Superintendent Raj Manhas and Chief Academic Officer Carla Santono have announced principal appointments for the 2007-2008 school year. The appointments are a result of a "rigorous, three-phase process" that began in fall 2006.

"As we see and hear how applicants respond to a real-world situation, we can get a very good sense of how they will perform as principals," said Santorno.

"I am very impressed by the caliber of the individuals appointed to principal roles for 2007-2008," said Superintendent Raj Manhas. "We have promoted a number of talented individuals from within the district, and attracted several excellent leaders from surrounding districts."

For the first time this year, the open recruitment process included a hands-on demonstration of each applicant's strengths as instructional leaders. Candidates were taken on an educational walk-through of classrooms by Santorno to see instruction in progress.

Candidates were also asked to provide written feedback on their observations.

This year there were three phases to the principal selection process. During phase one, which occurred during the fall, principals were named at the schools merging and consolidating to facilitate joint school planning.

During phase two current principals were asked earlier in the year if they had intentions to retire or transfer so that it could be taken into account when making appointments. The third phase of the principal appointment process included open recruitment and hiring.

From the pool of candidates identified through this process, school teams selected a number of applicants to interview. The school-based teams, which typically included staff and parent representatives, submitted a review of applicant strengths and weaknesses in relation to the needs of the school.

Taking the team's feedback into consideration, Santorno and Manhas made the final appointments although several leadership roles remain open in other areas of the city.

Appointments for West Seattle include:

West Seattle High School: Bruce Bivins, the interim principal at West Seattle High School since March, has been named principal at the school. Prior to coming to West Seattle, Bivins spent five years as assistant principal at Franklin High School, and was recently named KingCo 4A Assistant Principal of the Year for 2007.

While at Franklin, Bivins was involved in developing small-learning communities and academies, building community mentoring programs for failing and truant students, rebuilding the athletic program, and bridging partnerships with the Seattle Police and Fire Departments. Before moving into administration, Bivins was a special education instructor in the Edmonds School District and at Garfield High School, and worked as the King County Juvenile Detention School Coordinator for Seattle Public Schools Interagency Schools.

Roxhill Elementary: Cathy Thompson, current principal at Rainier View Elementary, which will close in June, has been appointed principal at Roxhill Elementary School. A 14-year district veteran, Thompson spent four years as principal at Rainier View Elementary, four years a literacy instructional coach and six years as a first-grade teacher at Gatzert Elementary.

Thompson holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education from Central Washington University and a master's degree in educational leadership from Western Washington University. She is currently working on her doctorate in the University of Washington's Leadership for Learning program.

Davy Muth, currently principal at Fairmont Park, which will close in June, has been named principal at Wing Luke Elementary School. Ms. Muth has 25 years of experience as an educator serving students from many backgrounds and cultures, and has been principal at Fairmount Park Elementary for the past eight years. She also spent two years as assistant principal at Cooper Elementary.