Discovery Charter School Interview

About the Chula Vista Elementary School District and Discovery Charter…

First, for each and every position applied for in the Chula Vista Elementary School District, charter or public, applicants are required to compose a 1-2 page narrative explaining how they meet 6-14 specific requirements determined by each school site. It is intense. Go to http://www.cvesd.k12.ca.us/cvesd/humanresources/employment/certificated/certificated.html and click on job openings to see examples.

The interview at Discovery Charter School in Chula Vista did not go well. I was notified at 1:51 PM on 6/22 that there would be interviews on 6/23 from 3:45 PM to 6:00 PM. I asked if I could interview at a later date, and the secretary said no, they were only doing interviews this one day. I had to throw everything together for the 600-mile roundtrip in short order. I slept three hours (I had to finish a narrative for another position closing on 6/23), and drank two Red Bulls to stay alert on the freeway. Needless to say, I was not at my best.

The interview was an eight-person panel (1 man, the principal, and 7 women) with about eight questions. There were three tables, two of which formed an “L” where the panel sat, and a small one diagonally across from them where I sat. The individuals all introduced themselves. The school secretary, two kindergarten teachers, and a fifth grade teacher were there. Three of the women were parents whose children will be in the grade levels of the hiring positions. The individuals were pleasant, but the set-up was unilateral. The questions were pre-generated by the group, and a written copy was set in front of me (that was nice).

No one smiled, except for one point where I made a comment that I've been subbing for 2 1/2 years and still want to be a teacher. They laughed, and it broke the ice in the room. However, the ice came back rather quickly. I did not feel comfortable, and they did not seem to enjoy the process either. I smiled occasionally and tried to relax, but no one smiled back. It was a refrigerator interview.

Due to the nature of the Charter school, the questions were distinctly different from others I've encountered in interviews. I had done my homework on this school – downloading their charter, reading it, making notes, and writing a two-page narrative about specifications their candidates had to meet - but I still felt lost. One question was poorly worded and confusing. The lack of sleep and the Red Bull crash came into play at that time, and I just blanked out. One person tried to verbally clarify what it meant, but it was still unclear to me. I collected my thoughts, but still floundered to answer. I wonder if they wanted to see what their applicants would do under stress.

The panel asked questions and I responded. I was not able to ask anyone questions about the program - I was corrected for doing so. This protocol was not made clear to me beforehand. They only wanted me to talk about myself and my experience, and I was not to use my portfolio (that was made clear beforehand). The principal said I could ask questions if they decided to call me back for a second interview.

Overall, I felt like a bug under a Mason jar. First impressions are not always correct, but they can be lasting impressions.

I am grateful for the experience, but the interview felt strained. If the work environment is anything like the interview, I don't want to be there. Working in a glass classroom would not be fun.

However, if they offer a second interview with a lighter vibe and two-way dialogue, I would consider it. The program is very good, and it is cool that parents are so involved in the school.