Candidate Questions for Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Vacancy August 2013

Questions / Ideal Answers / Notes Regarding the Candidate’s
Answer to the Question
1.  Please provide us with a brief overview of your background and include why you would be the best candidate for this position.
2.  Describe what you know about the West Seneca Central School District and what experiences will you bring to address current and future challenges
3.  Please share three words that best describe your leadership style / a)  Leadership style with dept; district; stakeholders
b)  Calm; works well under pressure
c)  Can be the boss
d)  Good listener
e)  Hold staff accountable
f)  Communicator
g)  Lead by example
h)  Integrity
i)  Can have the tough conversations
4.  West Seneca is a large district with 10 buildings, 10 leaders, 10 unique communities. How would you roll out a district wide initiative? What do you see as advantages and challenges working within a district of this size? / a)  Someone who works w/ the bldgs.
b)  Accountability for rolling things out
c)  Has a centralized message
d)  Has final say
e)  Monitor autonomy
f)  Developed thinking & plans
g)  Meet w/ groups & constituencies
5.  What is your vision of professional
development? / a)  Collaborative setting
b)  Buy in
c)  Knowledge of Thoughtful Classroom
d)  CLC
e)  Involving all stakeholders
f)  Teachers’ Center collaboration
g)  Involves certificated as well as classified staff
6.  In one word, if I were to speak to a
teacher, student and parent, how
would they describe you?
Questions
7.  How have you engaged and
supported community outreach in
your school community? How would you approach this in the West Seneca community?
8.  What is your plan to include parents as partners in the educational process of our students? Describe your favorite method of communication?
9.  For the past 3 years this position has
been vacant. If you were the
successful candidate, describe your
top 3 priorities and where you
would focus your attention. / a)  Common Core
b)  Common assessments
c)  ELA development
d)  Staff Development
10.  Given the financial and budgetary
challenges West Seneca has been
facing, what role do you see the
Asst. Superintendent playing in
dealing with our economic environment? / a)  Demonstrates an understanding of
the budgetary process
b)  Recognition of what been going
on in our district (incentive)
11.  The Common Core State Stds. have
strengths and weaknesses depending on your perspective. Please indicate the areas you believe are negative and/or positive and what is your plan to incorporate the CCSS into the curricular practices of West Seneca. / a)  Understands political background
b)  Understands the need to incorporate CCSS into planning instruction and assessment.
c)  Student achievement/student growth
will be generated by success on
state tests.
d)  Plan to work successfully within
this new landscape (APPR/SLO’s)
Ideal Answers
12.  The facilitation, management and
leadership of the APPR process is a
critical component of teacher and
principal evaluations. What
experiences do you have in this
area and how will you approach the development of SLO pre/post tests across our district? / a)  Collaboration with teacher input
b)  Plan for APPR management/
Facilitation – accountability
13.  In many districts there is a gap
between the classroom grades that
are communicated on a student
report card and the achievement levels that students attain on Regents and State Math and ELA assessments. What experience do you have at closing the gap and aligning classroom instruction and assessments to state assessments?
14.  What experience do you have in using student growth scores to support classroom instructional practices?
15.  Often people have experiences
and strengths in either elementary or secondary. Speak to your specific strengths and also how you will work with the other levels in your role as Asst. Super. C/I.
16.  What is your vision of the role of
Technology in the classroom?
Questions / Ideal Answers / Notes Regarding the Candidate’s
Answer to the Question
17.  One initiative that lives in many bldgs. in our district focuses upon leadership through the lens of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. One tenet, Habit 7 “Sharpen the Saw” is a focus on self-renewal and reinventing ones’ self. How do you
“Sharpen the Saw?