FDB ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT FORM

Candidates Name: Eric Castro____________________________

Administrators 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 Dumbledores 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 candidates strengths as they apply to her/his

area(s) of co-curricular involvement.
Erics 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 Erics, 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.
Erics work through Art and Pub, Dumbledores 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 candidates areas of growth with respect to his cocurricular 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.
Dumbledores 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 peoples 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 candidates 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 Ive 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 Id 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. Hes 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 isnt
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.