Hiring Toolkit

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One of the most important – and often most difficult – responsibilities of a Local School Council is hiring a principal. LSCs sometimes struggle to find candidates who fit the needs of their specific school community.

We’ve collected several resources to help LSCs navigate the hiring process. Some are directly from LSC members; others we created with our LSC Focus Group. If you have a resource you’d like to share, please send it to engagement@thefundchicago.org.

All resources are available in English and Spanish.

How To Hire A Principal

This video can be used as an introduction to the Chicago Public Schools’ Office of LSC Relations Resource Guide (in English and Spanish), which has an in-depth explanation of the principal hiring process.

Virtual Hiring Guide

This two-page guide (English and Spanish) provides several tips on how to conduct the principal hiring process in a virtual environment. LSC members can use it as a quick reference before starting the search for a school leader.

Community Engagement Process

LSC members often serve as a bridge between a school and its community. This culture and climate assessment (English and Spanish) and facilitation guide (English and Spanish) were adapted by a Westinghouse LSC member. This process is designed to bring together school staff, students, parents and caretakers to talk about ways to create a more welcoming and nurturing school environment. It can also be used to help spark a discussion about a school community’s priorities when hiring a new principal.

Principal Resume Rubric 

This template (English and Spanish) is based on a rubric designed by the Local School Council at Nettelhorst Elementary. It is intended to help LSCs review each candidate’s resume. The LSC and hiring committee should first establish the qualifications they are looking for in a principal and then modify this template based on that discussion. A rubric should be completed for each candidate to aid in a fair evaluation process.

Candidate Forum Plan

If LSC members choose to hold a candidate forum before selecting a principal, this template (English and Spanish) can be passed out to attendees to help them determine which candidate they believe is best for the role. The template was created by a Nettelhorst LSC member and used during the school’s principal hiring process. This template could also be adapted for a number of uses, such as a school staff forum.