School committee formulating evaluation process to grade new superintendent’s performance
/By Carol Britton Meyer
The school committee held a preliminary discussion this week about the evaluation process for Superintendent of Schools Michael Jette as he approaches the completion of his first year at the end of June. The committee will review a past superintendent’s evaluation and documents used in prior performance reviews as examples of how to proceed this time around.
Jette, working under a three-year contract with an annual salary of $180,000, said he’s also interested in soliciting feedback about his performance from the community and staff “to hear [their input] first-hand and to be as open and transparent as I can be about collecting information and being responsive.”
Committee member Kyle Conley, acting as chair in David Twombly’s absence, said she considers the committee’s role in negotiating contracts with new superintendents and completing their evaluations to be their most important responsibilities.
“It’s important to take the time to be very thorough and to have a clear and transparent process,” she said.
Conley suggested that rather than Jette seeking feedback from the community himself, “maybe the school committee could ask for input.”
SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL JETTE
She noted that in the past, the school superintendent did a self-evaluation that he or she then shared with the school committee prior to writing individual evaluations. Those results were then compiled by the chair and presented to the superintendent and also publicly.
Overall, the school committee liked the idea of soliciting feedback from school staff. “We want to be sure to get lots of input from all the different stakeholders and that the feedback the committee gives you is aligned with the goals you laid out,” Conley said.
The discussion will continue at the next committee meeting on March 10.
‘Success for the next decade’
Jette presented his entry plan for his first year on the job to the school committee last September, including a commitment to “looking, listening, and learning” to help set up Hull Public Schools for “success for the next decade.”
Conley also noted that historically, Hull’s school superintendents at evaluation time have “written their reflections based on their goals, but I would like to get tighter than that, with concrete examples of how you met those goals. I know this is your first year, and goals are always evolving.”
Committee member Courtney Littlefield, who has not yet participated in a superintendent evaluation, said she thinks it is “important to stick to the [superintendent’s] goals and that stakeholders provide input” into “how all those details will work out will be fleshed out.”
At Conley’s suggestion, committee member Regan Yakubian will contact the Massachusetts Association of School Committees for guidance about how to conduct an effective superintendent evaluation process.
Jette will also share a survey he’s familiar with that is focused on leadership and the delivery of services.
