SSFS HOS leaving

[Anonymous]

I don’t know this guy, but so often I’ve seen hires that impressed boards and hiring committees with charismatic sparkle. There are plenty of people in education who want to lead without understanding the science and art of teaching. Like so many fields, the showy people get attention and everyone else does the work. The organization holds up longer if the people doing the work/ teachers, are not undermined. No idea what happened here. Just thinking about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Glasgow said Sandy Springs was like a plantation. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.

Wait, what? When and where?

From NYT:

"Mr. Best introduced the keynote speaker, Rodney Glasgow, a Black diversity consultant who leads a private Quaker school in Maryland. Mr. Glasgow, a popular speaker on the private school circuit, promptly laid waste to that world, describing it as laden with “insidious” whiteness and “built to replicate the plantation mentality.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/us/new-york-private-schools-racism.html

[Anonymous]

It is really challenging to be the head of school. Even at a Quaker school with Quaker values it is challenging to make equity and race relations the center of the mission and every decision made. The constituents at most private value dei but it isn’t their number one central ideologies that should be prioritized over everything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Echoing several things already said here:

1. Rodney is a good consultant and expert in DEI initiatives for orgs. That doesn’t necessarily translate to being a great HOS.
2. At SSFS his DEI initiatives took center stage, almost like an answer looking for a problem. He created several DEI posts and I am not sure what purpose they really served. By and large SSFS was already relatively diverse and inclusive. What it needs is stronger enrollment and a greater focus on academics and sports, and fundraising.
3. Rodney was largely out of touch with the school. In comparison to Tom Gibian, Rodney wasn’t really around. Yes, he is nice but there was a sense that he liked the cult of personality around him - which is not really a Quaker value consistent with humility.
4. His side business was a clear problem. In fact even when the board picked him I felt there was clear conflict of interest, especially given that the diversity study was done by his firm.
5. While he speaks well, he is not a someone who brings people together. He can be inflammatory, especially for a school such as SSFS. For instance reducing CRR to sound-bytes is not what. HOS of SSFS should be doing. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9839755/amp/Parents-oppose-CRT-white-like-Capitol-rioters-says-head-66k-year-DC-school.html

Overall he just wasn’t a good fit for SSFS.

One of the best posts on this thread. Spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The head of the upper school is amazing and has been the shadow leader of that division for years. She is steady, capable and a leader in every way. And the head of middle school is also incredible. My kids have learned “math and whatnot” - like critical reasoning and dissecting the fallacies in my arguments (that part, I don’t love per se). While I think the current board is a bit of a dumpster fire (and lots of boards right now are in turmoil across schools), the core of this school is solid - thanks to the teachers.

She might be steady and dependable - both qualities needed to be secretary and registrar - but I don’t see how she could have relevant experience running a college prep high school curriculum. How will she make decisions about teaching techniques and lesson/curriculum plans? How will she determine which teacher could be teaching better or most importantly how to interview and hire the best teachers? Are you saying she’s been responsible for hiring teachers behind the scenes? Hiring good people is the hardest job of any administrator (not secretary or registrar where being a logistical whiz is what you need). And where she’d have acquired or practiced that experience I do not see. Being good in a lower admin role doesn’t make one a division lead (if nothing else Rodney proves that). I hope she turns out okay, but the division will definitely need to run on teacher autopilot and families will need to hope she doesn’t hire too many duds. Experience and qualifications as an admin of that type matters and she doesn’t have it.

And let me just add I’m not trying to squash enthusiasm. I just don’t genuinely see it. My kid is staying as it’s her last year, but the most safe thing about this head is that she can’t leave next year or any year because no other school would hire her as a head, she wouldn’t pass the job interview. So at least this will stop the turnover of that position.

I disagree abt new US head completely. Also, i know she has done a graduate program in independent school administration.

Rodney was more qualified on paper and apparently aced his interviews and look where that has gotten us! They also vetted and hired two other US heads in the last two years who had all the things you mention as essential and they both were so wildly unprofessional as to quit within a month or two of accepting the position.

She can’t possibly be less competent than the last two heads in hiring, either. My two us students like and respect her and so do I.

I don’t think it’s fair to call the last two wildly unprofessional for leaving after 1 year. There was already a toxic work environment which we can assume had something to do with the 23-24 US head leaving. Given how many admins have been leaving under Rodney to assume this wasn’t a factor and she left on a whim would be unfair.

