Palmer ECE

Principal Hiring Timeline Letter

March 6th, 2026

Dear Palmer Community,

As an essential partner in the school community, the purpose of this letter is to provide an update on the principal selection process at Palmer.

First, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Dawn Salter for her leadership during Palmer’s transitional period. Her passion for the Palmer school community and her commitment to our staff and youngest learners have made a lasting impact. Please join us in honoring Mrs. Dawn Salter.

As we look ahead, we are writing to explain how we will proceed with hiring the principal of Palmer for the 2026-2027 school year. Our goal is to ensure each stage of the principal selection process reflects the values of inclusivity, accessibility, equity, collaboration, and integrity. Our approach to hiring aims to ensure that we are responsive to the voices and perspectives throughout our school community.

To that end, we will offer multiple opportunities for all members of the school community to engage in the principal selection process. The process will include the following:

A stakeholder survey (including students, school staff, families, Collaborative School Committee, and community members) will be offered to provide feedback on the qualities and priorities important to the school and for the next principal.
Office of Schools leaders will meet with the Collaborative School Committee (CSC) to use the results of the stakeholder surveys to finalize the principal candidate profile and confirm questions for panel interviews.
The top qualified candidates from our candidate pool will participate in an initial round of interviews with district personnel and CSC members.
In-person opportunities will be made available to meet with final candidates. These include drop-in opportunities for staff to meet the finalists, a moderated in-person community forum (using questions from the initial feedback survey accompanying this letter), and an informal meet and greet event following the forum.
An additional survey will be offered for stakeholders to provide feedback on the final candidates.
The Superintendent will review feedback collected throughout the interview process and conduct an interview with the final candidates before making a final decision.

We believe a strong partnership with our students, staff, families, and community is essential in selecting the principal.

To continue to honor this approach, we invite all members of our school community to complete the Principal Hiring survey, attached below, to list characteristics you would like to see in the next principal. Please complete this survey by Thursday, March 12, 2026 by these methods below:

Complete the Community Input Survey found here in English. Translated Community Input Surveys can be found here.
Google Form Link (https://forms.gle/dCo5djorQAUCncs48)
Or, email responses to Brittany Barela at brittany_barela@dpsk12.net.

Below this letter is the timeline of the community involvement steps of the process. We will also engage in rigorous reference and data collection on the final candidates.

Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement. Our focus will be to ensure we identify the best leader to lead Palmer.

Sincerely,

Eric Love
Director, ECE Network

Yolanda Ortega
Operational Services Director

Principal Selection Process Tentative Timeline

Now through March 12, 2026

Community feedback via Principal Hiring Community Input survey

Week of March 16, 2026

On March 16th, the Office of Schools team will virtually meet with CSC to continue to build the principal candidate profile, confirm interview questions for the CSC panel interviews, and confirm upcoming principal selection events.

On March 18th, the top qualified candidates will participate in an initial round of interviews including panel interviews with the school’s CSC, Office of Schools leaders, and a principal representative in the ECE Network of schools. A letter will be shared announcing the top finalists, opportunities to interact with the finalists, and ways to provide feedback.

On March 19th, the Office of Schools leaders and the top finalists will spend a day completing an instructional learning walk and conducting informal classroom observations. Palmer staff are welcome to drop-in during designated times during the school day to meet the finalists and ask the finalists questions related to their future candidacy. A moderated, in-person community forum will be held immediately after school using questions submitted in the initial survey accompanying this letter. An informal meet and greet and reception event will follow after the forum. Students, staff, families, and community members are encouraged to attend. Interpretation services will be provided.

Week of March 23, 2026

The finalists will participate in an interview with Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Tony Smith, and other Office of Schools leaders.

Principal Announced

*Dates and events may be subject to change