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SSFS HOS leaving
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Anonymous
Not sure why you need to disparage the posters comment. Either you know the syllabus or don’t. Or you like the pace yourself. But even a month is time enough to tell whether things look slow or not. Also asking for a curriculum guide a month in is not being in a rush. Stuff like that should be readily available in the 1st week of school (they didn’t just start 3rd grade this year). I’m not the poster but I’ve seen how in this group whenever someone posts a question that doesn’t put the school on some glowing platform responses are often “take a breath” “you need to be more supportive” “give them time”. Not everyone sends their kids to a $40K private school willing to be a guinea pig. Not everyone thinks that as long as the kid isn’t complaining the school is a success. Let people actually ask valid questions without being shushed. |
Anonymous
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My kid is not in the LS but I know that they use a math program called Open Up. You can probably search for the sequence of skills online. I know that scaled graphs are often used to connect with multiplication skills. Trust the teacher and their process, especially this early in the year!
Any independent schools does their best to differentiate for strong students but you should never expect a personalized curriculum. At SSFS the reality is that the teachers attention is often pulled to the struggling kids who only have one or two LS learning specialist to support them. This is the reality of being at a school in the middle of a rebuilding process. Not shushing you at all but it’s also important to see the big picture. I would simply share your curriculum concerns with DB. |
Anonymous
All school children both those in public school or private school are guinea pigs. They are either guinea pigs for testing companies, curriculum developers, district or school adopted programs and policies, and even for classroom teachers who are simply trying new things. Therefore, pick a school you trust to put kids first in their decision making. For us that school is SSFS. If that trust is not there for you than you should ask your questions to the people who actually make those decisions. |
Anonymous
Another great way to deflect responsibility or anyone expressing anny criticism of this school. Everyone is a guinea pig. Sure. But maybe a school with such massive turnover, and a head who quit/got fired, plus other key people also quit/fired, may seem just a *tad* more risky? I agree that people need to go with who they trust. I’m willing to bet my bottom dollar that all the families that withdrew had their trust broken in some way (they didn’t all just move to a different state). But this forum would probably spin it like it’s their fault for being too demanding, unfair and not a team player. |
Anonymous
| You give the impression that you won't be satisfied unless everyone here comisserates with you. |
Anonymous
| No, I’m just baffled by the disproportionate number of people who seem to think what brought us all to this point with this school is normal. |
Anonymous
It's a matter of opinion what portion of the SSFS population you think should be angry or concerned. Also, you have no way of knowing how many families are even represented on this forum. It could be many or it could be few. Maybe the portion you are hoping to comisserate with are those who chose not to return. Or, maybe this forum just isn't the best place for you to find the answers you are seeking. |
Anonymous
| I spent a long time writing and rewriting posts to this thread. As a parent who pulled their child from here, there is some value from his school. If you have a wayward child, SSFS may be the place for them. If you have an academically inclined child, SSFS is not for you. Do not conflate SSFS as Sidwell lite. Friends schools are special and this is not one. I hate to be so blunt but this school needs a reality check. |
Anonymous
| My academically inclined kid is happy and so are we. I’m not sure what a wayward child is. |
Anonymous
I don’t know what a wayward child is either. But my academically inclined kid (in US) was NOT happy. The lack of honors classes, fewer AP choices, kids who constantly disrupted class. No real homework or deadlines - none of this was what I expected in an academically inclined school. Even our local public school had more rigor than this place. I’m glad it works for you but a school that had more fashion shows than science fairs is not an academically inclined one. |
Anonymous
Could you say which division your child is in and describe some of the programs benefiting your academically inclined kid are? |
Anonymous
| I find it interesting that some families that chose to leave because of their stated displeasure with SSFS are scrolling an SSFS forum and then posting about how bad SSFS was (for them) and how much better their new school is. If you are confident with your decision than move on and leave SSFS behind. Otherwise it seems mean spirited and emotionally immature. |
Anonymous
I think people read or post in a forum like this for a variety of reasons. Not just for being petty. Actually I doubt anyone is petty when they post here. There are some people who have been burned here badly but I think they post as a caution to others not to be petty (that’s the whole “say something nice or be quiet” mentality another poster talked about). The first reason anyone comes here is to see if their experience was a one off or experienced by others. Prospective new families come here to ask about the school (and I’m sure they appreciate candor from people who have left as well as who stayed). People express their dissatisfaction even before leaving to figure out why it might be going on. It’s not as though everyone can just go to the admin and their problems will go away. So asking to see if the problem is systemic or just a random bad luck experience seems reasonable. Sure people who are unhappy sound unhappy. People who have been burned caution ppl to stay away. That’s how leaving reviews anywhere about anything works. |
Anonymous
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I agree with a pp from several pages back who said this forum has lost the plot. At this point this forum is doing nothing for those still at SSFS or those who left; for those happy or unhappy other than creating drama. This forum solves no problems and it doesn't paint an accurate picture of anything because who knows how many families are being represented.
For those still at SSFS who have questions and concerns, go directly to teachers and other personnel and attend any parent meetings. Talk to other parents in person. For those who already left, best wishes in your new school. |
Anonymous
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What I’ve noticed with this forum yes, it’s been all over the place (started with the question if anyone new why RG left) then it goes quiet, for days, then something new happens and it revives for a bit as people churn the new info.
so Rg left and all the associated stuff that came out ran it for a while. Then quiet. Then like the athletics director left or then the CFO suddenly left, or TG joined the board or most recently the counselor and marcom director left - each time some new thing happens and the group cokes back with a “now this, what’s going on?”. Usually there is no real closure of course, but sometimes someone posts something with a little more insight into what’s going on that isn’t shared with the parent community and that’s what keeps people coming back to see if the can learn more. A big part of it is that those school admins you tell ppl to go to aren’t really transparent. |