from Dr. Steven Guttentag
Chief Education Officer at Connections Academy
One of the biggest challenges in running a virtual school is recruitment of the school principal. Virtual schools are so new to the education field that finding a seasoned virtual school principal can be challenging but there are ways to find just the right candidate for your school. You need someone who is incredibly tech savvy, who understands the nature of a choice or charter program and can recruit students and families to attend. Because of the important role the parent plays in a virtual school setting, I also look for someone who has a proven track record with parent and community outreach and communication. It’s also important to consider a candidate who has experience being a school principal even though the strategies might differ, in the end the goals, responsibilities and challenges are the same. Even if you can’t find someone with the specific virtual school administration background, look for analogies. I ask potential candidates to identify past experiences that can transfer to the virtual school environment. Usually the best candidates are risk takers, and educators who are willing to help re-invent and respond to the new education solutions offered by a virtual school.
