Fwd: Questions about Principal Candidate Search from Oyster-Adams Parents

[Phoebe Schlanger]

Dear OCC Board (old and new)

Claire asked me to forward this message. I have not yet updated the list to add new members and delete old members. I'll get to that tomorrow -- after school ends. If you are aware of anyone who should be getting this, please let me know. Thanks.

Phoebe

Begin forwarded message:

From: Claire Taylor <claire_el...@yahoo.com>

Date: June 11, 2008 2:04:26 PM EDT

To: Phoebe Schlanger <pschl...@mac.com>, Margaret Conway <marg...@margaretconway.com>

Subject: Fw: Questions about Principal Candidate Search from Oyster-Adams Parents

Phoebe, Margaret (where are we in this transition?  I'm covering all my bases!) 

Here is the text of the letter that went to Michelle Rhee today.  Could you circulate this among the board members (2007-2008 & 2008-2009)?  As soon as we get a response, I'll forward that along, too.

Thanks!

Claire

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Claire Taylor <claire_el...@yahoo.com>
To: Michelle Rhee <michel...@k12.dc.us>
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:57:13 PM
Subject: Questions about Principal Candidate Search from Oyster-Adams Parents

Dear Chancellor Rhee,

As Co-Chairs of the OCC board, and speaking on behalf of parents at Oyster-Adams, we would like you to know that the community is very pleased that a candidate for principal garnered the unanimous endorsement of the interview panel.  For that we are grateful and we thank you.

 

In order to ensure that our new principal gets the best possible start in her new job, and in her relationship with the parent community, we ask that when you inform the community of your decision, that you respond directly to some concerns about the transparency and thoroughness of the process that have been raised by both panel members as well as parents.

 

Specifically, the panel felt that while two of the candidates were exceedingly strong, the other two were quite weak (one had no prior experience as a principal and the other spoke little Spanish). 

 

How wide was the search?  How and where did you advertise for this position? 

 

Why were there only 2 viable candidates? 

 

What criteria did you use to select the candidates interviewed by the panel and why was the panel asked to interview a candidate who did not speak Spanish?

Why did you choose to not disclose Ms. Aguirre's relationship to your office prior to the interview and what will be the protocols going forward as she necessarily interfaces with your office?

 

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.  We appreciate your support as we go through this transition and are looking forward to working with you to build the Oyster-Adams program.

Sincerely,

Claire Taylor and Eduardo Barada
OCC Co-Chairs

[Tamara Belt]

Phoebe,

 

I am on the board as the chair of the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Committee.  If someone steps up next year and want to be chair, I will send you that person's name.

 

Thanks a lot Phoebe.

 

Tamara

Phoebe Schlanger <pschl...@mac.com> wrote:

[Phoebe Schlanger]

Dear OCC Board Old & New

I still haven't quite updated the email list. Will get to that as soon as camp starts. For now, here is the reply from Chancellor Rhee directing her staffer to respond to us.

Phoebe

Begin forwarded message:

From: Claire Taylor <claire_el...@yahoo.com>

Date: June 15, 2008 10:33:55 AM EDT

To: Phoebe Schlanger <pschl...@mac.com>

Subject: Fw: Questions about Principal Candidate Search from Oyster-Adams Parents

Phoebe -

As you can see, I'm not nearly as responsive as she is!  Please forward this to the board, and I'll follow up with Mr. Davis next week.

Once I get his responses, I'll forward those (and now I'll work on my usual, more instantaneous timetable because my kids are in camp from 9-3 for the remainder of June).

CT

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "Rhee, Michelle (OOC)" <Michel...@dc.gov>
To: Claire Taylor <claire_el...@yahoo.com>
Cc: "Davis, John L. (OOC)" <john....@dc.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 2:34:25 PM
Subject: RE: Questions about Principal Candidate Search from Oyster-Adams Parents

Absolutely.  John please work with Ms Taylor to get this information out.

 

MR

 

---

From: Claire Taylor [mailto:claire_el...@yahoo.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:57 PM
To: Rhee, Michelle (OOC)

Subject: Questions about Principal Candidate Search from Oyster-Adams Parents