Woods Academy HOS departure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Upper school parent here and I expect we'll hear more from the search committee and/or board in the coming days. I'm also very enthusiastic about the new head and understand many parents will start having the opportunity to meet her in person very soon - I expect that will allay any concerns quickly.

She’ll probably be at Woods auction. I’m sure she’s a very nice person, but not exactly right fit for Woods.

Great, so now I have to pay $125 to meet her...

[Anonymous]

Very curious the timing of the announcement after they got the commitments

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Upper school parent here and I expect we'll hear more from the search committee and/or board in the coming days. I'm also very enthusiastic about the new head and understand many parents will start having the opportunity to meet her in person very soon - I expect that will allay any concerns quickly.

She’ll probably be at Woods auction. I’m sure she’s a very nice person, but not exactly right fit for Woods.

Great, so now I have to pay $125 to meet her...

Maybe that was the plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Yes. Even the video was mostly about the search committee and all the hard work they did, and last minute is the new head which didn’t really say anything beyond the written announcement. She may be most dynamic administrator ever, but it didn’t come across on the video. Not to mention most schools release the CV to show everything candidate has accomplished. Nothing here. Not even a mention of where she went to school. No mention either of why the switch from public to private other than some cursory mention of being able to combine faith with work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Yes. Even the video was mostly about the search committee and all the hard work they did, and last minute is the new head which didn’t really say anything beyond the written announcement. She may be most dynamic administrator ever, but it didn’t come across on the video. Not to mention most schools release the CV to show everything candidate has accomplished. Nothing here. Not even a mention of where she went to school. No mention either of why the switch from public to private other than some cursory mention of being able to combine faith with work.

+1. Her LinkedIn profile also is sparse. Best I can tell she is pretty young, got her PhD in past 5-10 years, and has worked only at Rolling Terrace (plus maybe some general MCPS curriculum planning job) since then. On the one hand I’m glad she’s young because it suggests she’s not so set in her MCPS habits. On the other hand, really not clear how she differs from any other MCPS principal, except that she’s Catholic (as required I think by the Woods charter). I did find some piece of news online about literacy scores going up during her tenure at Rolling Terrace.

[Anonymous]

All I have to say is that I’m so happy my children do not attend Woods after reading this thread. I feel badly for the new HOS. What an unwelcoming group you are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Yes. Even the video was mostly about the search committee and all the hard work they did, and last minute is the new head which didn’t really say anything beyond the written announcement. She may be most dynamic administrator ever, but it didn’t come across on the video. Not to mention most schools release the CV to show everything candidate has accomplished. Nothing here. Not even a mention of where she went to school. No mention either of why the switch from public to private other than some cursory mention of being able to combine faith with work.

+1. Her LinkedIn profile also is sparse. Best I can tell she is pretty young, got her PhD in past 5-10 years, and has worked only at Rolling Terrace (plus maybe some general MCPS curriculum planning job) since then. On the one hand I’m glad she’s young because it suggests she’s not so set in her MCPS habits. On the other hand, really not clear how she differs from any other MCPS principal, except that she’s Catholic (as required I think by the Woods charter). I did find some piece of news online about literacy scores going up during her tenure at Rolling Terrace.

I was shocked about the math proficiency of rolling terrace so I did research which verified the math proficiency mentioned above, I also noticed the reading proficiency is 10% in 2023 during her tenure.

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/rolling-terrace-elementary-school-profile

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I have to say is that I’m so happy my children do not attend Woods after reading this thread. I feel badly for the new HOS. What an unwelcoming group you are.

Parents here are expressing legitimate questions about the suitability of the selection. Please point to a statement that you find problematic and explain why you would not share that sentiment if your child attended Woods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Yes. Even the video was mostly about the search committee and all the hard work they did, and last minute is the new head which didn’t really say anything beyond the written announcement. She may be most dynamic administrator ever, but it didn’t come across on the video. Not to mention most schools release the CV to show everything candidate has accomplished. Nothing here. Not even a mention of where she went to school. No mention either of why the switch from public to private other than some cursory mention of being able to combine faith with work.

+1. Her LinkedIn profile also is sparse. Best I can tell she is pretty young, got her PhD in past 5-10 years, and has worked only at Rolling Terrace (plus maybe some general MCPS curriculum planning job) since then. On the one hand I’m glad she’s young because it suggests she’s not so set in her MCPS habits. On the other hand, really not clear how she differs from any other MCPS principal, except that she’s Catholic (as required I think by the Woods charter). I did find some piece of news online about literacy scores going up during her tenure at Rolling Terrace.

I was shocked about the math proficiency of rolling terrace so I did research which verified the math proficiency mentioned above, I also noticed the reading proficiency is 10% in 2023 during her tenure.

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/rolling-terrace-elementary-school-profile

Given the demographics of the school, though, I would not attribute too much responsibility for those results to an elementary school principal. Doesn’t the school house a Spanish immersion program? I think the vast majority of the student body speaks Spanish at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Yes. Even the video was mostly about the search committee and all the hard work they did, and last minute is the new head which didn’t really say anything beyond the written announcement. She may be most dynamic administrator ever, but it didn’t come across on the video. Not to mention most schools release the CV to show everything candidate has accomplished. Nothing here. Not even a mention of where she went to school. No mention either of why the switch from public to private other than some cursory mention of being able to combine faith with work.

