The Westport Board of Education and its search consultant firm are seeking community input on hiring of a new principal of Staples High School, the school system announced today.
It said the board and the consultant, Goens/Esparo, LLC, are seeking to develop a profileӔ of the kind of educator Westport seeks in its next high school principal.
John M. Dodig is serving as interim principal at the high school following the departure last October of John J. Brady to take the superintendent’s job in the Amity Regional School District near New Haven.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 19 and 20, Dr. Louis Esparo and Dr. George Goens will conduct a series of focus groups to obtain information about the characteristics the Westport community considers essential for Staples High Schools new leader, an announcement said.
To provide the opportunity for many Westporters to be involved, three meetings have been scheduled to hear from the general public. The first will take place on Jan. 19 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the second the next day from 1:20 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., and that evening from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
All meetings will be held at Staples High School: Room 2015 in the new building.
School Board Chairwoman Mary Parmelee said the board hopes that many community members will elect to participate in the process.
On Jan. 20. Esparo and Goens will also meet separately with Staples staff, students, and parents, as well as central office school administrators and town officials.
Staples parents who are unable to attend the meeting especially designated for them are invited to participate in one of the general public sessions, the announcement said.
The feedback from the various groups will be given to the Board of Education and incorporated into a Leadership and Management Profile that will be used in identifying candidates that best fit the requirements of the Westport schools and community, according to the announcement.
Before establishing their present business, in West Hartford, Goens and Esparo were experienced public school educators, serving as school superintendents for 14 and 27 years respectively, the board said.
In 1996, Esparo was the Connecticut Superintendent of the Year.
Superintendent of Schools Elliott Landon said he is confident in the search process established to select the next Staples High School principal.
We are working with experienced professionals who have demonstrated their effectiveness in prior work with us,” he said.
“During the last search, the consultants presented several excellent candidates. Although we ultimately chose the interim principal, Dr. John Brady, whom they also had recommended, we feel certain that their other choices would have been fine selections.”
Landon said the school district was pleased to have Dodig serving in the interim and, “although not a candidate for the permanent position, is providing fine leadership”
He said a high standard of excellence “prevails in our schools and town” and added, “We are convinced we can identify yet another educator of unusual stature and vision to be a leader of leaders at Staples.Ӕ
