A video commemorating Principal Dana Brown’s last year at Malden High School. Interview conducted by Marly Loreus & Ziqi Zeng. Filmed and edited by Ryan Huynh and Stacey Wong.
After 12 years of hard work and dedication here at Malden High School, Dana Brown will be resigning from his position as principal. The end of Brown’s time at MHS signals a need for someone to fill his seemingly irreplaceable shoes.
When seeking out candidates for the job, the high school had to organize a new principal search committee. The committee includes several divisions which consist of the Community Committee, the High School Committee, the Search Committee and the Interview Committee. The extensive process in choosing the next principal required members of the community and school to help out.
During the summer, members were selected and sent a letter from the mayor’s office asking for their input when carrying out the process. The combined total of those involved in the decision committee consists of is some 35 members that have been diligently working in recommending and interviewing candidates. There were some committee members that took on roles based off of their personal interests and expertise. The committee is a well-balanced representation of the community of Malden, pulling from current staff at MHS, workers in the community, community members and even student representatives.
The school and Malden community as a whole anxiously awaits the announcement of the new principal but that time has yet to come as the principal search committee has not completed come to a final decision. The committee has recently performed a series of interviews to select the candidate they find most suitable for the position. The superintendent has plans to announce the new principal in the beginning of 2016.
Malden is known for its camaraderie and so it is imperative that the new principal is involved in the community outside of school hours. Drama and English teacher Sean Walsh expressed that “[he is] always in awe that the principal of the high school shows up to every performance of every show and does not stand in the back, but sits in the audience and watches the performance as a community member. This is awesome and inspires [him] and the students as well.”
Within the requirements that come with the position, a principal must be attentive, meticulous in his work, and to meet the needs of students and staff. Brown exemplifies the charactersitcs of an ideal principal should with his ability to connect with students and staff. Sophomore Jason Montezuma pointed out that he wishes for a principal “who is kind and enjoys spending time with the students.” All great leaders must reach out to the people in order to be successful. Brown has made a positive impression on students and staff alike throughout his 12 years as principal. Freshman Terrell Pesaturo explained that “[Brown] comes and checks on [her] classes and it’s cool to interact with him.”
The search will soon be coming to an end as the Superintendent makes his decision after carefully evaluating the finals interviews. The Malden community are saddened by Brown’s resignation but look forward to what the future principal will offer to MHS and the city overall.
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