+1. Her LinkedIn profile also is sparse. Best I can tell she is pretty young, got her PhD in past 5-10 years, and has worked only at Rolling Terrace (plus maybe some general MCPS curriculum planning job) since then. On the one hand I’m glad she’s young because it suggests she’s not so set in her MCPS habits. On the other hand, really not clear how she differs from any other MCPS principal, except that she’s Catholic (as required I think by the Woods charter). I did find some piece of news online about literacy scores going up during her tenure at Rolling Terrace.

I was shocked about the math proficiency of rolling terrace so I did research which verified the math proficiency mentioned above, I also noticed the reading proficiency is 10% in 2023 during her tenure.

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/rolling-terrace-elementary-school-profile

Given the demographics of the school, though, I would not attribute too much responsibility for those results to an elementary school principal. Doesn’t the school house a Spanish immersion program? I think the vast majority of the student body speaks Spanish at home.

I am 100% not concerned looking at the data points from a school with a completely different profile from woods. Doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me is that there is no mention on how whatever skills and experience she does have will translate from a title 1, Spanish immersion PK-5 to a private, Catholic, prep-prep school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Yes. Even the video was mostly about the search committee and all the hard work they did, and last minute is the new head which didn’t really say anything beyond the written announcement. She may be most dynamic administrator ever, but it didn’t come across on the video. Not to mention most schools release the CV to show everything candidate has accomplished. Nothing here. Not even a mention of where she went to school. No mention either of why the switch from public to private other than some cursory mention of being able to combine faith with work.

+1. Her LinkedIn profile also is sparse. Best I can tell she is pretty young, got her PhD in past 5-10 years, and has worked only at Rolling Terrace (plus maybe some general MCPS curriculum planning job) since then. On the one hand I’m glad she’s young because it suggests she’s not so set in her MCPS habits. On the other hand, really not clear how she differs from any other MCPS principal, except that she’s Catholic (as required I think by the Woods charter). I did find some piece of news online about literacy scores going up during her tenure at Rolling Terrace.

I was shocked about the math proficiency of rolling terrace so I did research which verified the math proficiency mentioned above, I also noticed the reading proficiency is 10% in 2023 during her tenure.

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/rolling-terrace-elementary-school-profile

Given the demographics of the school, though, I would not attribute too much responsibility for those results to an elementary school principal. Doesn’t the school house a Spanish immersion program? I think the vast majority of the student body speaks Spanish at home.

I am 100% not concerned looking at the data points from a school with a completely different profile from woods. Doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me is that there is no mention on how whatever skills and experience she does have will translate from a title 1, Spanish immersion PK-5 to a private, Catholic, prep-prep school.

+1. I’d feel better if the new HOS had said in this video something about *interest* (not even experience!) in prepping kids for challenging high schools and an *intention* (not even concrete plan!) to work closely with the outgoing HOS to build and maintain existing relationships.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I have to say is that I’m so happy my children do not attend Woods after reading this thread. I feel badly for the new HOS. What an unwelcoming group you are.

When you have kids preparing for high school and out placement is critical maybe you'll understand. Maybe you're at a K-12 or just don't care. Either way all the concerns mentioned are valid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

Exactly.

BTW, Danny Vogelman, HoS of WES, was formerly with MCPS. He has done great things for WES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

Exactly.

BTW, Danny Vogelman, HoS of WES, was formerly with MCPS. He has done great things for WES.

Well maybe board sent out more information other than ours did other than “we have worked effortlessly….”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm kind of disappointed in the Woods community (a few of you at least). I thought we were better than this, pre-judging someone you have never met (or maybe met briefly when she was at the school), already deciding she is a "poor choice" and "bad fit." Look at the search committee. Look at the board members. They are Woods parents who want the same things we want for our children and our school. If you are a Woods parents, you know at least some of them and know they are good and thoughtful people. Do you have so little faith and trust in them? I agree that the announcement could and should have contained more information on why this choice was made, but we hold ourselves out to be a warm and welcoming community. It's not feeling that way reading some of these comments.

This is clearly written by someone on the search committee- the same ones that used most of the announcement to pat themselves on the back for having done the work. (They deserve thanks, for sure, but that notice was very self-servingly done.)

Look, I DON'T know these parents or the board. Why? Because having joined the school within the last 3 years, I haven't been invited to any functions where I might meet them-- I assume in the pre-covid era things were different. The only parents I have met have been on the sidelines of the sports field. That's not the committee's fault, but it is the reality of the situation. The fact that all the posters in this thread had a similar reaction suggests that the committee isn't prioritizing the same things as the parents. And if the problem is simply the announcement, then there has already been plenty of time to further explain...but only silence from the committee and school.

This person may be a wonderful addition to Woods, but so far all I see and hear is that she's a public-school admin which is exactly the kind of leadership most Woods parents turned AWAY from when choosing woods over public, or leaving public to come to Woods.

Haha, no. But I do know some of them and have a lot of respect for them. Agree the announcement was botched. I hope more is coming.