Please Complete Principal Search Survey by Nov. 10, 2026

Principal Houston Retirement At The End of December 2026

On October 6, 2026 Principal Houston announced his retirement at the end of December. Principal Houston has worked to build a strong foundation for student success and cultivated a school culture centered on belonging, high expectations, and continuous growth. He will be deeply missed in our community.

Selecting a new Principal that will build from Principal Houston’s successes and help take Whitman to even greater heights is crucial to our school and community. The PTSA wanted to take a moment to emphasize the importance of completing the Principal Attributes Survey that was sent out by the District. This survey will be used to select the questions that the hiring committee will use during the interview process.

Please Complete Survey by November 10, 2026

Please complete the Principal Attributes Survey by Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

Thank you for taking the time to share your voice for our students and school! The Whitman PTSA

The below is information was shared with the Whitman Community in October.

Dear Whitman Middle School Staff and Community,

We are beginning the process of identifying the next Principal for Whitman Middle School.

Effective school leadership is essential to the success of a school. Great schools need high-quality principals. Seattle Public Schools utilizes a multi-stage principal hiring and placement process that helps ensure the best possible match between school communities and school leaders.

Interviewing and hiring a new principal is an important process at Seattle Public Schools.Representatives from the school staff and community have opportunities to provide input before a final hiring decision is made. The school community will also have representation on the site-based Principal Interview Team.

The following are the general guidelines Seattle Public Schools uses when hiring a principal:

1. The Superintendent has final hiring authority and may appoint or move a principal (or assistant principal) at any time.
2. Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement with our principals’ association, the district considers requests from principals and assistant principals for horizontal or vertical movement.
3. If the Superintendent does not make an appointment or transfer, Human Resources will post the position for open recruitment.
4. There are times when the Superintendent may recommend that a candidate be hired in an interim capacity.

When a position is posted by Human Resources, a job advertisement is created and posted on the district’s employment website. The Executive Director of Schools assigned to Whitman Middle School will work with school stakeholder groups to develop building-specific questions that may be used during the interview process.

Additionally, the Executive Director of Schools will collect feedback from staff, families, students, and community members through a Principal Attributes Survey. This feedback will help identify the leadership qualities and skills most important to the Whitman community and will assist in matching candidates to the school’s needs.

Whitman Middle School values the voices of staff, students, families, and community members. Please take a few minutes to share the leadership qualities, experiences, and attributes you believe are most important in selecting the next principal. Your feedback will help inform the interview process and ensure the selected leader reflects the needs and priorities of the Whitman community.

Please also complete the Principal Attributes Survey to share the characteristics, leadership qualities, and experiences you would like to see in Whitman’s next principal:

Principal Attribute Survey

The principal position has been posted as of October 7, 2026.

If you have questions regarding the status of the hiring process, please contact the School Principal and/or Building Leadership Team representative, who will receive ongoing updates throughout the process.

Thank you for your participation and partnership in supporting Whitman Middle School and helping us identify a leader who will continue to advance student achievement, foster an inclusive school culture, and strengthen relationships with students, families, and staff.

The complete guidelines and hiring process for principal hiring in Seattle Public Schools can be found here School Leader Hiring Process.

Previous Principal Newsletters

• October 30, 2026
• October 22, 2026
• October 15, 2026
• October 8, 2026
• October 2, 2026
• September 11, 2026
• September 1, 2026
• August 18, 2026