Haynes Principal Search
Please check here for periodic updates about the search for a new principal for the Josiah Haynes School following the announced retirement of current principal Susan Carlson.
HAYNES PRINCIPAL UPDATE - APRIL 10, 2008
It is my pleasure to announce that Kim Swain has been appointed as Principal of the Haynes Elementary School beginning with the 2008-09 school year.
Ms. Swain is the highly respected Lead Teacher and Literacy Specialist at Haynes. She has served in this position for eight years. As Lead Teacher, she has worked collaboratively with current principal, Susan Carlson, in the management and leadership of the school. She earned her Bachelors of Arts degree from Carleton College, Masters of Arts from the University of Chicago and principal certification from the Boston University Schools of Education and Management.
Over sixty applications were screened for the position. After initial interviews narrowed the search to two finalists, a team of staff, parents, school committee representative and district administrators conducted an in-depth interview at the end of each candidate's visit to Haynes. Additionally, response forms from parents, staff and Sudbury administrators and curriculum specialists were reviewed, the input of a team of 5th grade students who conducted their own interview with the finalists was considered, and reference checks and additional due diligence information was processed. It became imminently clear that Kim Swain was the clear choice to be our newest principal.
Ms. Swain has demonstrated a commitment and love for the Haynes school and students. She is a thoughtful, reflective leader with a strong work ethic and a vision for the continuous improvement of the school. At a time when Haynes and SPS will be facing significant challenges from constrained resources and staffing reductions, Kim's understanding of the community and school culture, including our strengths and areas for improvement, will allow her to "hit the ground running." She has been referred to by several of her colleagues as a "teacher of teachers" and a leader whose deep understanding of teaching and learning is invaluable to young and experienced teachers alike. She possesses a presence and strength of character, and is committed to work collaboratively with staff and parents to make Haynes a better place to learn and grow.
Always revealing, the student interview clearly demonstrated Kim's strong relationship with students. Student comments such as "she makes kids feel safe", "she's confident and always ready to help kids," "she's fun but not too silly," and "she knows the school and kids and will be able to make changes sooner," are just a few of the insights that our 5th graders gleaned from their interview.
Ms. Swain has been mentored by Susan Carlson and comes to the position with Susan's strong endorsement. Kim's official start date as principal is August 1 but a transition plan is being developed that will allow her to begin to implement her entry plan beginning this summer.
We are very excited about Ms. Swain joining the administrative team of the Sudbury Public Schools. It is important to remember that Mrs. Carlson remains our principal and leader and has our full support for her administration and leadership agenda. My gratitude goes out to Mrs. Carlson for her six years of service and dedication to the students of Haynes and Sudbury.
I want to thank everyone who participated in this important decision. We were fortunate to have two final candidates with strong credentials and qualities. While the decision is mine, it was informed by all the input I received. Thank you.
John R. Brackett
Superintendent
Haynes Principal Update - March 29, 2008
I have to confess that I was a little ambitious when sending out a selection time-line in the March 11th update. The process is requiring a bit more time and I want to give this important decision the time it merits to do this correctly and ensure the successful candidate is in a position to hit the ground running.
The following is an update and revised time-line/process.
The posting for applicants has closed. We have considered all 40+ applications for the Loring position plus the new applications that were received in response to our posting. We received 22 more responses in the latest posting.
In the upcoming week, we will be conducting screening interviews of 3-4 candidates. From this number, we will identify finalists to be moved on in the process that I have outlined below. The number invited will be determined by the outcome of the screening process. By the way, to encourage educators to apply, and out of courtesy to their professional positions, we keep all information about our applicants confidential. This is true until the finalists are announced.
We have scheduled April 2nd and 3rd (at least) for the finalist to visit Haynes and meet students, staff and parents. With the exception of the student session and final session, the meeting times are not interviews but rather an opportunity to meet and talk with the finalist. A response form will be available at each session for those in attendance to provide impressions and insights. While the decision rests with me, I am interested in others' insights into a candidate's strengths, areas of uncertainty and perceived "fit."
The exact times on each day are still being worked out, so the times listed here are approximate.
Each day a candidate will arrive around noon for a tour of the school, then:
| 12:45 - 1:30 | Interview by the 5th Grade student team |
| 1:30 - 2:15 | Meet with administrators and curriculum specialists |
| 2:15 - 3:15 | Parent Reception |
| 3:45 - 4:30 | Staff Reception |
| 4:45 - | Final Interview |
Days for additional candidates and site visits will be added the following week, if necessary. I then hope to make the decision on an appointment before April vacation.
If a parent is interested in participating in the process as a member of the interview team, please send an e-mail expressing your interest to john_brackett@sudbury.k12.ma.us. We always have more interest than can be accommodated by the process. The one requirement is that you are available for all sessions.
I remain optimistic that we will identify and recruit a highly qualified, highly skilled, effective leader who can lead the Haynes school and community through challenging times and into the future.
John R. Brackett
Superintendent
sud
Haynes Principal Update - March 11, 2008
We were saddened by Susan Carlson's resignation. As with any opening, it did provide an opportunity to reflect on the school and the needs for the principal at Haynes. We have spent time talking with the staff, we met and heard from parents, and we sought Susan's insights as we determined the best process to employ to ensure Haynes remains a high-performing, quality elementary school. We talked with colleagues in a number of the other districts searching for principals and a search consultant. We also revisited the 40+ applications we received for the current opening for a principal at Loring Elementary.
Given all this information and insight, along with the knowledge that several of our own leaders are being recruited to leadership positions in other districts, we feel confident and excited to know that one or more of our current SPS leaders are unquestionably qualified for the position. These facts are reflected in the process outlined below. This process has been carefully designed to reflect a clear understanding of the current administrative labor pool, the skills, talents and experience of Sudbury staff, and the knowledge that we have been mentoring and preparing quality leaders as part of our leadership succession plan.
The selection process will reflect the following steps and timeline (dates subject to change).
| March 11 - 19 | Position posted (Internally and SchoolSpring) |
| Week of March 21 | Applicants screened and finalist(s) selected |
| Week of March 24 | Finalist(s) interviewed and will meet with staff, students and parents. (Reaction forms will be collected and submitted to the superintendent for input into final selection decision.) |
| Week of Mar 31 | New principal announced and contract offered. |
| Aug 1, 2008 | Official start date for new principal |
We will communicate with the Haynes community as more information becomes known and dates/times are determined. Thank you for your continued support of The Haynes Elementary School and its mission to support and challenge all learners.
Haynes Principal Update
We have met with staff and parents to gather information to assist us in identifying the profile of a successful principal at Josiah Haynes School and determine the process we will employ to recruit and select its new leader. Further updates will be forthcoming via the e-blast vehicle, as well as on the district web site.
When meeting with a group of parents on March 3, it was indicated that others, not in attendance, might be interested in providing input. To allow this, a copy of the profile form is provided here for your use. We ask that you return this as soon as possible so that we might move forward with the process.