Administrative Hiring Process

Typically by early December, the Human Resources Department will post a generic job announcement for anticipated principal vacancies for the subsequent school year.  The posting will be open to all eligible applicants, both internal and external, and it will typically have a closing date in mid-February. The closing date may be extended at the Superintendent’s discretion. 

Qualified internal and external candidates may complete an online principal application.  Only complete applications will be considered. In addition to providing all requested application information, including responses to the three writing prompts, a complete application also requires each of the following items:

• Current résumé (to be uploaded with application)
• Three recent letters of recommendation (to be uploaded with application)
• Copy of valid Arizona principal certificate, principal reciprocal certificate or superintendent certificate, or proof of having passed the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment for principals or superintendents (to be uploaded with application)
• Copy of most recent performance evaluation (to be uploaded with application)

All applications will be screened based on two factors: application material and the candidate’s video interview completed via the HireVue system. This requires applicants to utilize a webcam and microphone. If you do not have access to these items, please contact Human Resources for assistance.

The Human Resources Department will also complete a minimum of three reference checks.  At a minimum, the reference checks will be completed by the applicant’s current and two most recent supervisors.

Only applicants who meet established screening criteria will be invited to complete the next step in the principal selection process, an in-basket assessment.  Applicants must complete the an in-basket assessment within the provided time-frame (typically ending in mid- March) if they wish to continue to participate in the principal selection process.  This date may be extended at the Superintendent’s discretion.

Initial applicant interviews will be conducted by the central interview team in March; however, this date may be extended at the Superintendent’s discretion.  The central interview team will be comprised of both District and site administrator representatives who have received thorough training in the interview process.  The central interview team will determine eligible candidates to be considered in the site-level interview process. 

Site-level interviews will be conducted by the site’s interview committee for eligible candidates.  The site-level interview will include a presentation and a question and answer oral interview. 

The Superintendent and designee(s) will interview each of the candidates whose name has been forwarded to them by the principal selection facilitator on behalf of the site interview committee.  They or their designee may also conduct additional formal reference checks on each of the finalist candidates.

The Superintendent will forward the final recommendation to the Governing Board for approval.