Supporting the Job Search: Conversation with School Leaders
The National College of Education invited all current teacher preparation candidates to hear firsthand from Chicagoland school and district leaders their tips and best practices for new graduates looking to be hired.
Topics discussed included:
- Application Process
- Interviewing
- Marketability
- New Teacher Success
View a recording of the Supporting Job Search with School Leaders webinar
Panelist Bios
George Dagres became the Director of Human Resources with District 207 in 2020. During the 2020-2021 school year, Mr. Dagres will transition to Assistant Superintendent of General Administration and Human Resources and will assume this role beginning in July 2021 focusing on human resources, collective bargaining, union relations, policy development and staff recruitment.
All of these responsibilities are important; however, there is no more important work than hiring qualified and effective teachers. It comes to no surprise that “Teacher quality is the most important in-school factor related to students’ academic success, and low-income students benefit most when taught by skilled teachers” (Hanushek). As he begins this journey, his areas of focus will be in recruitment, hiring, supporting, and retaining educators.
Erin Tatel Stein has been an educator for 24 years. She started as a teacher in a middle school, became a Dean of Students, an Assistant Principal and then a building Principal for nine years. Erin is now the Director of Human Resources in River Trails School District 26. She enjoys recruiting and hiring new candidates and also loves supporting student teachers and interns when they are beginning their job search. She helps and supports educators entering the workforce by offering mock interviews as well as reviewing resumes and cover letters. Erin believes that hiring and retaining quality educators is one of the most important parts of her job as it directly affects the learning and growth of children. Erin has two children of her own and her husband is also a school administrator.
Christine Zelenka is the principal of John B. Murphy Elementary, a CPS neighborhood magnet cluster school. She served as Murphy’s assistant principal for 11 years prior to becoming principal for the past 13 years. Christine graduated from the School of Education at the University of Michigan, earned an Educational Administration Masters and Teacher Leadership Specialist degree from National Louis University, and an Education Doctorate in Urban Education Leadership from UIC. For seven years she’s served on NLU's Teacher Preparation Advisory Board and is a strong advocate for authentic and effective teacher preparation to meet the needs of today's young people, particularly in urban environments.
Aldo Calderin has been an educator since 2004 where he began his teaching career as a Bilingual Math and Science teacher. Calderin received his bachelor’s degree from Elmhurst College and then continued for his first master’s in Elementary Education from Northern Illinois University and a second master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. Calderin is currently working on his doctorate through National Louis University with an anticipated date of competition of April 2021. Calderin’s experience as an administrator includes experience as a dean of students, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, and most recently the principal of one of the largest junior high’s in the United States educating more than 2,400 students in grades seven and eight.
In regards to hiring, Principal Calederin believes it is important to hire the right person and not necessarily the "best qualified". Sometimes the best-qualified individual is not the best fit. As a principal, he looks for and asks questions related to collaboration, commitment, creativity, critical thinking, and the like to make sure that the person hired fits the climate and culture.
