Staff Hiring Process

Danielle Eastman

Grand Canyon University: Strategic Leadership and Management in the Principalship

November 2, 2022
Based on the descriptions of the positions and leadership roles that need to be filled, what

3-4 qualities are you looking for in a candidate? Provide a rationale.

There are many qualities that make an excellent teacher candidate. The first quality that

is beyond important to attain as a teacher is a strong work ethic. Teachers are one of the main

role models of our school who not only model school expectations and rules, they model

working hard to achieve their goals. Goals can range from teaching students’ academics, social

emotional behavior, and reaching all student needs. They go above and beyond their daily

expectations while achieving greatness.

Two more qualities that go together that are valuable for teachers to attain are

communication and listening skills. These qualities will enhance the connections made

between colleagues and students. “Effective communication is a vital part of any team, so strong

listening skills are highly valued” (Manitoba Education, 2009, p. 192). Building communication

skills also builds trust between colleagues and administration.

Who will sit on the interview committee? Will you use the same interview team for all

positions? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

Stakeholders that will sit on the interview team will range from at least one administrator, a

union member, a member of the building leadership team, and members of the specific grade

level. If there are union members and building leadership members in that specific grade level,

there does not have to be any extra teachers from other grades who sit on the interview team.

For example, if the fourth-grade position is being interviewed and one of the current fourth

grade teachers is a union member, there doesn’t have to be another one from a different grade.
Each interview team will switch based on the grade being interviewed. Grade level teachers

will be part of the interview team when there is a position on their team being interviewed.

Are there positions you will try to fill prior to others? Why or why not?

Positions I would fill first are the general education positions and the special education

position. The general education teachers have great qualities and seem to form decent teams.

Classes should not exceed a specific number of students because many students will not get the

education they need within a big numbered class. “Teachers in small classes can devote more

time to individualized attention, engage in more time-on-task instruction and identify precisely

and early those student learning problems that can be remediated before a student falls too far

behind. A small class can be a family. Student behavior and achievement benefit from improved

classroom environments” (AASA). It’s extremely important we fill all the general education

classes first, and then get the special education position filled.

Identify 4-5 questions you plan to use in the interview. Will you include any performance

or behavior focused questions? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning.

The interview questions I would use focuses on classroom management, disciplinary,

differentiating instruction, student engagement, and collaborating with colleagues. Questions

that focus on students are extremely important to get a feel for how they will support their

students and if they are a good fit based on our mission and vision. I also included a question

on collaborating with colleagues because educators are constantly learning and supporting each

other, and I want to hire individuals who will benefit our teams. Questions I would use are:
  How would you differentiate instruction for students based on their data and

how would you support students with specific disabilities so all students are

given a fair learning opportunity?

 How do you keep student engagement and participation for reluctant learners?

 We view collaborating with our colleagues highly important. What skills or

traits would you bring to your grade level team?

 How would you work with a student who is constantly defiant or disruptive in

school?

 What techniques do you use to support your classroom management?

Identify 3-4 legalities you will have to take into account when completing the hiring

process. How will these legalities affect your decision-making? Describe actions you

might take to address these issues.

One of the main legalities I will have to take into account when completing the hiring process

is to be sure I am framing language appropriately and not discriminating in any way. Being

sure an accurate background check that focuses on any felonies that were committed or other

illegal issues. Lastly, I would make sure that these individuals are highly qualified for the job

with reliable recommendations that prove they would be a good candidate for the job.

How will your decisions align with the Christian values of promoting human flourishing,

compassion, and concern for the common good?

When looking for good candidates to fill in teaching positions, it’s important to identify

individuals who are working for the common good. They are dedicating their time throughout
the day, all day to support students and give them hat they need to learn. I want to hire teachers

that work to give all students and equal opportunity for an education no matter how difficult

the student might be. These individuals are empathetic towards kids and have a passion for this

job.
 References

AASA | American Association of School Administrators. (n.d.). Retrieved November 2, 2022,

from https://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=15680

https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/physhlth/frame_found_gr12/rm/module_d_lesson_2.pdf

Manitoba Education. (2009). Active Healthy Lifestyles.

https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/physhlth/frame_found_gr12/full_document.pdf