Tis the season as districts are winding down or still winding up as it relates to filling out the staff roster for the upcoming school year. As a former teacher I was always excited about the endless possibilities that new staff members could bring to the table in order to make our great school even greater. Now as an administrator I do everything in my power to hire a person that is deeply committed and does everything in his or her power to promote the success of each child. Below you will find a list of ten things I look for when hiring new staff members. 

1. The candidate truly cares about kids and will exhaust all options to promote their success. Failure is not an option. 

2. The candidate is human-like and establishes positive relationships with other humans. 

3. The candidate is a team player and moves the school forward in a positive direction.

4. The candidate is innovative and willing to take risks in order to engage students with relevant learning experiences. 

5. The candidate is knowledgeable and is able to expose students to a wide array of useful information. 

6. The candidate is a connected learner and models the use of technology and social media in a way that impacts their own growth and student success. 

7. The candidate saves their drama for their mama. Daily nonsense is left at the front door and things remain positive at all times. 

8. The candidate is willing to take on various responsibilities that further strengthens their relationships with students/staff and moves the school forward. 

9. The candidate dresses for success and conducts themselves appropriately at all times. 

10. The candidate is so passionate and enthusiastic about their role as a lead learner that it becomes contagious and rubs off on other staff/students. 

Obviously there are other key characteristics when it comes to evaluating the effectiveness of a potential candidate. The bottom line is that we must bring in the best possible candidates that will do right by kids and represent our school in a positive way. As Todd Whitaker aptly states: “It’s people, not programs.”