The Yellow Board

Picking out bad admin

Posted by On the hunt on 4/23/2022, 11:49 am

Hello,

What are some tips you have for sniffing out bad campus admin (or other bad situations) on a potential new job? Bonus points for tricks to use while interviewing!

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Retired on 5/6/2022, 2:26 am, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

If the superintendent tells you "here at XXX ISD the kids come first" it usually means that the kids come last.

If you are interviewing for a head director job and the superintendent is in his office across the hall from the interview and cannot be bothered to get up and take part in the interview that is a red flag.

If the interview committee includes a retired director of that school who never got higher than a 4 but the community "just loves her" and values her opinion.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by My Experiences... on 4/27/2022, 8:15 am, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

The Superintendent telling me "You need to know if the Band isn't successful, the community will blame you." I was interviewing for the Assistant Band Director's position.

Another red flag: The principal was more interested in what I was going to do with a 20 minute Activity Period than turning around a program that made 4's at UIL that year.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Disgruntled Faculty on 4/27/2022, 9:27 am, in reply to "Re: Picking out bad admin"

One of mine goes like this...

Beware the principal who "counts uniforms" as opposed to being happy that you brought back the first 1 in *anything* in 25 years.

To elaborate...

Prin.: "I'm putting you on a growth plan."

Dir.: "On what grounds?"

Prin.: "The band program was a failure this year."

Dir.: "The band got 4s last year with the previous director. They got the first 1 in 25 years this spring."

Prin.: "Your band only has 20 kids in it."

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Rose colored glasses on 4/26/2022, 12:55 pm, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

The more rosy they paint the picture, the more you should independently verify.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Mr. Dude on 4/25/2022, 7:33 am, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

If you're going for an assistant job, and the first interview is with just band/fine arts folks, and then round 2 is with principals...that's a good sign that admin trusts their team.

For head jobs, if the principal knows the ins and outs of the program (how many kids are in band, what the schedule is, past ratings)...that's a good sign. If they toss those answers to the assistant director or someone else in the room...that could be a red flag. If there is an assistant, and they're not in the room, maybe ask, cuz that's either a sign that they are leaving, or the admin is trash.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Assistant on 4/26/2022, 12:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Picking out bad admin"

If the assistant isn't in the room, it could mean that they are also applying for the job.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Mr. Dude on 4/27/2022, 1:11 pm, in reply to "Re: Picking out bad admin"

Very true!

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by John Gibson on 4/24/2022, 11:09 am, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

When the principal falls asleep during the interview. I kid you not....actually happened to me.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by The Mandalorian on 4/24/2022, 7:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Picking out bad admin"

During an interview earlier this month, I was speaking with an interview panel, and the MS Principal wasn't paying attention. I had answered 7 or 8 questions by then, and when he stepped up to the plate, he asked questions 1, 3, 4, and 5 before someone told him we were on #9.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Treble Chef on 4/24/2022, 7:31 am, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

That’s a tough one. There was a high school in my region where the high school principal was a former band director. He hired the worst director in the whole region (consistent 3s in marching and cc) and kept him employed for years. Was he a good administrator? He was a God send for that guy.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Catch phrase on 4/23/2022, 7:29 pm, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

"We support the arts". If you hear that more than once, it is a good sign that their support of the arts starts and ends with repeating that phrase.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Hire me on 4/23/2022, 5:58 pm, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

I’ll sniff ‘‘em out. I obviously managed to find many bad ones during my career - so I’m an expert.

Re: Picking out bad admin

Posted by Me on 4/23/2022, 3:59 pm, in reply to "Picking out bad admin"

One time I interviewed at a school that seemed really promising. I liked the conversation I had with the head high school director, and there were a lot of great things going for the programs it seemed. When we drove to the JH to interview with the JH principal things went a little more 'danger Will Robinson.' It became very apparent that she expected you to drop everything to have a group perform at a little meeting here, or there. Discussing things with the then JH director I was told 'we have gotten really good at sight-reading this year!'

Looking at their UIL ratings it wasn't hard to read that they were constantly being pulled to do other things and not preparing for the curriculum needed to be successful!

As I left in my car I had already decided I was turning it down if they offered. They ended up going with another person, but called me for another assistant position later. I politely declined then.

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