New high school opening

by BH

Dec 28, 2012

There's a new high school opening in our district, and I'm considering applying. It would be a much easier commute, but I worry about how things could unfold. A new school could either start off wonderfully or horribly! A part of me says that I could have the chance to help create the culture at that school, but another part of me thinks it could be the exact opposite. You never know, so it's such a gamble. I don't dislike the school I work at, but it's a longer commute and the relationship (or lack thereof) between departments/administration is not so great. The appeal of a new facility (not going to lie) is another factor...our building is old, there is hardly any ventilation, heat/ac almost never works, no windows...sunlight would be nice! Should this even factor into my decision? Has anyone ever had a similar situation? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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cm There is usually a focus or theme to new schools these days and you'd have to present yourself as a good fit for it. So find out all you can about this aspect. Someone/somegroup is going to be hiring with a focus and you need to be ready for that. It's always best to leave a school on a high note, being seen by your staff, students, parents as a 'l...See More

Dec 29, 2012

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hst On 12/28/12, BH wrote: > There's a new high school opening in our district, and I'm > considering applying. It would be a much easier commute, > but I worry about how things could unfold. A new school > could either start off wonderfully or horribly! A part of > me says that I could have the chance to help create the > culture at...See More

Dec 31, 2012

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BH On 12/31/12, hst wrote: > On 12/28/12, BH wrote: >> There's a new high school opening in our district, and I'm >> considering applying. It would be a much easier commute, >> but I worry about how things could unfold. A new school >> could either start off wonderfully or horribly! A part of >> me says that I could h...See MoreOn 12/31/12, hst wrote: > On 12/28/12, BH wrote: >> There's a new high school opening in our district, and I'm >> considering applying. It would be a much easier commute, >> but I worry about how things could unfold. A new school >> could either start off wonderfully or horribly! A part of >> me says that I could have the chance to help create the >> culture at that school, but another part of me thinks it >> could be the exact opposite. You never know, so it's such a >> gamble. I don't dislike the school I work at, but it's a >> longer commute and the relationship (or lack thereof) >> between departments/administration is not so great. The >> appeal of a new facility (not going to lie) is another >> factor...our building is old, there is hardly any >> ventilation, heat/ac almost never works, no >> windows...sunlight would be nice! Should this even factor >> into my decision? Has anyone ever had a similar situation? >> Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! > I live in a high growth area where many new schools have > opened in recent years. Districts generally expect to hire > faculty from within the district. In most cases the older > schools were overcrowded so they will go through a reduction > in staff, meaning some staff will need to move. The shorter > commute for you should be an asset for your new school. I > switched recently for a similar reason and am now able to > attend after school sports and arts events (high school) that > I could not do before. I think your enthusiasm for > cooperation among departments could also be an asset. Present > a plan to make this happen rather than lamenting its lack at > current locale. Most of the new schools here have done very > well. High support from the community for example. The only > one I can think of was years ago at a school my child attended > where the principal was totally clueless about the community > and alienated lots of parents - me included and I was full > time mom with lots of time on my hands to volunteer as needed. > He was gone within a year. Thanks for the insight and responses! More involvement definitely factors into my decision. Our school is the oldest in our district and therefore has some well- established traditions. This also makes it hard to sponsor/coach certain groups because they've got the teachers they need and the spots won't open up again until they retire or change schools themselves....and iin the area I'm interested in, I don't see that happening in the near future...we've got some great programs, so why would they want to leave? Moving schools would be a chance for me to be even more passionate about my school's community. My other fear would be about the actual attempt to transfer...should I inform my principal? If I do and don't get the new position, would that put my current job in danger? If I don't say anything, does he get informed through the process anyway? Wouldn't it be best to just be honest about my intentions from the start? I've never worked at any other school, and don't want to burn any bridges...you know?

Jan 1, 2013

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