Montbello High School School Principal Hiring Timeline

Posted September 30, 2026

Denver Public Schools Office of Schools logo

September 30, 2026

Dear Montbello High School Community, 

We hope this message finds you well. As an essential partner in the school community, the purpose of this letter is to provide an update on the principal selection process at Montbello High School.

First, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our students, staff, families, and community partners for your dedication, service, and unwavering commitment to the school. Additionally, we would like to express our gratitude to Mr. Fred Harris and the entire Montbello leadership team and staff for their continuous leadership and service to our Montbello High School community during this transitional period. Every member plays a vital role in shaping the success of our school, and it is through your combined efforts that we continue to provide an inclusive, supportive, and thriving learning environment for all students.

As we look ahead, we are writing to explain how we will proceed in the principal selection process. Our goal is to ensure each stage reflects our core values of inclusivity, accessibility, equity, collaboration, and integrity. Our approach aims to be fully responsive to the voices and perspectives throughout our school community while maintaining the flexibility necessary to conduct a thorough search.

To offer robust opportunities for engagement, our process will include the following key components (which may be adapted as needed to best serve the search):

  • Community Input Survey: A stakeholder survey for students, school staff, families, Collaborative School Committee (CSC) members, and community members to gather feedback on the qualities and priorities desired in the next principal.
  • Candidate Profile and Criteria: Office of Schools leaders will collaborate with the CSC using the stakeholder survey results to create a candidate profile and interview criteria.
  • Initial Interviews: Top qualified candidates from our pool will participate in initial panel interviews with district personnel and the CSC.
  • Finalist Engagement Events: Finalists will attend in-person engagement opportunities, including staff drop-in sessions, a moderated community forum utilizing submitted survey questions, and an informal meet-and-greet. Finalist names will be announced to the community prior to these events.
  • Stakeholder Feedback and Final Interviews: An additional feedback survey will be provided following finalist events, and the Superintendent will review all community feedback prior to conducting final candidate interviews and making a decision.

We believe that a strong community partnership is essential in selecting our next leader. We invite all members of our school community to complete the Principal Hiring Community Input Survey linked below by Monday, Oct. 5:

Below is the tentative timeline for the community involvement steps. Please note that dates and scheduled events are tentative and subject to adjustment. Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement as we work to identify the best leader for Montbello High School.

Sincerely,

Donald Reynolds

Director, High School Network 1

Scott Wolf        

Operational Services Director

Principal Selection Process Tentative Timeline

(Note: Dates, windows, and event formats are tentative and subject to change)

Now through Oct. 5

  • Community feedback gathered via the Principal Hiring Community Input Survey.

Week of Oct. 5 (Target Window)

  • The Office of Schools team meets with the CSC to review feedback, build the candidate profile, and confirm interview procedures.

Week of Oct. 26 (Target Window)

  • Initial round of panel interviews conducted with top qualified candidates, involving the CSC, Office of Schools leaders, and High School Network 1 principal representation.

Week of Nov. 2 (Target Window)

  • Finalists participate in instructional learning walks.
  • Staff drop-in sessions to meet the finalists.
  • Moderated in-person community forum and informal meet-and-greet event with interpretation services provided.
  • Finalist interviews with Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero, Interim Deputy Superintendent Dr. Lora de la Cruz, and district leadership.
  • Principal selection announced.