[CCHS] Principal Search

[Sharon Trainor]

To Members of the the Concord-Carlisle High School Community:
The Concord-Carlisle Regional School District has already begun the search
process for a new high school principal. Below is a letter by
Superintendent Brenda Finn outlining the process to be used and meetings
related to the process. Questions about the process may be directed to
Brenda Finn or to Human Resources Administrator Kelly McCausland. Thank
you for your interest in this very important work.
Brenda Finn 

CONCORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CONCORD-CARLISLE REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
120 MERIAM ROAD       CONCORD, MA 01742        PHONE 978.318.1500        
FAX 978.318.1537       www.colonial.net 

January 24, 2007

Dear Member of the Concord-Carlisle High School Community:

In early January, Principal Arthur Dulong shared with us that at the end
of this academic year he will be retiring from his position as educational
leader of Concord-Carlisle High School. Students, staff, parents, and
administrators have been the beneficiaries of Mr. Dulong's principled,
student-centered, effective, compassionate, wise, and courageous
leadership over the past six years. We are grateful to Principal Dulong
for his enduring commitment to excellence at CCHS and will miss him
profoundly next year and beyond as a leader, colleague, friend, and
advocate of education.

Ahead of us lies the challenge of choosing CCHS' next principal-one of the
most important personnel decisions the school and district can undertake.
The process of advertising the position in the media and sending
electronic and/or hardcopy mailings to current administrators and other
educators, professional organizations, colleges and school districts is
underway. The district has employed the services of Dr. Mary Forte Hayes,
executive director of Massachusetts Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development (ASCD) and former principal of Wellesley High
School, to facilitate focus groups and assist in the search process-a role
she assumed six years ago in CCHS' last principal search. Focus groups
will be held on February 5, 2007 at the following times: students,
10:45-1:00 in Room A7; faculty, 2:30-3:30 in the Little Theater; support
staff, 3:30-4:30 in the Little Theater; and parents and community members,
7:30 PM in the auditorium. All are encouraged to participate in these
sessions and share their thoughts regarding essential qualities of the
educational leader who will guide CCHS in the years ahead. Those unable to
attend may email suggestions to Ms. Hayes  (mfhayes at mascd.org) or to Human
Resources Administrator Kelly McCausland (kmccausland at colonial.net) by
February 6th.

The interview process will be an inclusive one, led by a representative
committee composed of faculty and support staff, students, parents, school
committee members, and administrators. The committee will meet during the
months of February and March to review the hiring process, interview
candidates, and recommend semi-finalists to the superintendent. Site
visits to schools of the finalists will be conducted in March. Members of
the community will have the opportunity to meet the candidates during the
semi-finalist interviews in the CCHS library on March 15th  at 6:30 PM and
March19th at 5:30 PM. Appointment of the new principal is anticipated to
take place in early April.

We look forward to a comprehensive and highly successful search process
and to welcoming the new principal to the Concord-Carlisle High School
community on July 1, 2007.


Sincerely,
Brenda Finn
Superintendent of Schools