Dear Groveland Park Elementary Community,

We recently learned that Principal Becky Pederson will be retiring after serving as the principal of Groveland Park Elementary School for the past 12 years. I want to thank her for her investment and dedication to our students and families in Saint Paul and wish her all the best in retirement!

As we move forward in selecting the next principal of Groveland Park Elementary, we want to make sure you are informed and involved. Fortunately, we began accepting applications in January for candidates interested in becoming a principal in our district. 

Applicants were required to submit the following:

• Resume - Including work history with dates, titles held, participation in organizations and key responsibilities of positions held.
• Letter of Intent - Why they aspire to be a leader in SPPS and how their education and experience prepared them for this role.
• Leadership Experience Essay(s)
  • Describe a time when you developed and implemented an initiative resulting in student achievement gains (the example could range in scope from an initiative that you implemented in your classroom to a school-wide program).
  • Describe your experience in the last three years, demonstrating how your actions positively impacted school culture and climate. In your response, please use the STAR format (Situation/Task, Action, and Results).

After submitting their applications, candidates participated in eligibility pool interviews in which they had an opportunity to interact with current SPPS principals, department leaders and Human Resources staff.

Next, we will conduct school-level interviews with a small team, including two Groveland Park parents, two Groveland staff members, myself and a member of our Human Resources staff. This interview will take place on Friday, May 8, 2020.

Principal Pederson will work with your school community to select the parent/community and staff representatives and two site-specific questions to be included in the interview no later than Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Our goal is to be able to announce the new leader to the staff and community by the end of May. 

Finally, once the new leader of Groveland Park Elementary is selected, we will share a simple survey with families and staff. This online survey will serve as a great opportunity for the school community to share what you believe the most important priorities are for your new leader and identify what you are most proud of about your school. 

Thank you for supporting Groveland Park Elementary School.

Sincerely,

Andrew Collins
Assistant Superintendent