Seven Oaks Elementary in Odenton, MD has now had three principals over the last 4 years. As parents, families, and neighbors we believe in our school and community,  but we've been taken aback by the latest administrative changes which we felt largely excluded from.  While the district held a “forum” for family, staff, and student input on our incoming principal,  that forum did not provide for actual dialogue, merely a time and space to write comments on paper or google form. Many of us felt sidelined, without a voice in the process that directly influences our children's learning environment.

Other districts, near and far, show that collaboration with families and community to make school leadership decisions is possible. Burlington Public Schools in Vermont, for example, has a process in which top candidates who advance to secondary rounds of interviews have public forums to share with the community their story, educational philosophies, and to answer community-sourced questions during a meet and greet.

Nearby Prince George’s County Public Schools has a school-specific panel for each second round Principal interview. That panel consists of: a representative from HR, Assistant superintendent and instructional director, 4 faculty members, 2 support staff, 4 school specific community members, and if it is a high school - 2 high school students. 

Hence, we urge OUR school district to increase parent and community engagement in the hiring process for school leaders. A study by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform found that schools that actively involve parents and community members in leadership roles are more likely to experience student success. This highlights the importance of our petition: your involvement matters!

By improving transparency in the hiring process and inviting input from us – parents and community members, we believe that our school can be an even better learning environment for our children. By signing this petition, you’re pushing for a change that gives us all the opportunity to be more involved in shaping our school’s administration. This isn't just about one school, it's about every school in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Let's work together to ensure that our voices are heard in decisions that directly affect us and our children.

 Please sign this petition today!