Teach Middle East Magazine Nov-Dec 2018 Issue 2 Volume 6 | Page 10

Administrator's Corner SCHOOL LEADERS WAIT! KEY QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE SIGNING THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BY LORETTA SANDERS Y ou have sent your resume to every recruiter, you finally got that interview and you nail it! They loved you and the offer comes in. WAIT! WAIT! WAIT! Before you sign, here are a few questions that you should ask, before taking what appears to be that dream job. 1) Are you an owner or investor? We are aware that many times these terms are used interchangeably but they are not created equal. An owner is more likely to have a hands-on approach with what happens in the school. Business professionals and 08 | Nov - Dec 2018 | | educators rarely see eye to eye on education. If you find that they are the owners, be prepared to dig deeper to determine their values or what guides their decisions. On the other hand if they are investors, they may rarely have any interaction with the school leadership. They may generally settle for monthly reports and often place their trust in the Instructional Leader that they have placed in charge of their investment. 2) Who will be my direct supervisor and what will their Class Time role be in the day to day operation of the school? As many schools are owned by corporations or groups that have groups of schools. These schools may appoint a director to oversee the operations of their schools. If you find that you will be reporting to a director, be prepared to ask questions about the role that person will play in the day to day operation of the school. Be ready to discuss their background. Do they have experience in running a successful school? Discuss if they have ever operated schools with the same type of curriculum.