Dear Community,
Important change in plans for Principal succession at Maplewood:
I am writing you to let you know that my plans for work this school year have just recently changed, and that it is important not to delay that message. My last 6 months of work for Portland Public Schools will not be as Maplewood’s Principal; I have just accepted the offer to serve in a temporary role as the PPS Director of Principal Hiring. Beginning this January, I will be in charge of the selection of all the Principals, Assistant Principals, and Vice-Principals for the whole school district (including Maplewood’s). This work will run from January through June, at which point I will truly begin my planned retirement. But during that 6 months, the school district will be placing an Interim Principal here at Maplewood between January 1st and June 30th.
This Interim Principal will be here for that period of time only, unless they apply for, and are selected for, the permanent Principalship that will begin in the fall. I do not know who that Interim Principal will be as I write this, but I know that plans have already been put in motion, and I believe that we will be told that person’s name as soon as next Tuesday evening. All indications are that this person is someone highly qualified, who will be delighted to work at this wonderful school.
I have been given assurances that I will have several opportunities to transition with my replacement several times between now on winter break, and I plan on having that person available to meet the school community during that time.
I am sending this out electronically now, but will follow-up on Monday by meeting with the students in the morning and by sending letters home at the end of the day.
Why is this happening?:
It is relatively unusual to change to a different Principal in the middle of a school year. But the District believes that selecting the right Principal for a school is of the highest priority, and that a current Principal, with a Principal’s perspective, is integral to that selection process. I have to be honest and admit that I have highly conflicting feelings about me taking on this job – I was honored to be offered this job, and when I think about this new role by itself, I am very excited and feel confident that I will provide an important service well. And yet this timing for my leaving Maplewood is not at all what I had originally pictured, and will deeply miss the time that I was planning to spend with you all this winter and spring.
What I ask of you:
Once again I am going to ask for your help and support in a number of ways:
• please give your children the reassurance this weekend that they will be well taken care of by their teachers and by the interim Principal. I am sure that both my temporary and my permanent successor will come here because they really like children and really want to be at Maplewood. Often children will want reassurance that they will be safe, treated fairly, and be loved, and that you and your teachers and the staff will continue to be that way for them.
• I will be in charge of the selection of the next Principal, involved in all phases; please be ready to give your input, when I call for it, into the qualities you desire in your school leader.
• be assured that the hard work and the outstanding educational efforts happening here will continue. When I informed the school staff yesterday (Friday) of this decision, they supported it, and yet evidenced admirable professionalism by their confidence in their ability to keep the prime focus on what matters to children. I am very proud of this staff and their strengths and skills in maintaining their excellent work. But please know that they will also need your continued support and patience during these times of resource cuts, and as they adjust during this new transition period.
Thank you once again for your support and trust that you place in me, and in the staff at Maplewood. I will send out more information as I receive it, on any plans for the next 5 weeks of school, and I look forward to working for you this spring in selecting the next Principal.
Sincerely yours, John
