Recruiting and Hiring of Administrative Staff Procedures

CODE: GCFB-R

Maine School Administrative District No. 31

RECRUITING AND HIRING OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF - PROCEDURES

These procedures implement board policy GCAA and are designed to establish a thorough, efficient, and nondiscriminatory practice for the recruiting and hiring of the most qualified candidates for administrative positions.

Job Description Development/Review

To ensure that a written role description of the vacant position accurately represents the current

functions and needs, the Superintendent/designee (the board in a superintendent search) is to:

1. Conduct a review of (if non exists, develop) the job description, with input from persons affected

by the position;

2. Include the criteria (skills, knowledge, abilities) required to perform the duties/responsibilities

of the position; and

3. List the minimum qualifications (training, education, and experience) for the position.

Recruitment

To attract a strong pool of qualified candidates, the superintendent/designee is to advertise (except in the circumstances described in K below) such as in:

1. Posting notice of the vacancy within the unit;

2. Placing an display in the appropriate media; and

3. Identifying and notifying other possible sources of potential candidates, such as professional

associations, educational administration programs and placement offices at colleges and universities

in Maine and other states, and the Maine Department of Education.

Screening

To insure that a fair and efficient screening process will occur, the Superintendent/designee is to:

1. Ensure that all applications are reviewed by more than one individual with attention given to an

unbiased regard for the criteria and qualifications in the job description;

2. Notify applicants of receipt of application and/or materials;

3. Appoint a screening panel with representation as deemed appropriate to the particular vacancy

(with Board approval);

4. Provide orientation on confidentiality and equity issues to screeners;

5. Eliminate all candidates who do not meet the minimum qualifications;

6. Conduct preliminary reference checks, as appropriate;

7. Select candidates for interview based on the degree to which they meet the criteria and demonstrate

the skills, knowledge, and abilities outlined in the job description; and

8. Notify applicants not selected for interview.

Interviewing

To ensure that the interview process will be conducted in a legal and proper manner, the Superintendent/designee is to:

1. Appoint an interview panel (may be the same persons who serve the screening function) with

representation as deemed appropriate to the particular vacancy (with Board approval);

2. Provide orientation on the process including the function and extent of responsibility of the panel,

the weighing of criteria and the nomination/hiring procedure; and

3. Conduct training to ensure that panel members are aware of the legal aspects of interviewing,

including confidentiality and equity issues.

The interview panel is to:

1. Design interview questions which match the criteria and the duties/responsibilities outlined in the

job description; and

2. Provide equal opportunity for the candidates to respond to the same questions/ questioners.

Selection

The interview panel is to:

1. Individually assess the candidates according to their answers to the job description – related

questions, rating, and commenting on each using a specially prepared form corresponding to the

questions/criteria; and

2. Submit a report to the Superintendent, including the individual rating forms as well as a list

(usually 1 or 2) of candidates to be considered further for the position.

The Superintendent/designee is to:

1. Have reference contacts made, as appropriate, to check perceived strengths and weaknesses

of the candidates;

2. Review the materials on the finalist candidates to determine whether additional information is needed;

3. Conduct final interviews of any or all finalists, as deemed necessary;

4. Select the most qualified candidate who fits the criteria and the duties/responsibilities outlined in

the job description, based on his/her own professional judgment along with those of the interview

panel (or, reject all finalists, re-open the position and begin the process anew); and

5. Have any further reference checks made, as appropriate.

Nomination/Employment

The Superintendent is to:

1. Notify the nominee of the board approval and employ the administrator; and

2. Notify the other candidates interviewed.

Orientation and Support

To ensure that the new administrator is provided with the proper information about the system and job

expectations, the Superintendent/designee is to provide an orientation that includes expectations of

the duties/responsibilities of the position along with the policies and procedures of the local school unit.

Record Keeping

To ensure that the confidentiality of employee and applicant records are properly maintained, the

Superintendent is to provide for the maintenance in secure files of all applications and documentation

of the hiring, screening, and interviewing process for a period of three (3) years.

Confidentiality

To ensure that the confidentiality is maintained throughout and permanently following the hiring process,

the board, all employees involved, and any other participants are to maintain absolute confidentiality

about candidates, including names, in accordance with Maine state law (Title 20A-6101). The board is

to assume responsibility through the Superintendent for providing adequate orientation at appropriate

stages of the process, including at the completion.

Hiring of Current Employees

The school unit may forego one or more of the steps set forth in sections B-E of this procedure and

appoint a person who is currently employed by the unit to fill an administrative position only if the

superintendent, after consultation with the board, or the board, as appropriate, determines that the

following circumstances exist:

1. The currently employed candidate is exceptionally well qualified for the position; and

2. The decision to forego all or part of the recruitment and screening process will not detract from

the goals of this policy.

NOTE: Based largely on "Model Administrative Hiring Procedure," published by the Commissioner of Education in the Final Report of the Equity Committee, April 22, 1991

Approved: 08/19/1998

Updated: 08/18/2010