Churchill Getting a New Principal

[Anonymous]

MCPS leadership pool is a web of people who are promoted by their connections, not true ability to do the job. Dr. Moran was saddled with Ms. Webster’s choice for the Churchill principal position. The connection between Ms. Webster and Mrs. Heckert goes back to when they both worked at Damascus High School. Dr. Moran is navigating his way up the MCPS hierarchy on the family coattails. MCPS breeds mediocrity because they rarely look outside their small pond for administrative promotions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS leadership pool is a web of people who are promoted by their connections, not true ability to do the job. Dr. Moran was saddled with Ms. Webster’s choice for the Churchill principal position. The connection between Ms. Webster and Mrs. Heckert goes back to when they both worked at Damascus High School. Dr. Moran is navigating his way up the MCPS hierarchy on the family coattails. MCPS breeds mediocrity because they rarely look outside their small pond for administrative promotions.

Tell us what you really think!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Monifa is smart, she will make as many appointments that reflect her commitment to diversity, because I highly doubt she will be the permanent replacement for Dr. Smith. Too many people internally can't stand her, and they will pressure the Board of Education to hire someone else.

Interesting comment, what makes you say that? Though my gut tells me it's too soon for her to lead a district of this size (2 years in central office, 2 in HoCo, and 2 as MCPS deputy), she's been a state Principal of the Year and worked in this system for more than 20 years. She has a chance to create lots of positive visibility if reopening goes smoothly, and wouldn't it be unfair to demote her after stepping into such an unprecedented situation? Many superintendents of similar-sized districts will want to apply, see her interim title, and be scared away by that regardless of the county's rep, which means the finalist pool will be weaker. Finally, we know how MCPS loves stories about equity and her life arc screams that.

I'm just trying to see both sides of the argument because to me, I think she's all but confirmed for the full contract as long as she stays steady. The way she's been appointing people to her cabinet that she's specifically worked with tells me she's confident that she'll get it full time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Monifa is smart, she will make as many appointments that reflect her commitment to diversity, because I highly doubt she will be the permanent replacement for Dr. Smith. Too many people internally can't stand her, and they will pressure the Board of Education to hire someone else.

Interesting comment, what makes you say that? Though my gut tells me it's too soon for her to lead a district of this size (2 years in central office, 2 in HoCo, and 2 as MCPS deputy), she's been a state Principal of the Year and worked in this system for more than 20 years. She has a chance to create lots of positive visibility if reopening goes smoothly, and wouldn't it be unfair to demote her after stepping into such an unprecedented situation? Many superintendents of similar-sized districts will want to apply, see her interim title, and be scared away by that regardless of the county's rep, which means the finalist pool will be weaker. Finally, we know how MCPS loves stories about equity and her life arc screams that.

I'm just trying to see both sides of the argument because to me, I think she's all but confirmed for the full contract as long as she stays steady. The way she's been appointing people to her cabinet that she's specifically worked with tells me she's confident that she'll get it full time.

I didn’t know much about her till this year. Initially I was concerned about her ability to fill in as Superintendent after such a short time as Deputy Superintendent but I have been impressed with her at the Board of Education meetings. To true test will come with the fall reopening. If things go smoothly and students who fell behind this year have services to recover, I would think she should be on a short list for the Superintendent position. Why not go with someone who demonstrates success at a very difficult time for the school system? She is already showing she is a better leader than Jack Smith.

[Anonymous]

Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Monifa is smart, she will make as many appointments that reflect her commitment to diversity, because I highly doubt she will be the permanent replacement for Dr. Smith. Too many people internally can't stand her, and they will pressure the Board of Education to hire someone else.

Interesting comment, what makes you say that? Though my gut tells me it's too soon for her to lead a district of this size (2 years in central office, 2 in HoCo, and 2 as MCPS deputy), she's been a state Principal of the Year and worked in this system for more than 20 years. She has a chance to create lots of positive visibility if reopening goes smoothly, and wouldn't it be unfair to demote her after stepping into such an unprecedented situation? Many superintendents of similar-sized districts will want to apply, see her interim title, and be scared away by that regardless of the county's rep, which means the finalist pool will be weaker. Finally, we know how MCPS loves stories about equity and her life arc screams that.

I'm just trying to see both sides of the argument because to me, I think she's all but confirmed for the full contract as long as she stays steady. The way she's been appointing people to her cabinet that she's specifically worked with tells me she's confident that she'll get it full time.

Looking at the recent appointments, many of whom are white men, I’d say she’s doing what she can politically to ensure she’s appointed. At least one of those men is known to publicly complain, and there’s that saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. She’ll have more control over people’s actions if they’re under her wing. She’s also expanding the number of advisors, which takes some of the heat off of her. On the other hand, she’s pretty universally disliked by staff, many of whom have fled to other districts or gotten out, retired. The board’s job is easier if they hire her, so in many ways it’s hers to lose, but I think she’s got a lot of trust to rebuild. I think it will depend on whether the board cares about what the MCPS staff as a whole thinks. She’s got some time to figure it out. In the meantime, I hope she starts appointing some more people of color to principal positions, particularly since there are so many excellent choices, and considering the talent overall isn’t that deep in MCPS. A school likes churchill needs a very strong leader who can deal with everything from drugs to racism to bullying to difficult parents, and I hope she chooses a strong, smart person of color to take that on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

Good question. No one knows why Mrs. Heckert is leaving. Unlike the other Principals that took other leadership positions in Central Office, MCPS is citing employee confidentiality as the reason for Mrs. Heckert’s departure cannot be discussed. I guess check the MCPS directory on July 1st and you’ll know her new position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

Good question. No one knows why Mrs. Heckert is leaving. Unlike the other Principals that took other leadership positions in Central Office, MCPS is citing employee confidentiality as the reason for Mrs. Heckert’s departure cannot be discussed. I guess check the MCPS directory on July 1st and you’ll know her new position.