Her predecessor was actually a “Rodney hire” - he knew her from having worked with her on DEI work so she also had no admin experience. If she needed support to succeed in this new role it is well known that Rodney would not have provided it. She was doomed to fail. So I wouldn’t be so quick to judge her either.

I agree that Rodney definitely wowed the selection committee but when you get right down to it - he also had no experience of this type (full school admin). His main claim to fame is his DEI work. He was a MS head. You don’t have to manage a business or school financials the same way in either of those roles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were some teacher resignations late last week. I don't know if from upper, middle or lower but the school can't handle more teachers leaving (or being laid-off).

As a current family, this is scary and devastating to hear. I have no expertise on how to run a school, but if I was SSFS, I would start by writing my wrongs..First thing first get Chanelle back by any means necessary! We lost a lot of staff that have been dedicated to the school for years.

There weren't resignations plural. It was one. This is sad and not great, but there wasn't another mass exodus. I think those departures will end now that HOS is changing. It was a terrible environment for a long time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The head of the upper school is amazing and has been the shadow leader of that division for years. She is steady, capable and a leader in every way. And the head of middle school is also incredible. My kids have learned “math and whatnot” - like critical reasoning and dissecting the fallacies in my arguments (that part, I don’t love per se). While I think the current board is a bit of a dumpster fire (and lots of boards right now are in turmoil across schools), the core of this school is solid - thanks to the teachers.

She might be steady and dependable - both qualities needed to be secretary and registrar - but I don’t see how she could have relevant experience running a college prep high school curriculum. How will she make decisions about teaching techniques and lesson/curriculum plans? How will she determine which teacher could be teaching better or most importantly how to interview and hire the best teachers? Are you saying she’s been responsible for hiring teachers behind the scenes? Hiring good people is the hardest job of any administrator (not secretary or registrar where being a logistical whiz is what you need). And where she’d have acquired or practiced that experience I do not see. Being good in a lower admin role doesn’t make one a division lead (if nothing else Rodney proves that). I hope she turns out okay, but the division will definitely need to run on teacher autopilot and families will need to hope she doesn’t hire too many duds. Experience and qualifications as an admin of that type matters and she doesn’t have it.

And let me just add I’m not trying to squash enthusiasm. I just don’t genuinely see it. My kid is staying as it’s her last year, but the most safe thing about this head is that she can’t leave next year or any year because no other school would hire her as a head, she wouldn’t pass the job interview. So at least this will stop the turnover of that position.

I disagree abt new US head completely. Also, i know she has done a graduate program in independent school administration.

Rodney was more qualified on paper and apparently aced his interviews and look where that has gotten us! They also vetted and hired two other US heads in the last two years who had all the things you mention as essential and they both were so wildly unprofessional as to quit within a month or two of accepting the position.

She can’t possibly be less competent than the last two heads in hiring, either. My two us students like and respect her and so do I.

I don’t think it’s fair to call the last two wildly unprofessional for leaving after 1 year. There was already a toxic work environment which we can assume had something to do with the 23-24 US head leaving. Given how many admins have been leaving under Rodney to assume this wasn’t a factor and she left on a whim would be unfair.

Her predecessor was actually a “Rodney hire” - he knew her from having worked with her on DEI work so she also had no admin experience. If she needed support to succeed in this new role it is well known that Rodney would not have provided it. She was doomed to fail. So I wouldn’t be so quick to judge her either.

I agree that Rodney definitely wowed the selection committee but when you get right down to it - he also had no experience of this type (full school admin). His main claim to fame is his DEI work. He was a MS head. You don’t have to manage a business or school financials the same way in either of those roles.

Rodney manages financials and fundraising for his company so I think he has that prerequisite experience.

But as head of school, you are navigating parent, alumni, and staff expectations. It requires a lot of humility. None of those constituencies are there to pay service to a cult of personality in the way that he may have become an accustomed to. They want you to solve their problem as they have defined it.

