FCPS seeks community input on the next principal for Justice HS

In selecting a new principal for Justice High School, parents urge officials at Fairfax County Public Schools to pay attention to the unique circumstances at the school and the type of leader the community wants.

Region 2 Assistant Superintendent Megan Vroman and other FCPS leaders explained the selection process at a community meeting March 12.

Principal Tiffany Narcisse is leaving at the end of the year. Despite widespread criticism of her leadership, it appears she has not been fired. Narcisse has accepted another position as principal at a high school in Bahrain.

Despite a lot of talk about soliciting community feedback, several parents at the meeting expressed frustration that their input hadn’t been taken seriously in previous selection processes.

“Your feedback on the type of leader we need for Justice High School is important,” said School Board member Ricardy Anderson.

Noting that the frequent turnover of principals at Justice is “a pain point,” Anderson said, “we must do something differently because we need stability at Justice High School.”

The school has had five principals in the past 12 years.

“We try to focus on how things are going at the school,” Vroman said. “We all want a principal who will commit to a certain number of years,” but that isn’t always possible as some people have life issues that cause them to leave.

Related story: The search is on for a new principal at Justice High School

Adam McGeehan, of the human resources department at FCPS, asked community members to submit comments on the leadership skills needed for the next Justice principal, the administration experience preferred, the desired leadership characteristics, the school issues to be addressed and challenges to be met, and other unique needs of the school.

Comments can be submitted by April 12 to [email protected]. 

A job ad posted nationally by FCPS says candidates should have at least seven to 10 years of experience and at least a master’s degree in education. The salary is $134,430 to $204,504.

To be included in the “principal pool,” applicants must submit a resume, undergo a 45-minute Skype interview, answer behavior and situation-based questions, and carry out a series of screening activities and assessment tasks. All sitting principals at Fairfax County public schools are automatically included in the principal pool, McGeehan said.

Officials from Region 2 and HR will spend a day meeting with staff at Justice and will also meet with parents, students, and former Justice principals Maria Eck and Penny Gros to get more feedback. The input from the community will help staff write questions for the applicants, McGeehan said.

Once candidates are identified by FCPS, they will meet with a community advisory panel made up of parents, staff, and students from the Justice community, a principal from the Justice pyramid, and the executive principal from Region 2.

The panel will conduct a two-part interview process involving about four candidates. During the first part, they will ask the candidates questions submitted by the community.

The candidates will then leave the room, and the panel will draft follow-up questions for the second part of the interview process.  

The panel members’ names will be confidential, McGeehan said. They will only be identified as parent, staff, or “other.” The panel will not take a vote. Each panelist will submit their own recommendations for each candidate. Those recommendations will not be shared with the public.

“We’re looking for broad support from all stakeholders on the panel,” McGeehan said.

People interested in being on the panel should let McGeehan know by April 12 via email to [email protected]. The panel will meet on April 24 from about 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

FCPS plans to select panelists who represent the diversity in the community. Translators will be provided, although panelists will not receive a stipend.

FCPS administrators will then conduct additional interviews and select two finalists.

After the candidates are selected, Vroman said, a letter will be sent to the community outlining how they would be a great fit for the school and community. The superintendent will make the final decision.

During the previous principal selection processes for Justice High School, “parents felt the input was more performative rather than substantive,” a parent said at the meeting. “There was a feeling that their voice really wasn’t heard. … People felt alienated.”

“The community needs to feel their participation in this process truly matters,” Vroman said, noting that staff will discuss the points in a letter about the type of principal Justice needs that was signed by all the PTA presidents in the pyramid. “We want to get this right for our kids, for our community.”