Parallel Session Proceedings »
3.6.5 In Search of an Inspirational School Principal: A Dabrowskian Perspective
Our school looks at giftedness from the inside out, which means we strive to first know and honor who our students are before we aspire to help them become the best they can be. We endeavor to provide students an authentic educational experience that supports need, ability and potential; provides opportunities for inner growth; develops genuine relationships; and is facilitated by empathic, passionate, creative educators whose ethical practice develops lifelong learners. The school’s inside-out approach, which is highly aligned with Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD), views personal growth from a humanistic child-centered perspective where talent development is an integrated part of personal growth. Achievement is a byproduct. For five years our charter school for gifted students in a congregated setting experienced leadership from a principal who demonstrates higher levels of personal development. When the principal retired, student representatives were invited to contribute to the new principal selection process. The students overwhelmingly articulated the desire for leadership to nurture their autonomy, responsibility, empathy and authenticity in a safe and supportive environment. This session describes a process to hire a new principal as informed by students, parents and teachers. Two separate committees were established by our Board of Directors. The first committee, the Principal Selection Committee (PSC) was tasked with: developing the processes to solicit feedback from students, teachers and parents about the characteristics and competencies they desire in the new principal, and drafting questions focused on characteristics/competencies based on advanced development and developmental potential. The PSC was comprised of three board members (one as chair), the superintendent, the human resources manager, the secretary to the board and the retiring principal. The second committee, the Principal Selection Interview Team (PSIT) was comprised of the PSC chair, a board member, the superintendent, a parent and a teacher. The PSIT members were coached in the basics of the Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD) and to “listen for” descriptions of dynamisms, overexcitabilities and developmental potential in the responses of interviewed candidates. The strength of TPD and its application to the inspirational leader of gifted students and their teachers exists in its provision of a context within which to understand multilevel emotional and moral development, personal growth, inner experience, and the creative personality. This interactive session describes the resulting organic process to hire a new principal with possible implications for district and state policy makers.