the “customers” are, would indicate some sensitivity to others’ busy schedules, would show “reaching out” and that SPS really did want community engagement…..

Here’s hoping the dialogue is authentic, is really dialogue (2 way) SPS could use a win in the community engagement process after the series of debacles….

John Boyd will be sorely missed.

add July 28, 2011 (6:58 pm)

The PTSA also had concerns about the timing and location of this “community” meeting, and expressed that to Ms. Lora at the district office. She has now added “open office hours” on campus on Tuesday 8/2. I urge interested folks to drop by! See her note below:
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I have now made arrangements to have open office hours at Chief Sealth next Tuesday, August 2nd, from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. in the Alumni Room. Anyone who would like to have a private conversation with me or small group conversation with me is welcome to drop by the school during those times. No appointment is necessary. I will have coffee and donuts available and will also bring a printout of the survey data and information collected at the Monday night meeting if anyone would like to review what I have collected so far.

All information from the community meeting, survey, e-mails, and the office hours will be compiled and shared with the superintendent later next week before a decision is made.

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