Principal search ignites debate

MAT-SU -- Colony High is once again a hotbed of controversy as the Mat-Su Borough School District searches for a new principal for the school.

In response to public concern, the school board is reviewing its districtwide policy on how principals are chosen.

Following the removal of Bill Harlow from the Colony principal position last year and the assignment of a temporary principal this year, the district has begun the search for a permanent replacement. But the strife of last year continues to plague the situation.

Several parents and school board members have indicated they are not pleased with Superintendent Pat Chesbro's handling of the hiring process and say she rejected two qualified district employees before a selection committee could consider them.

"This information greatly disturbs me," Colony parent Diane Paoletti recently wrote to the school board. She went on to say that if she has heard an accurate account of the situation, "[Chesbro's] unethical approach and misuse of power used were not in the best interest of those who should always matter most … the students."

District officials, however, defend the process, saying the superintendent referred only the applicant she thought was qualified for the job.

Several parents testified before the school board during its regular meeting last week that they were upset the superintendent was not allowing a selection committee to consider Colony Middle principal John J. Miller and former Colony High assistant principal Mark Okeson. Okeson and Miller later confirmed with the Frontiersman that they had applied for the Colony High job.

Both Okeson and Miller have worked as administrators in the district for a number of years.

Last year, Okeson was reassigned to Wasilla High following an investigation at Colony High when two teachers were charged in separate cases of sexually abusing students. At the same time, Harlow was removed as principal and reassigned to central administration.

District officials said they cannot discuss those candidates who were rejected during the "pre-selection" process, but did say that Palmer High principal Wolfgang Winter was the only applicant referred to the committee.

Seven principal hirings were handled the same way last year, according to Kim Floyd, district public information specialist.

"This is the first time we've heard this isn't the process this particular community wants," Floyd said.

When asked what kind of choice committee members have when only one applicant is before them, Floyd said, "The idea is that we would have enough applicants to give the committee a choice." She added that the Colony principal position has since been opened to non-district employees.

During her preliminary interviews and review of applications, Chesbro considered the candidates' level of expertise, leadership skills and how much their current experience matches the challenges and complexities of the job, Floyd said.

"The intent was to provide the committee with those applicants the superintendent thought were qualified … that is her job," Floyd said.

Based on school district policy, the superintendent can establish a committee made up of two teachers and a classified employee from the school, two parents or community members, an administrator and one school board member. The process allows the superintendent to conduct a pre-selection process, which district officials say is designed to save time by not having the committee consider unqualified applicants.

The policy also states, "the committee process can be waived by the superintendent," and "the finalist selected by the superintendent will be recommended to the school board for appointment."

School board member Linda Menard indicated she has some reservations about the superintendent's role in the hiring.

"It's human nature that a principal who says, 'Yeah, I like what's going on at central administration,' … that you are going to get promoted," Menard said at last week's school board meeting.

Wasilla High principal and president of the local principals' union Dwight Probasco said at the same meeting that he, too, believes the committee should have had the opportunity to consider the other two candidates.

"Their past successful experience at schools should speak for themselves," Probasco said, adding that if this isn't considered, "then how do you get in front of the committee?"

Some say that in light of this controversy, the job of hiring principals should be taken away from the superintendent and handed over to committees. School board member Carl Gatto said the existing policy is designed for a district in which the community trusts the superintendent to make a good choice.

"But what I've heard from this community is that they are not at all happy with the superintendent," Gatto said. He went on to say that the selection process should be left entirely to the community, "because it's their school."

In addition to listening to testimony about the Colony principal selection at its meeting last week, the board also reviewed the districtwide policy for hiring principals. Several board members agreed the process needed to be improved, but pointed out that many districts do not offer parents and teachers any opportunity to be involved in choosing a principal and the decision is wholly the superintendent's.

Other board members had different concerns about the policy. Member Rob Wells said he was uncomfortable with having a board member serve on the committee and indicated he would move to strike that from the policy when it comes back for a final vote.

Menard said she did not believe the committee chair, appointed by the superintendent, should have a vote in who to recommend but should instead just act as a facilitator.

Menard also said the policy should continue to not include students in the selection committee, saying that teen-agers seeking to be on the committee would be involved in a "popularity contest," and once on the committee would not respect confidentiality requirements when looking at personnel files.

Colony student Marie Stoner begged to differ. She told the board she, like many of her peers, has a job outside of school that requires her to respect confidentiality.

"I've had six principals," she told the board, "and if I would have had a say … things might have been a little different. You can't really have a community involved in a decision … if you don't include the students."

The earliest the principal-selection policy will come before the board for a final vote is at its April 3 meeting.