In January 2018, Mingus Union Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction Genie Gee was elevated by the Mingus Union High School District Governing Board to the position of high school principal. In the year since then, the school has continued without filling Gee’s former position, with Allen Mitchell serving as the only assistant principal.
At a meeting on March 19, the board unanimously voted to seek out a new replacement for Gee as assistant principal, hoping to hire a new employee to take over alongside Mitchell. The district hopes to post the job within the next few weeks in order to have a suitable candidate in place for the 2019-2020 school year.
“The approval of this position is an important key in moving forward for Mingus,” Board President Lori Drake wrote in an email. “Our school is a school of improvement we find it extremely important to move forward and have a dedicated curriculum director to ensure a standard of instruction as well as state assessment planning, benchmark assessments, professional learning and instructional support.”
“In addition to that, our current dean of students [Allen Mitchell] is planning for retirement, and with that a possibility it is
important to have someone in this position that will be fully trained when this happens,” Drake wrote. “Hiring for this position will be a benefit to our students, staff and community members.”
“The assistant principal for curriculum and instruction is a deliberate coach and effective manager responsible for helping teachers and students realize their full potential,” according to the job posting for the position prepared by MUHSD administration. “The assistant principal evaluates and provides leadership for the instructional program of the high school. This person is knowledgeable about best pedagogical practices and provides for the development, alignment and implementation of quality curriculum to enhance student achievement. The assistant principal for curriculum and instruction is a highly effective educator who is a critical thinker and innovative problem solver with a high level of emotional intelligence.”
According to MUHSD Business Director Lynn Leonard, $40,000 of the principal’s salary will be paid from Title I and Title II grants from the federal government, with the rest of the salary — which Leonard estimated to be $20,000, but said would depend on the qualifications of the applicant — would be paid from the school district’s Maintenance and Operations budget.
Gee said the new assistant principal of curriculum and instruction will take on duties to help the school prepare for the addition of ACT testing next year, as well as continuing to implement the AVID [Advancement Via Individual Determination] program to prepare students for college.
“We have 1,200 students [and their families], 63 teachers and several class- room aides and support staff,” Gee wrote in an email. “As an administrative team, we want to offer high levels of support and communication with all of our stakeholders. Adjusting the duties of the team and aligning them to outcomes will make a huge impact.”
