Harbor has first principal input meeting

A parent of two students at Newport Harbor High School placed two green stickers next to a tacked-up piece of paper with the words “Athletic Development” written on it.

The colored dots indicated what Jeff Newman and other parents thought were the biggest challenges facing Harbor High — issues he hopes a new principal at the school will tackle.

“You want somebody who is a leader,” he said.

He and other stakeholders at the school attended a meeting Monday night where the Newport-Mesa Unified School District asked what they want in a top administrator at the campus.

Principal Michael Vossen, is moving on to a job at the district level where he’ll oversee career technical development, leaving the opening.

Newport-Mesa’s human resources staff wants a new principal in place with final approval from the school board by August, but first candidates have to go through a “survival contest.”

Parents’ input Monday night will give interviewers a guide about what to ask the eight to 10 candidates who make it to the in-person portion of the job interview, said John Caldecott, Newport-Mesa’s executive director of human resources.

He described the process:

Interviewees go through two interview panels of eight to 10 people. One tests their technical skills while the other tests their interpersonal skills.

Only then do they make it to a final interview with the district’s superintendent and cabinet who make a hiring recommendation to the school board.

“[Candidates are] usually perspiring when they leave,” Caldecott said.

At Monday’s meeting, stakeholders also covered current programs they hope the new principal will continue and added any more desired qualifications to a makeshift wish list.

“The ability to say no nicely,” Newport Harbor Educational Foundation President Colleen Barney said.

Their suggestions will eventually be given to the new principal before he or she ever sets foot on campus, Caldecott said.

The district has used this method to hire the last half new dozen principals.

Parents write out their suggestions and others indicate support for specific ideas by placing stickers next to them, Caldecott said.

“This has become a very integral part of the selection process,” he told the 20 or so parents at Harbor High.

He took the small in-person turnout as a positive sign, he said, but also mentioned about 100 people have replied to an online survey on the same topic.

“Probably most people think that this high performing high school is doing just fine,” he said.

He said that piece of the school’s reputation will likely draw candidates from across the state.

“Even a high-performing school can get better,” he said.