Page 22 - EdViewptsSpring2017

The Most Important Decision

By Jeff Huguenin, Ed.D., Principal of Joseph J. Catena Elementary School,
Freehold Township

As principals, sometimes “We know today that the single most parents, implement curriculum, embrace
it can feel as if every decisive factor in student achievement new initiatives, and positively contribute
is excellent teaching. It’s amazing
to the culture and climate of a school.
decision is important. how effective the great teachers are.” Their impact on the schools at which
However, after careful consideration, (Gates, 2010) “The difference between they work and on the principals who
an assertion can be made that there hiring an outstanding teacher and hiring supervise them is profound. Recogniz-
is, in fact, one decision that is the most an ineffective teacher has ing that, principals need to continuously
important. It is a decision that often been estimated as being worth up to remind themselves that each open posi-
takes place away from the harried and a year of educational growth for the tion is an opportunity to invite the next
stressful ones, which can consume students in their classroom, and when outstanding teacher to join their school.
entire days and be emotionally, physi- one considers the potential impact of a A study that examined questions related
cally, and intellectually draining. When succession of excellent or a succession to how principals make this critical
made correctly, this decision can yield or poor teachers, the gravity of hiring ex- decision was completed in 2015. The
tremendous benefits to a principal on a cellent teachers increases.” (Hanushek instrument was an online survey with a
recurring basis in terms of reducing the & Rivkin, 2010) (Figure 1) combination of Likert-scale questions
number of pressure-filled scenarios that In addition to their ability to impact stu- and open-ended response questions
arise and improving student achieve- dent achievement, outstanding teachers that were created in order to gain insight
ment. The most important decision is successfully address the extraneous about what characteristics of potential
which candidate a principal selects to situations that accompany the role of candidates the principals placed their
hire and retain as a teacher. being a teacher. They manage student priority on. Two of the primary questions
behavior, communicate effectively with explored in the study included:

Educational Viewpoints -20- Spring 2017