GDS Head of School Search

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.

But these jobs are so far removed from classroom jobs—legal issues, hiring, fundraising, facilities, dealing with parents, long term planning. Etc etc etc. There is a reason these jobs pay so much…they are incredibly complex.

Problems arise when the focus is not on teaching. teachers, and students. The HOS should not be far removed from the classroom and needs to be more than a bureaucrat.

An HOS has to focus on all of it. Teachers, students, parents, curriculum, facilities, fundraising, finances, admissions, legal matters, and more. I don’t know what the perfect amount of classroom experience would be to satisfy all the opinions, but a future HOS has likely made the move to administration by the time they are in their early to mid 30s. So there will always be some lifelong teachers that scoff at and resent the limited classroom experience of some administrators.

It’s not really as complex as people make it out to be.

Wrong. It’s complex and exhausting, far beyond most careers, and that’s why it pays as well as it does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Personally, I'm glad the board is taking more time. This is not something to be rushed, particularly if their first choice is no longer available (and that's purely speculative).

They need to get the right person for the times.

This thread makes me think Kalshi would make a killing on this speculation. we could bet on when the announcement will be made, or which candidate it is, or what the salary is.

Either way, I do hope that this extra time helps the board make the right decision (whatever that will mean for the board).

[Anonymous]

NYE surprise announcement or will the page be updated to say announcement in January?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.

But these jobs are so far removed from classroom jobs—legal issues, hiring, fundraising, facilities, dealing with parents, long term planning. Etc etc etc. There is a reason these jobs pay so much…they are incredibly complex.

Problems arise when the focus is not on teaching. teachers, and students. The HOS should not be far removed from the classroom and needs to be more than a bureaucrat.

An HOS has to focus on all of it. Teachers, students, parents, curriculum, facilities, fundraising, finances, admissions, legal matters, and more. I don’t know what the perfect amount of classroom experience would be to satisfy all the opinions, but a future HOS has likely made the move to administration by the time they are in their early to mid 30s. So there will always be some lifelong teachers that scoff at and resent the limited classroom experience of some administrators.

It’s not really as complex as people make it out to be.

Wrong. It’s complex and exhausting, far beyond most careers, and that’s why it pays as well as it does.

Sounds like you are on the board and trying to justify the excessive compensation the HOS receives

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.

But these jobs are so far removed from classroom jobs—legal issues, hiring, fundraising, facilities, dealing with parents, long term planning. Etc etc etc. There is a reason these jobs pay so much…they are incredibly complex.

Problems arise when the focus is not on teaching. teachers, and students. The HOS should not be far removed from the classroom and needs to be more than a bureaucrat.

An HOS has to focus on all of it. Teachers, students, parents, curriculum, facilities, fundraising, finances, admissions, legal matters, and more. I don’t know what the perfect amount of classroom experience would be to satisfy all the opinions, but a future HOS has likely made the move to administration by the time they are in their early to mid 30s. So there will always be some lifelong teachers that scoff at and resent the limited classroom experience of some administrators.

It’s not really as complex as people make it out to be.

Wrong. It’s complex and exhausting, far beyond most careers, and that’s why it pays as well as it does.

Sounds like you are on the board and trying to justify the excessive compensation the HOS receives

+1. I’d like to know how much the lowest paid employee at GDS earns, and use that to justify the HOS salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NYE surprise announcement or will the page be updated to say announcement in January?

There won't be an announcement until the school reopens on Monday, at the earliest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYE surprise announcement or will the page be updated to say announcement in January?

There won't be an announcement until the school reopens on Monday, at the earliest.

I bet they will delay it again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.

But these jobs are so far removed from classroom jobs—legal issues, hiring, fundraising, facilities, dealing with parents, long term planning. Etc etc etc. There is a reason these jobs pay so much…they are incredibly complex.

Problems arise when the focus is not on teaching. teachers, and students. The HOS should not be far removed from the classroom and needs to be more than a bureaucrat.

An HOS has to focus on all of it. Teachers, students, parents, curriculum, facilities, fundraising, finances, admissions, legal matters, and more. I don’t know what the perfect amount of classroom experience would be to satisfy all the opinions, but a future HOS has likely made the move to administration by the time they are in their early to mid 30s. So there will always be some lifelong teachers that scoff at and resent the limited classroom experience of some administrators.

It’s not really as complex as people make it out to be.

Wrong. It’s complex and exhausting, far beyond most careers, and that’s why it pays as well as it does.

Um, if someone is making hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) at a job that is not complex, they are way overpaid.

Private school principal is really not such a special job.

[Anonymous]

Private schools need a savvy Trump Daddy type who is good at biznus

[Anonymous]

This is actually a pretty tough job because GDS is so tangled up in identity politics and I say this as an extra blue with blue on the side liberal.

When it was founded - and even later when I attended - it was full of Jewish kids and black kids from inside the District. We were all aware of social justice issues and they were woven into the daily life of the school. But i don't remember a signal race or religion-based incident of any note.

The school that my kids went to was regularly caught up in one controversy after another. It's like walking on eggshells there. There are committees and rivalries and power blocs and the next HOS should probably figure out a way to reduce the tension.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is actually a pretty tough job because GDS is so tangled up in identity politics and I say this as an extra blue with blue on the side liberal.

