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Ann , Bill, and Horace FROM: Melissa and Margie DATE: 7/15/94 RE: Questions for Interviews with Administrators We met, reviewed the information submitted by LRSD and came up with some suggested questions. Please review them and make any additions/changes you like. We can all meet to discuss final questions next week. Note: Items in () refer to the numbers on LRSD submisions in response to our memo of 6/30/94. Proposed Questions 1. How were you appointed to your interview committee(s)? (#4) 2. What was your role on the committee(s)? (#5) 3. In the absence of a written procedure for the interview process, how did you know how to conduct the interviews? (#5) 4. Why did you use generic job descriptions for each position, rather than a site-specific job description? Who made that decisions? (#7) 5. Who conducted the pre-screening? (#9) 6. Why wasnt Human Resources involved in the process of screening applicants? (#9) 7. We asked for all copies of correspondence from patrons. You furnished one letter. where are the rest?* (#10) * This final question is designed for Estelle and Hank only odb.Administrators to be Interviewed Administrator School(s) Interview Date/Time Mable Donaldson Williams Dennis Glasgow Carver Forest Heights Jr. Margaret Gremillion Carver Mitchell Rightsell Gibbs Williams Sterling Ingram Franklin Mitchell RightseU Williams Marie McNeal Gibbs Estelle Matthis Cloverdale Jr. Forest Heights Fair Southwest Russ Mayo Cloverdale Jr. Forest Heights Jr. Fair Southwest Gene Parker Fair Larry Robertson Carver Franklin Gibbs Williams Sheryl Rose Cloverdale Jr. Alice Stovall Southwest? 7 7 '/ JLProposed Plan to Interview LRSD Administrators Interviews will take place in person rather than by phone. We will attempt to carry on as many simultaneous interviews as possible. If scheduling can proceed beginning July 20, the interviews may commence on Monday, July 25. It is our objective to complete the interviews by July 29. Interview assignments have been made according to LRSD worksites. Horace (IRC) Marie McNeal Dennis Glasgow Gene Parker Mable Donaldson Sheryl Rose Melis^(Main/Stud. Assign.) Margaret Gremillion Larry Robertson - Russ Mayo 7- 2 2/7 2-- 75^ - 0/5(> r Bill Sterling Ingram Ann/ Polly Dr. Henry Williams Estelle Matthis Gxxdt. Questions for Interviews with Administrators 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. How were you appointed to your interview committee(s)? (#4) What was your role on the committee(s)? (#5) In the absence of a written procedure for the interview process, how did you know how to conduct the interviews? (#5) Why did you use generic job descriptions for each position, rather than a site-specific job description? Who made that decision? (#7) Why wasnt Human Resources involved in the process of screening applicants? (Hank & Estelle) We asked for all copies of correspondence from patrons. You furnished one letter. Where are the rest? (#10) (Estelle & Hank only) What was your criteria for vacating principal positions? (Hank) On what basis would you reject a decision (recommendation) by a school interview team? (Hank) Concerning the "well-known long-standing past practices of interview protocol.' How did you decide when to use an interview team and when to make an administrative appointment? (Hank) Who made these decisions? Was these "well-known long-standing past practices of interview protocol" used last year? Were the two the same? Is the draft of the "Selection of Applicants" the documented "well-known long-standing practices of interview protocol"? When was it drafted? Has it been approved by the board? Why doesnt the draft define when you will use a team and when you dont? What kind of interview training were the committee members given? (EEO/ AA/ SH)12. What do you interpret "consult the MRC" to mean in practice? (Hank)LRSD Administrator Interview (General Form) Respondent: Russ Mayo Position: Associate Superintendent for Desegregation Interviewer: Melissa Guldin Date/ Time/Location: August 25, 1994/ 2:30 p.ni./ SAO 1. How were yon appointed to your interview committees? Russ said that Estelle and the superintendent asked him to serve on some interview committees. On how many committees did you serve? I served on only secondary committees: Cloverdale, Fair, Southwest, and Forest Heights. 2. What was your role on the committees? Took turns with Estelle acting as chair of the committees. Did your role vary from committee to committee? Yes, see above. 3. Describe how parents and teachers were selected to serve on the interview committees? They were selected before I got to the process. I think we asked the PTA presidents for names of parents who would be willing to serve. Estelle asked the administrators to participate. Dont know how the teachers were selected. 4. In the absence of a written procedure for the interview process, what guided the interview process? When I chaired a committee, I did what Ive done with interviews for years, with each committee we had an orientation, where the process of scoring was explained. Emphasized EEOC type issues (ask only work-related questions, dont ask about # of children, age, etc.). Who was responsible for training the interview committee members? The person who chaired each committee conducted the training. When Russ was in charge, he did the training for those committees.Describe the training. The training began with introduction of the committee members, which was followed by an explanation of the questions. The committee divided the questions so that each member would ask the same couple of questions at each interview session. Russ said that he explained the process to the participants, placing special emphasis on standardizing the interviews, he instructed the committee that they should do everything possible to make sure that they did not alter the interview from one participant to another, he told them that the only variance from one interview to another should be the candidates response. As mentioned under item # 4, he placed importance on EEOC guidelines. After discussion of the question and interview process, he discussed scoring procedure with the committee, calling their attention to the scoring sheets provided as part of the interview packet. When was training provided? In the first few minutes (5-10 minutes) before the interviews began. What written information was given each committee member? Committee members received a packet of information that contained a list of the candidates to be interviewed, the questions prepared by the district, and the rating sheets. When did each committee member receive this information? On the day of the interviews, immediately before they began. 