It makes me think she's taking over someone's position (who may not know they're leaving yet) as opposed to going to a newly created position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

Good question. No one knows why Mrs. Heckert is leaving. Unlike the other Principals that took other leadership positions in Central Office, MCPS is citing employee confidentiality as the reason for Mrs. Heckert’s departure cannot be discussed. I guess check the MCPS directory on July 1st and you’ll know her new position.

It makes me think she's taking over someone's position (who may not know they're leaving yet) as opposed to going to a newly created position.

It did not seem like she wanted to leave and was instead blindsided. If they were going to remove her for performance, they could have let her know earlier and perhaps she could have filled one of the high school principal jobs that were open. MCPS let all the principal job fills and then told her she wasn't coming back. She was planning on coming back next year and then was told thanks but no thanks. Very strange and Moran isn't providing any answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

Good question. No one knows why Mrs. Heckert is leaving. Unlike the other Principals that took other leadership positions in Central Office, MCPS is citing employee confidentiality as the reason for Mrs. Heckert’s departure cannot be discussed. I guess check the MCPS directory on July 1st and you’ll know her new position.

It makes me think she's taking over someone's position (who may not know they're leaving yet) as opposed to going to a newly created position.

It did not seem like she wanted to leave and was instead blindsided. If they were going to remove her for performance, they could have let her know earlier and perhaps she could have filled one of the high school principal jobs that were open. MCPS let all the principal job fills and then told her she wasn't coming back. She was planning on coming back next year and then was told thanks but no thanks. Very strange and Moran isn't providing any answers.

Dr. Moran seemed a bit touchy when making the 5-7 year comment. At times him and Mrs. Heckert seemed to work together like oil and water. His tone and demeanor made it seem like it wasn’t her decision for her to leave Churchill. If something happened that caused Mrs. Heckert’s removal, perhaps it splashed back on him since he was Mrs. Heckert’s direct supervisor. I just hope that the new pairing is better than the past 3 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

Good question. No one knows why Mrs. Heckert is leaving. Unlike the other Principals that took other leadership positions in Central Office, MCPS is citing employee confidentiality as the reason for Mrs. Heckert’s departure cannot be discussed. I guess check the MCPS directory on July 1st and you’ll know her new position.

It makes me think she's taking over someone's position (who may not know they're leaving yet) as opposed to going to a newly created position.

It did not seem like she wanted to leave and was instead blindsided. If they were going to remove her for performance, they could have let her know earlier and perhaps she could have filled one of the high school principal jobs that were open. MCPS let all the principal job fills and then told her she wasn't coming back. She was planning on coming back next year and then was told thanks but no thanks. Very strange and Moran isn't providing any answers.

Huh? If they were going to remove someone for poor performance as a high school principal, why would they want them to continue to be a high school principal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Moran at the community meeting said that it normally takes a Principal 5-7 years to see their vision for a community come to fruition. Dr. Moran has been the Director for the Churchill cluster now for 3 years. He comes to Churchill when there is media such as the N word card or in the current case, we need a new Principal. We couldn’t see what questions that were being asked in the chat but I wished I would have asked what is Dr. Moran’s vision for our cluster and what is he looking for in a Principal. I guess I would hope that there is a long term plan with specific strategies on how to get there but it has seemed that we are in a constant flux of Whack a Mole to stamp out problems vs. a proactive approach to prevent them.

If he believes that, then why did they have Heckert move on after 3 years.

Good question. No one knows why Mrs. Heckert is leaving. Unlike the other Principals that took other leadership positions in Central Office, MCPS is citing employee confidentiality as the reason for Mrs. Heckert’s departure cannot be discussed. I guess check the MCPS directory on July 1st and you’ll know her new position.

It makes me think she's taking over someone's position (who may not know they're leaving yet) as opposed to going to a newly created position.

It did not seem like she wanted to leave and was instead blindsided. If they were going to remove her for performance, they could have let her know earlier and perhaps she could have filled one of the high school principal jobs that were open. MCPS let all the principal job fills and then told her she wasn't coming back. She was planning on coming back next year and then was told thanks but no thanks. Very strange and Moran isn't providing any answers.

Huh? If they were going to remove someone for poor performance as a high school principal, why would they want them to continue to be a high school principal?

yeah that males no sense. they probably are trying to come to a mutual agreement about her new position so she doesnt cause too much trouble.

[Anonymous]

Why do people think this must be a move for negative reasons?

Projecting? Wishful schadenfreude?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do people think this must be a move for negative reasons?

Projecting? Wishful schadenfreude?

Because she doesn't want to leave.