Preschool Principal Search

To our Watertown Community:

Watertown Public Schools is currently seeking highly qualified candidates to apply for the position of Early Steps Preschool Principal. The selection process for this important position will be comprehensive and ensure the candidates for consideration bring the requisite skills, experiences, characteristics, and understanding of the high expectations we have for this role. Please see the schedule below for information about the process.

The Early Steps Preschool Principal is responsible for welcoming our youngest learners, ages 3 - 5 years old, and their families, to the Watertown Public Schools. This includes establishing trusting relationships from the very beginning, to set students and families up for success in their K-12 educational journeys in Watertown. The Principal leads a positive culture and climate within the preschool/ pre-kindergarten center, and upholds the vision, mission, and core values of the Early Steps Preschool and the Watertown Public Schools.

We will be holding a Focus Group for any Early Steps Preschool staff, parents, or community members who are interested in providing their thoughts and ideas for this position via Zoom on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, beginning at 4:00 p.m. You may choose to attend the focus group or you are welcome to offer your thoughts by sending an email to Kathleen Desmarais, Director of Student Services, at kathleen.desmarais@watertown.k12.ma.us by Tuesday, February 13, 2024.

We are assembling a Screening Committee to assist in the search process whose charge is to review applications, interview candidates, and recommend candidates to the Superintendent as finalists for the position. The Screening Committee will be comprised of the following:

• Director of Student Services - Facilitator

• Director of DEIB

• Elementary Principal

• WEA Union Representative

• One Coordinator/Director/Assistant Principal

• One School Committee Member

• One parent

• Two Early Steps teachers

• One Related Services Provider

• One student support staff member (IA, Administrative Assistant, etc)

The members of the Screening Committee will review applicants, select candidates to interview, interview candidates, and select finalists to be interviewed by the Superintendent. As part of this process, the Screening Committee will consider the feedback that is received from the Focus Group meeting.

If you are interested in serving on the Early Steps Preschool Principal Screening Committee, please use this FORM to submit a statement of interest no later than Wednesday, February 14, at 3:00. Anyone interested in applying for the position can find this posting on TalentEd.