6. What type of questions did the committee ask? Some committees added a question or two to those prepared by the district. Any additions were made at the beginning of the process to assure that the same question would be put to all candidates. Who developed the interview questions? Russ said that he received a copy of the completed questions that he believes were based, at least in part, on question developed for other recent hirings (the Central principal). Russ said he recommend the addition of one question on personal human relations style and skills. 7. Describe the process used for scoring and ranking candidates. Members used the 1-4 point rating scale, either scoring each candidate at the conclusion of his/her interview or filling out all the forms at the end of all interviews. In the interviews Russ chaired, he asked each committee member to individually tally the scores each candidate received and, based on those scores, list #1, #2, and #3. Once this was done, he asked each committee member to name their first choice and the group discussed the people named. They also did this for the second and third positions as well. Russ said that he was interested in seeing the group work towards a consensus, not just numerical totals. 8. Describe how materials such as applications and resumes were used during the interview process. We reviewed such documents, if the candidates brought them to the interview. 9. how satisfied were you with the interview process? I feel very good about it. I felt no one (on the secondary committees) was forced to make a choice. What parts of the process worked well? I think the orientation worked well and helped the committee to understand and function. What needs improvement? Possibly allow more time for the interviews and build the orientation time into the schedule. This is important because Russ said he also conducted a mini-orientation with each candidate so he/she would have a good understanding of the process. Russ also mentioned that some of committee members were rather hard on candidates and tended to "jerk them around", but he felt that they were able to keep the whole process "very dignified".LRSD Administrator Interviews (General Form) Respondent: Position: Date/ Time/ Location
1. 2. How were you appointed to your interview comnuttee(s)? (#4) On how many committees did you serve? What was your role on the committee(s)? (#5) Did your role vary from committee to committee? 3. Describe how parents and teachers were selected to serve on interview committees. '/ 7^ In the absence of a written procedure for the interview process, what guided the interview process? (#5) 4. 5. Who was responsible for traifiing the interview committee members? Describe the training. When was the training provided? What written information was given each committee member? When did each committee member receive this information? 6. What type of questions did the committee ask? A. Pre-written B. Committee developed C. Combination of both Who developed the interview questions? ? 7 7. Describe e process used for scoring and ranking candidates. 8. Describe how materials such as applications and resumes were used during the interview process. 9. How satisfied were you with the interview process? What parts of the process worked well? What needs improvement? Questions for Interviews with Administrators 1. How were you appointed to your interview coniniittee(s)? (#4) 2. What was your role on the conimitte(s)? (#5) 3. In the absence of a written procedure for the interview process, how did you know how to conduct the interviews? (#5) 4. Why did you use generic job descriptions for each position, rather than a site-specific job description? Who made that decision? (#7) 5. Why wasnt Human Resources involved in the process of screening applicants? 6. We asked for all copies of correspondence from patrons. You furnished one letter. Where are the rest? (#10) (Estelle & Hank only) 7. What was your criteria for vacating principal positions? (Hank) 8. On what basis would you reject a decision (recommendation) by a school interview team? Concerning the "well-known long-standing past practices of interview protocol." How did you decide when to use an interview team and when to make an administrative appointment? Who made these decisions? Was these "well-known long-standing past practices of interview protocol" used last year? Were the two the same? 10 Is the draft of the "Selection of Applicants" the documented "well-known long-standing practices of interview protocol"? When was it drafted? Has it been approved by the board? Why doesnt the draft define when you will use a team and when you dont? 11 What kind of interview training were the committee members given? (EEO/AA/SH) IZ-. 7What do you interpret "consult the MRC" to mean in practice?ZTki pr'5Di^ ^ 'iryyjX. fCLltA/Uz<9
This project was supported in part by a Digitizing Hidden Special Collections and Archives project grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and Council on Library and Information Resoources.