Procedure for Hiring
NEPN/NSBA Code: GCF-R
The following is the procedure for all hiring, excluding administrative positions, for the Yarmouth School Department.
Certificated Personnel, including Teachers and Educational Technicians
Applications of all regular certificated personnel to be employed by the district will be processed according to this procedure; however, short-term, temporary, or interim appointments may be made directly by the superintendent, subject to the approval of the School Committee, without following the advertising procedure.
A. Job Description Development/Review
The Superintendent or designee (the chairperson of the committee in a Superintendent search) will:
Conduct a review of the job description with input from those people affected by the position to ensure that the information within the description is relevant to the position;
If no job description exists for the position, one will be developed;
Develop the criteria (skills, knowledge and abilities) required to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position; and
Determine the minimum qualifications (training, education and experience) for the position.
B. Recruitment/Advertisement
The Superintendent or designee will:
Work with the Superintendent Administrative Assistant to use the job description, criteria, and minimum qualifications to develop an advertisement and a timeline for the hiring process. The timeline will include the advertising dates, deadline date, and interview date;
Advertise to attract a wide pool of candidates utilizing local, statewide, and national media, such as JobsinME and Serving Schools. All additional print advertising shall be approved by the Superintendent; and
Post notification of job vacancy internally by using resources available, including posted notice through listserves and e-mail accessible by current employees.
C. Screening
The Administrative Assistant shall maintain a log of applications received and keep paperwork organized until application deadline.
A paper screening committee shall eliminate all candidates who do not meet the minimum qualifications, ensuring the all applications are reviewed by more than one individual, with attention given to perceived conflicts of interest;
The Superintendent or designee shall provide the paper screening committee with an orientation on confidentiality and equity issues and require these individuals to sign a confidentiality agreement;
The paper screening committee shall select candidate for interviews based on the degree to which they meet the criteria and demonstrate the skills, knowledge and abilities outlined in the job description and will forward the names of these individuals to the Administrative Assistant to schedule interviews.
D. Interviewing
The Superintendent or designee will:
Appoint an interview panel with representation from various groups with whom the position will work on a regular basis;
Provide orientation to the panel on the process, the weighing of criteria and the nomination/hiring procedures;
Conduct training to ensure that panel members are aware of the legal aspects of interviewing, including confidentiality and equity issues;
Develop a set of interview questions that match the duties and responsibilities of the position and the criteria and provide a copy of the questions to the central office; and
Provide the opportunity for each candidate to respond to the same questions.
E. Selection
The interview panel will:
Assess each candidate on the same basis, including the criteria and the job description; and
Submit a selection report to the Superintendent of Schools.
F. Nomination/Employment
The Superintendent or designee will:
Contact several references to check perceived strengths and weaknesses of the candidates(s);
Review the material on the selected candidate(s) to determine whether additional information is needed;
Submit the candidate application and employment checklist to the Superintendent; and
Nominate the selected candidate to the School Committee.
The School Committee will:
Meet in executive session to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the nominated candidate, if necessary; and
Vote in open session to either approve the nomination or decline the nomination.
G. Notification
The Superintendent of Schools or designee will:
Offer the position to the approved candidate; and
Notify unsuccessful candidates no later than one week after acceptance is assured.
H. Orientation and Support
The Immediate Supervisor will:
Provide an orientation that includes expectations of the duties and responsibilities of the position and the policies and procedures of the School Department.
I. Record Keeping and Paperwork
The Yarmouth School Department shall:
Provide for the securing of files of all applications and documentation of the hiring, screening, and interview process as well as hiring statistics for the school department for a period of three (3) years. The Superintendent Administrative Assistant shall be responsible for filing this paperwork.
Once approved by the School Committee, the employment checklist shall be signed by the Superintendent and all paperwork forwarded to Payroll/Benefits. Should a candidate not be approved by the School Committee, the Superintendent will contact the chair of the committee.
J. Hiring of Current Employees
Yarmouth School Department staff and the School Committee may forego one or more of the steps set forth in this procedure and appoint a person who is currently employed in the system to fill a position only if the Superintendent, after consultation with the School Committee, determines that the following circumstances exist:
The currently employed candidate is exceptionally well qualified for the position; and
The decision to forego all or part of the recruitment and screening process will not detract from the goals of this policy.
Non-Certificated Personnel, including Custodians, Secretaries and Clerks,
Bus Drivers, School Nutrition Workers
Applications of all regular non-certificated personnel to be employed by the district will be processed according to this procedure; however, short-term, temporary, or interim appointments may be made directly by the superintendent without following the advertising procedure.
A. Job Description Development/Review
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
B. Recruitment/Advertisement
The Superintendent or designee will:
Work with the Superintendent Administrative Assistant to use the job description, criteria, and minimum qualifications to develop an internal posting, which will be posted for at least 10 days.
Work with the Superintendent Administrative Assistant to develop an external advertisement and a timeline for the hiring process. The timeline will include the advertising dates, deadline date, and interview date;
Advertise to attract a wide pool of candidates utilizing local, statewide, and national media, such as JobsinME and Serving Schools. All additional print advertising shall be approved by the Superintendent.
C. Screening
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
D. Interviewing
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
E. Selection
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
F. Nomination/Employment
The Superintendent or designee will:
Contact several references to check perceived strengths and weaknesses of the candidates(s);
Review the material on the selected candidate(s) to determine whether additional information is needed; and
Submit the candidate application and employment checklist to the Superintendent.
G. Notification
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
H. Orientation and Support
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
I. Record Keeping and Paperwork
The Yarmouth School Department shall:
Provide for the securing of files of all applications and documentation of the hiring, screening, and interview process as well as hiring statistics for the school department for a period of three (3) years. The Superintendent Administrative Assistant shall be responsible for filing this paperwork.
The employment checklist shall be signed by the Superintendent and all paperwork forwarded to Payroll/Benefits.
J. Hiring of Current Employees
Same as for certificated personnel, above.
Cross-References:
AC Nondiscrimination/Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action
AC-E Yarmouth School Department Affirmative Action Plan
ACAB-R Employee Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedure
BCC Nepotism
GBJC Retention of Application Materials
GCFB Recruiting and Hiring of Administrative Staff
Approved: March 10, 2011
Revised: October 23, 2014