New Rochelle Re-Opens Search for High School Principal

Written By: Robert Cox

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle High School appears set to have a new Principal next year.

The New Rochelle Board of Education has re-opened a job posting for the position of high school principal that initially opened up in the summer of 2018 when Reginald Richardson resigned, un-resigned, and was then given a buy out deal worth about $200,000. The job has gone begging ever since. Assistant Principal Joseph Starvaggi was named interim Principal. Two locally-based school administrators are known to have been offered the job without a formal search before a formal job search began earlier this year. The initial search, really just a job listing on the OLAS job board, was intended to have a start date of July 1, 2019.

The Online Application System for Educators is a cloud-based application serving school districts throughout New York State provided by Putnam and Northern Westchester BOCES.

When the 2018-19 search failed to produce a viable candidate, the school board extended Starvaggi as Interim Principal for the 2019-20 school year.

The search was recently re-opened with School Leadership, LLC, one of the largest New York area firms engaged in the educational leadership search process. School Leadership, LLC has conducted numerous superintendent searches in the area and led the successful search for New Rochelle’s current Assistant Superintendent for Business Greg Kern, among others.

The application deadline for the position of Principal of New Rochelle High School is January 8, 2020 with a projected start date of July 1, 2020.

The School Leadership, LLC job description appears to have been copied and pasted from the OLAS job description as it begins “The new principal is anticipated to have a start date of July 1, 2019, or as otherwise negotiated” and ends “Applications must be submitted online at www.leadschools.us by June 9, 2019“.

The job posting is touting the District as a five time U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award winner since 1984 without mentioning that all five awards were won 3 and 4 decades ago.

  • Isaac E. Young Middle School 1996-97
  • New Rochelle High School 1995-1996
  • Daniel Webster Magnet School 1993-94
  • William B. Ward Elementary Schoo 1987-88
  • New Rochelle High School 1983-84

New Rochelle High School is described as follows:

  • Remarkably talented and engaged students with diverse interests and backgrounds
  • An exceptionally comprehensive academic program
  • Extraordinary extracurricular programs in the arts, athletics, and clubs with high student participation rates
  • State-of-the-art facilities – art museum, multiple performing arts spaces, planetarium, modern athletic facilities
  • A caring, competent, and compassionate school-community of educators, parents, and community members dedicated to their children
  • A community that is proud of its rich history and positive about its future
  • A district with strong fiscal health

Leadership Challenges cited by staff and community members:

  • Model student-focused leadership by consistently making decisions in the best interests of the students
  • Demonstrate courageous and skillful leadership to engage different voices and perspectives reflective of a diverse community
  • Unify staff from multiple departments/disciplines for purposes of strategic alignment and efficiency
  • Support and engage a rising ELL population Ensure access and provide information for ALL families
  • Communicate consistently to a range of stakeholders with varied needs and interests
  • Contribute to a district-wide leadership team to maximize New Rochelle’s potential, considering its resources and program offerings
  • Acknowledge and respect the history and traditions of New Rochelle while innovating to ensure the educational programs continue to be cutting edge

Job Qualifications:

  • Skills as a courageous and informed leader, able to engage different voices and perspectives in building with the community a unified vision
  • Superior communication skills, demonstrating accessibility and cultural competency in a large and complex school setting
  • Strong skills of management and system-thinking coupled with the ability to build an effective team approach to leadership
  • A focus on decisions which are in the best interests of a diverse student body
  • A visible and accessible presence which portrays an effective role model for students and staff

RELATED:

Job Posting for NRHS Principal on School Leadership, LLC

Job Posting for NRHS Principal on OLAS