FDB ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT FORM

Candidate’s Name: Eric Castro___________________________________

Administrator’s Name: Robert Gavin______________________________

1. List or describe the candidates Co-Curricular activities the past five years.

During the last five years, Eric has moderated the Art and Pub club. Eric has also worked with Dumbledore’s Army. Finally, Eric spent a good portion of his time during the last five years helping the Track and Field program as an Official Meet Director.

2. Please comment upon the candidate’s strengths as they apply to her/his area(s) of co-curricular involvement.

Eric’s great strength is seeking out ways to engage the kids “on the fringe” – his quote. No matter how you conceptualize these students – wallflowers, freaks, or oddballs (and I use all the terms with great affection) – they need to be cared for here at S.I. Eric has always had a special place in his heart for these students, and they respond to him. He rightly sees his goals in the co-curricular area as a means of engaging these students, and I applaud him for that. I do wonder if there might be more substantive ways that we can formulate this work, but that thought does not dissuade me from supporting and applauding Eric in these efforts. Eric has always understood these students. I will not go so far as to say that Eric sees himself or his experiences at S.I. in these students – although one might guess this is part of the process at play here for him. But I do know that over the years since I have been a colleague of Eric’s, I have spoken to enough students who A) consider themselves to be fringe kids; and B) see Mr. Castro as a clear support / anchor for them here at S.I.

Eric’s work through Art and Pub, Dumbledore’s Army, all things tech, Track and Field, and in his choice to ride a bike as a form of transportation have all been ways in which he has built relationships with the kids on the fringe. One could argue that his former work heading Speech and Debate also produced similar, positive effects.

3. Please comment upon the candidate’s areas of growth with respect to his co-curricular responsibilities.

Eric is picking up some new club work with CyberPatriots. This is work he will be doing with Jennifer Gaspar-Santos. He continues his work with Art and Pub. Dumbledore’s Army is not functioning now, and Eric no longer is working with Track and Field. But Eric is open to creating a Running Club for kids. I have always pushed Eric in terms of distance running and how he can involve himself in that way here at S.I. My logic – and he knows this – is that this is a passion of his, and I like to wed

people’s passions with our students. Although Eric does not want to coach Track and Field or Cross Country, he would be open to a Running Club, and I like this idea.

I pushed Eric to consider helping Don Gamble with Robotics – again I saw this as a natural fit. He was not interested, but he saw the logic of the request.

The big picture here is that Eric and I both see him as a person who wants to engage and support kids “on the fringe,” and I will help Eric do this however I can through my office.

4. Please comment upon the candidate’s five-year plan for co-curricular involvement.

Eric commented that the co-curricular area of his work at S.I. is probably his weakest. As I’ve made clear in this report, I support Eric, and I want to continue to work with him to help him advocate for the type of kid here at S.I. that he is drawn to support.

5. Please include any additional comments or reflections about the candidate.

Any time I have a veteran candidate like Eric who is up for FDB, I understand that there is a tension between pushing the candidate and allowing the candidate room to express him/herself in the fashion most comfortable for him. Those of us who have been around S.I. for many years know that this work is a marathon and not a sprint. Certainly I’d love to see Eric coaching a distance sport – mainly because I think he would be great. I also would love to see him help take on this new Robotics club with other teachers. He’s a smart, innovative man, and his skill set up nicely for something like that. But Eric sees his work in the co-curricular area of S.I. in a different way, and I am respectful of that – mostly because I know he is strong in the other areas, and his work in co-curriculars intersects with kids here at S.I. that need his attention.

Questions for the Candidate:

1) Can you speak to this line from your reflection: "I now moderate a digital version of Art & Pub that makes signs and graphics for those displays. It isn’t the same social club that the old Art & Pub was because students now do the design work at home on laptops, and mail them to me for approval." What does this look like in practical terms for those of us who have always thought of Art and Pub as butcher paper, crayon, and markers?

2) What draws you to CyberPatriots? In an ideal world, if this club flourishes, what would that look like?

3) What would a Running Club at S.I. look like, and how can we support you in this endeavor?

Final Thoughts/Evaluation (keeping the “Professional Growth Rubric” in mind):

Eric is effective in the area of co-curriculars here at S.I.