I wish Rodney well and I know he will land on his feet. I think some PPs are correct in saying that the school is about the teaching culture. Focus on keeping the longest term teachers in place, happy, and mentoring the younger ones. And don’t let the board turn over all at once because that will just exacerbate the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The head of the upper school is amazing and has been the shadow leader of that division for years. She is steady, capable and a leader in every way. And the head of middle school is also incredible. My kids have learned “math and whatnot” - like critical reasoning and dissecting the fallacies in my arguments (that part, I don’t love per se). While I think the current board is a bit of a dumpster fire (and lots of boards right now are in turmoil across schools), the core of this school is solid - thanks to the teachers.

She might be steady and dependable - both qualities needed to be secretary and registrar - but I don’t see how she could have relevant experience running a college prep high school curriculum. How will she make decisions about teaching techniques and lesson/curriculum plans? How will she determine which teacher could be teaching better or most importantly how to interview and hire the best teachers? Are you saying she’s been responsible for hiring teachers behind the scenes? Hiring good people is the hardest job of any administrator (not secretary or registrar where being a logistical whiz is what you need). And where she’d have acquired or practiced that experience I do not see. Being good in a lower admin role doesn’t make one a division lead (if nothing else Rodney proves that). I hope she turns out okay, but the division will definitely need to run on teacher autopilot and families will need to hope she doesn’t hire too many duds. Experience and qualifications as an admin of that type matters and she doesn’t have it.

And let me just add I’m not trying to squash enthusiasm. I just don’t genuinely see it. My kid is staying as it’s her last year, but the most safe thing about this head is that she can’t leave next year or any year because no other school would hire her as a head, she wouldn’t pass the job interview. So at least this will stop the turnover of that position.

I disagree abt new US head completely. Also, i know she has done a graduate program in independent school administration.

Rodney was more qualified on paper and apparently aced his interviews and look where that has gotten us! They also vetted and hired two other US heads in the last two years who had all the things you mention as essential and they both were so wildly unprofessional as to quit within a month or two of accepting the position.

She can’t possibly be less competent than the last two heads in hiring, either. My two us students like and respect her and so do I.

I don’t think it’s fair to call the last two wildly unprofessional for leaving after 1 year. There was already a toxic work environment which we can assume had something to do with the 23-24 US head leaving. Given how many admins have been leaving under Rodney to assume this wasn’t a factor and she left on a whim would be unfair.

Her predecessor was actually a “Rodney hire” - he knew her from having worked with her on DEI work so she also had no admin experience. If she needed support to succeed in this new role it is well known that Rodney would not have provided it. She was doomed to fail. So I wouldn’t be so quick to judge her either.

I agree that Rodney definitely wowed the selection committee but when you get right down to it - he also had no experience of this type (full school admin). His main claim to fame is his DEI work. He was a MS head. You don’t have to manage a business or school financials the same way in either of those roles.

Rodney manages financials and fundraising for his company so I think he has that prerequisite experience.

But as head of school, you are navigating parent, alumni, and staff expectations. It requires a lot of humility. None of those constituencies are there to pay service to a cult of personality in the way that he may have become an accustomed to. They want you to solve their problem as they have defined it.

I wish Rodney well and I know he will land on his feet. I think some PPs are correct in saying that the school is about the teaching culture. Focus on keeping the longest term teachers in place, happy, and mentoring the younger ones. And don’t let the board turn over all at once because that will just exacerbate the problem.

Good point. So if he’s successfully running his own business why is ssfs financially floundering? Maybe he was spending all his time on his “side” job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The head of the upper school is amazing and has been the shadow leader of that division for years. She is steady, capable and a leader in every way. And the head of middle school is also incredible. My kids have learned “math and whatnot” - like critical reasoning and dissecting the fallacies in my arguments (that part, I don’t love per se). While I think the current board is a bit of a dumpster fire (and lots of boards right now are in turmoil across schools), the core of this school is solid - thanks to the teachers.

She might be steady and dependable - both qualities needed to be secretary and registrar - but I don’t see how she could have relevant experience running a college prep high school curriculum. How will she make decisions about teaching techniques and lesson/curriculum plans? How will she determine which teacher could be teaching better or most importantly how to interview and hire the best teachers? Are you saying she’s been responsible for hiring teachers behind the scenes? Hiring good people is the hardest job of any administrator (not secretary or registrar where being a logistical whiz is what you need). And where she’d have acquired or practiced that experience I do not see. Being good in a lower admin role doesn’t make one a division lead (if nothing else Rodney proves that). I hope she turns out okay, but the division will definitely need to run on teacher autopilot and families will need to hope she doesn’t hire too many duds. Experience and qualifications as an admin of that type matters and she doesn’t have it.