When it was founded - and even later when I attended - it was full of Jewish kids and black kids from inside the District. We were all aware of social justice issues and they were woven into the daily life of the school. But i don't remember a signal race or religion-based incident of any note.

The school that my kids went to was regularly caught up in one controversy after another. It's like walking on eggshells there. There are committees and rivalries and power blocs and the next HOS should probably figure out a way to reduce the tension.

Thank you for sharing this perspective. Would you recommend it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.

But these jobs are so far removed from classroom jobs—legal issues, hiring, fundraising, facilities, dealing with parents, long term planning. Etc etc etc. There is a reason these jobs pay so much…they are incredibly complex.

Problems arise when the focus is not on teaching. teachers, and students. The HOS should not be far removed from the classroom and needs to be more than a bureaucrat.

An HOS has to focus on all of it. Teachers, students, parents, curriculum, facilities, fundraising, finances, admissions, legal matters, and more. I don’t know what the perfect amount of classroom experience would be to satisfy all the opinions, but a future HOS has likely made the move to administration by the time they are in their early to mid 30s. So there will always be some lifelong teachers that scoff at and resent the limited classroom experience of some administrators.

It’s not really as complex as people make it out to be.

Wrong. It’s complex and exhausting, far beyond most careers, and that’s why it pays as well as it does.

Um, if someone is making hundreds of thousands of dollars (or more) at a job that is not complex, they are way overpaid.

Private school principal is really not such a special job.

DP but clearly not, if they haven’t announced yet. Someone probably turned down the job.

I would not want to deal with the parents of kids paying 55k a year for a school. My close friend is a college counselor in one of strongest public schools in her state and she has to deal with so many high strung parents. And that’s a free education!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is actually a pretty tough job because GDS is so tangled up in identity politics and I say this as an extra blue with blue on the side liberal.

When it was founded - and even later when I attended - it was full of Jewish kids and black kids from inside the District. We were all aware of social justice issues and they were woven into the daily life of the school. But i don't remember a signal race or religion-based incident of any note.

The school that my kids went to was regularly caught up in one controversy after another. It's like walking on eggshells there. There are committees and rivalries and power blocs and the next HOS should probably figure out a way to reduce the tension.

Exactly right and my experience too as a parent last 12-14 years there (and almost done) and very familiar with how the school was in the late-80s/early 90s since I'm a local and went to a "rival" school. Sadly all of this is a combo of what is happening more broadly culturally and Russell's fear of upsetting any constituency.

He's a great public speaker and face but i found and saw first hand that he was afraid of the "groups" as people on the Hill call it. The groups eequivalent at GDS and so he would not make the tough decisions when needed or would very often look to see what Sidwell did and copy that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is actually a pretty tough job because GDS is so tangled up in identity politics and I say this as an extra blue with blue on the side liberal.

When it was founded - and even later when I attended - it was full of Jewish kids and black kids from inside the District. We were all aware of social justice issues and they were woven into the daily life of the school. But i don't remember a signal race or religion-based incident of any note.

The school that my kids went to was regularly caught up in one controversy after another. It's like walking on eggshells there. There are committees and rivalries and power blocs and the next HOS should probably figure out a way to reduce the tension.

Exactly right and my experience too as a parent last 12-14 years there (and almost done) and very familiar with how the school was in the late-80s/early 90s since I'm a local and went to a "rival" school. Sadly all of this is a combo of what is happening more broadly culturally and Russell's fear of upsetting any constituency.

He's a great public speaker and face but i found and saw first hand that he was afraid of the "groups" as people on the Hill call it. The groups eequivalent at GDS and so he would not make the tough decisions when needed or would very often look to see what Sidwell did and copy that

This I can totally believe. I’m a staunch democrat but why GDS embraced identity politics 1000% is a mystery to me. Russell is almost looked at as a demigod at the school which is so bizarre. Hopefully we can move past this extremely long chapter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is actually a pretty tough job because GDS is so tangled up in identity politics and I say this as an extra blue with blue on the side liberal.

When it was founded - and even later when I attended - it was full of Jewish kids and black kids from inside the District. We were all aware of social justice issues and they were woven into the daily life of the school. But i don't remember a signal race or religion-based incident of any note.

The school that my kids went to was regularly caught up in one controversy after another. It's like walking on eggshells there. There are committees and rivalries and power blocs and the next HOS should probably figure out a way to reduce the tension.

Exactly right and my experience too as a parent last 12-14 years there (and almost done) and very familiar with how the school was in the late-80s/early 90s since I'm a local and went to a "rival" school. Sadly all of this is a combo of what is happening more broadly culturally and Russell's fear of upsetting any constituency.

I hope so too, though a few of the HOS candidates seemed like they might take us there. I don't mind the board taking their time to get this right.

He's a great public speaker and face but i found and saw first hand that he was afraid of the "groups" as people on the Hill call it. The groups eequivalent at GDS and so he would not make the tough decisions when needed or would very often look to see what Sidwell did and copy that

This I can totally believe. I’m a staunch democrat but why GDS embraced identity politics 1000% is a mystery to me. Russell is almost looked at as a demigod at the school which is so bizarre. Hopefully we can move past this extremely long chapter