John F. Gould

Dear Committee,

My educational philosophy is guided by a set of core values and the demands of being both an educational leader and a manager of human resources.  COVID-19 has reminded me that students, parents, and educators are pursuing success together, while being nimble in thought and maintaining a capacity to adjust to shifting circumstances.  These three core values, or qualities, that guide my approach are a sound work ethic, tied to a set of informed goals, followed by an uncompromising sense of integrity, accompanied by a firm quality of empathy. These qualities have served me well in the midst of this pandemic that has gripped us all.

From my vantage point, educational leaders are called upon to be public relations specialists, security chiefs, financial experts, evaluators, cheerleaders, construction specialists as well as scholars within teaching and learning.  While this array of demands may overwhelm others, I am confident that my service as a high school principal prepares me to meet the challenges of your school district. This narrative emphasizes a sampling of my educational philosophy grounded in my experiences as a leader. 

In my opinion, leadership and management are not mutually exclusive. Management by definition is to channel and shepherd colleagues within the existing landscape.  Leadership by definition is to persuade people to challenge their “comfort zone” for the benefit of the whole.  To be effective, school districts must form a strategic plan which is followed by strategy development.  My devotion to education, my capacity to shepherd meaningful change, and my understanding of educational organizations will meet the needs of the school district’s highest office.  Most of all, the coherence offered within a “District Improvement Plan” – the driving vision any district -- must be grounded in sound relationships with all stakeholders for the benefit of learning.

Equity and diversity are extremely important in our schools and cannot be overlooked.  Educational leaders must support each individual student while recognizing their identity. Today’s schools face a spectrum of issues ranging from race to sexual identity to poverty.   I have dedicated my career to welcoming and endorsing all of my students.

My thinking has always been informed through the composition of a “house plan” which articulates the educational benefit of each Full Time Equivalency (FTE) to student ratio. This establishes a capacity which allows me to allocate human resources in a responsible manner.  This informed approach allows me to budget through a rationale that is supported by data.  I possess the qualities necessary to engage the challenges of an organizational leader by having served as the principal responsible for an organization that is formed of 108 employees, seven hundred and eighty students, and funding that taps one-third of my district’s forty-five million dollar budget from two towns.  Leaders must have the capacity to communicate, allocate financial resources with an informed rationale, make sound operational decisions grounded in experience and appreciate as well as harness human resources while maintaining strong academic credibility. 

My academic credentials and “hands-on-knowledge” -- forged through these various challenges -- have prepared me to lead, and share my expertise on the district level to support teaching and learning.  Thank you.

Sincerely,                                            

John F. Gould, Ed. D.