October 17, 2025
Dear Steck Elementary School Community,
We hope this message finds you well and you are enjoying the fall season! As an essential partner in the school community, the purpose of this letter is to provide an update on the principal selection process at Steck Elementary.
Once again, we would like to share our gratitude to Ms. Teresa Sena Klava for her continued leadership of the Steck community during the principal selection process. Ms. Klava has provided steady guidance, refined school systems, and offered meaningful support to our students, staff, and families. We are deeply thankful for her commitment and partnership as she continues to lead our school until the next principal is hired.
As we look ahead, we are writing to explain how we will proceed with finding the next principal of Steck Elementary School for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond. Our goal is to ensure each stage of the principal selection process reflects the values we uphold: inclusivity, accessibility, equality, collaboration, and integrity. Over time, we have refined our approach to ensure it is responsive to the voices and perspectives of our school communities.
To that end, we will continue to 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 the next leader.
Office of Schools leaders will meet with the school’s Collaborative School Committee (CSC) to use the results of the stakeholder surveys to finalize the principal candidate profile and confirm questions for the CSC panel interviews.
In alignment with our shared goals and values, the Office of Schools and district leaders will pre-screen applicants. The top qualified candidates will participate in an initial round of interviews with district personnel and CSC members.
In-person opportunities will be made available to meet the final candidates. These include drop-in opportunities for staff to meet the finalists, an in-person community forum, and a meet and greet event.
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.
As previously shared, we believe a strong partnership with our students, staff, families, and community is essential in selecting the next long-term leader. To continue to honor this approach, we invite students, staff, families, CSC, and community members to complete the Principal Hiring Community Input survey below to list characteristics they would like to see in the next principal. Please complete this survey by Friday, November 7, 2025 by these methods below:
Complete the Community Input Survey (English/Spanish):
Drop off your completed PDF form to your school’s main office.
Below this letter is the tentative 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 Steck Elementary School for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dana Willams
Director, Elementary Network 2
Wayman White
Operational Services Director
Principal Selection Process Tentative Timeline
Now through November 7, 2025
Community feedback via Principal Hiring Community Input survey
Week of November 10, 2025
On November 11th, the Office of Schools team will 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.
Week of December 1, 2025
On December 2nd, the top qualified candidates will participate in an initial round of interviews including panel interviews with the school’s CSC and performance task interview with the Office of Schools and district leaders. A letter will be shared announcing the top finalists, opportunities to interact with the finalists, and ways to provide feedback.
Week of December 8, 2025
On December 9th, the Office of Schools leaders and the top finalists will spend a day completing an instructional learning walk and conducting informal classroom observations. Steck 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 candidacy. An in-person community forum will be held immediately after school with an informal meet and greet event after the forum. Students, staff, families, and community members are encouraged to attend. Interpretation services will be provided.
Week of December 15, 2025
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