And let me just add I’m not trying to squash enthusiasm. I just don’t genuinely see it. My kid is staying as it’s her last year, but the most safe thing about this head is that she can’t leave next year or any year because no other school would hire her as a head, she wouldn’t pass the job interview. So at least this will stop the turnover of that position.

I disagree abt new US head completely. Also, i know she has done a graduate program in independent school administration.

Rodney was more qualified on paper and apparently aced his interviews and look where that has gotten us! They also vetted and hired two other US heads in the last two years who had all the things you mention as essential and they both were so wildly unprofessional as to quit within a month or two of accepting the position.

She can’t possibly be less competent than the last two heads in hiring, either. My two us students like and respect her and so do I.

I don’t think it’s fair to call the last two wildly unprofessional for leaving after 1 year. There was already a toxic work environment which we can assume had something to do with the 23-24 US head leaving. Given how many admins have been leaving under Rodney to assume this wasn’t a factor and she left on a whim would be unfair.

Her predecessor was actually a “Rodney hire” - he knew her from having worked with her on DEI work so she also had no admin experience. If she needed support to succeed in this new role it is well known that Rodney would not have provided it. She was doomed to fail. So I wouldn’t be so quick to judge her either.

I agree that Rodney definitely wowed the selection committee but when you get right down to it - he also had no experience of this type (full school admin). His main claim to fame is his DEI work. He was a MS head. You don’t have to manage a business or school financials the same way in either of those roles.

Rodney manages financials and fundraising for his company so I think he has that prerequisite experience.

But as head of school, you are navigating parent, alumni, and staff expectations. It requires a lot of humility. None of those constituencies are there to pay service to a cult of personality in the way that he may have become an accustomed to. They want you to solve their problem as they have defined it.

I wish Rodney well and I know he will land on his feet. I think some PPs are correct in saying that the school is about the teaching culture. Focus on keeping the longest term teachers in place, happy, and mentoring the younger ones. And don’t let the board turn over all at once because that will just exacerbate the problem.

He can fundraise? If anyone was at the last auction it was clear he wasn’t pulling in any money.

[Anonymous]

I'll focus on supporting the teachers there. If any teachers are reading--I hope you know how valued you are. I hope the admins work to appreciate you. MS Head and MS division teachers are amazing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll focus on supporting the teachers there. If any teachers are reading--I hope you know how valued you are. I hope the admins work to appreciate you. MS Head and MS division teachers are amazing.

We appreciate that and I'll pass it on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Glasgow said Sandy Springs was like a plantation. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.

Wait, what? When and where?

From NYT:

"Mr. Best introduced the keynote speaker, Rodney Glasgow, a Black diversity consultant who leads a private Quaker school in Maryland. Mr. Glasgow, a popular speaker on the private school circuit, promptly laid waste to that world, describing it as laden with “insidious” whiteness and “built to replicate the plantation mentality.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/27/us/new-york-private-schools-racism.html

Wow and they hired him why again?

Seems the hos where he gave the talk was shortly after fired by their board. Apparently two peas in a pod.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While a change in the head of school is disruptive, deciding to immediately bail on the school at this stage (summer) doesn’t make a whole lot of sense - unless you were particularly wedded to the previous head of school and cannot imagine your child attending without him there.

Honestly it seems like he may have been not a great fit based on the faculty departures, but that also is Covid related I’m sure. If he was not a good fit this may make the school better in the long run.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t think this is a change for the better. Definitely painful in the short term of course but the feeling among the parents I’ve spoken to is that it’s a good thing.

Be prepared to go through several iterations of HOS before things return to stability. I won’t be surprised if it’s a bumpy ride for several years and parents need to realize this.

There won't be stability for a loooong time. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were some teacher resignations late last week. I don't know if from upper, middle or lower but the school can't handle more teachers leaving (or being laid-off).

How did you find this out?

Friend who is a teacher there.

[Anonymous]

I agree. I know those who wanted him gone are euphoric right now, they should enjoy this moment. In reality SSFS is about to go through a period of instability and they need to be prepared for it. Even when warranted, firing a head like this is very disruptive. I wish SSFS well.