SSFS HOS leaving

[Anonymous]

Right? Was hoping it would teach my kid about sticking together in difficult times and playing a part in working together to rebuild. But, it’s more like having to discuss setting boundaries when you are being taken for granted and gaslit.

[Anonymous]

What's truly funny is that people think that this forum is the place where things make sense and problems get solved.

No SSFS leader is going to answer questions about RG. So beyond that, what are the specific questions posters here claim to be asking? Who did you pose these questions to in real time? And what specific response did you receive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Keep asking tough questions. Let’s figure this out. And why might people want to understand more and ask all the questions now? Some of us are trying to decide where to commit more money for another year. I find the dwindling resources and the lack of transparency disturbing.

Then don't commit. Otherwise, there must be some positive reasons why you are holding on to SSFS and not yet making the decision to leave

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Right? Was hoping it would teach my kid about sticking together in difficult times and playing a part in working together to rebuild. But, it’s more like having to discuss setting boundaries when you are being taken for granted and gaslit.

Omg same! I spend most of my time convincing my kid that this isn’t really what they mean by Quaker values. I also am teaching them how not to accept being treated in life by people who are clearly taking advantage of us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Keep asking tough questions. Let’s figure this out. And why might people want to understand more and ask all the questions now? Some of us are trying to decide where to commit more money for another year. I find the dwindling resources and the lack of transparency disturbing.

As a responsible parent you should find this disturbing. We do too. The re enrollment clock is ticking and what really have we learned since last July? Ridiculous!

We have learned that SSFS received a nice size grant to renovate the LS. We have learned that the PAC repairs are well underway. We have learned about various changes in staff and new hires including an interim HOS. We have learned about some successful fundraising efforts. We have learned that the boarding program will end. We have been updated about the search for the new HOS.

What are you not learning that you feel you should be other than confirming or disconfirming gossip about RG?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Keep asking tough questions. Let’s figure this out. And why might people want to understand more and ask all the questions now? Some of us are trying to decide where to commit more money for another year. I find the dwindling resources and the lack of transparency disturbing.

Then don't commit. Otherwise, there must be some positive reasons why you are holding on to SSFS and not yet making the decision to leave

Honestly? The only reason is that change is hard for my kid. So trying to gauge if I should cut the cord which is what the school deserves based on the way they’ve treated us or just bear this treatment hoping my kid scrapes through school and it can’t “possibly get worse” against what is genuinely my gut instinct to leave. It’s just a couple more years to suffer. But every fiber of my being actually wishes I never came here in the first place and I could just yank kid out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Keep asking tough questions. Let’s figure this out. And why might people want to understand more and ask all the questions now? Some of us are trying to decide where to commit more money for another year. I find the dwindling resources and the lack of transparency disturbing.

As a responsible parent you should find this disturbing. We do too. The re enrollment clock is ticking and what really have we learned since last July? Ridiculous!

We have learned that SSFS received a nice size grant to renovate the LS. We have learned that the PAC repairs are well underway. We have learned about various changes in staff and new hires including an interim HOS. We have learned about some successful fundraising efforts. We have learned that the boarding program will end. We have been updated about the search for the new HOS.

What are you not learning that you feel you should be other than confirming or disconfirming gossip about RG?

Sorry to burst that bubble but the whole interim situation IS one of the biggest problems. The “highly endorsed” CL disappears without explanation for another “highly endorsed” fixer who no one even likes and that’s improvement?

And the lack of repairs that were never explained, the record high enrollment that still resulted in the dorm program ending - again no explanation. Don’t you realize these are exactly why ppl are nervous?

If you were hoping to reassure ppl all you’ve done is remind me at least why this place is a mess

[Anonymous]

I bet a forum like this exists for every private school - concerns that then turn into gossip/drama, negativity, and even ludicrous conspiracy theories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I bet a forum like this exists for every private school - concerns that then turn into gossip/drama, negativity, and even ludicrous conspiracy theories.

Not sure I’ve spotted any conspiracy theories or even drama that doesn’t exist. If you’re following the school you’d know everything here has turned out to be true. Haven’t read about any alien abductions after all.

[Anonymous]

To the poster describing the interim as someone, "no one even likes"...

I think you meant to say that you don't like her. Surely you don't claim to know that nobody at all likes her.

And that's one of the problems with this forum. Constant speculation and over generalizing to create an echo chamber of negativity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Keep asking tough questions. Let’s figure this out. And why might people want to understand more and ask all the questions now? Some of us are trying to decide where to commit more money for another year. I find the dwindling resources and the lack of transparency disturbing.

Then don't commit. Otherwise, there must be some positive reasons why you are holding on to SSFS and not yet making the decision to leave

Honestly? The only reason is that change is hard for my kid. So trying to gauge if I should cut the cord which is what the school deserves based on the way they’ve treated us or just bear this treatment hoping my kid scrapes through school and it can’t “possibly get worse” against what is genuinely my gut instinct to leave. It’s just a couple more years to suffer. But every fiber of my being actually wishes I never came here in the first place and I could just yank kid out.

As an outsider considering the school, how is it going for the students? Change is hard for kids and if they are still getting a great support and learning is fun then as a parent it can be a reason to stay. Do the students really feel the impact of the leadership changes in their day to day activities? Have class sizes and quality of teachers been negatively impacted? I hear good things about building renovations being done and that is encouraging.

[Anonymous]

My two kids feel zero impact. In fact they would tell you that this year is better than ever.

We are staying. We are of the opinion that there is no perfect school - all have problems, ups and downs, even problems similar to the pains SSFS is currently working to recover from. All we can say is that SSFS is a perfect fit for our two.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the poster describing the interim as someone, "no one even likes"...

I think you meant to say that you don't like her. Surely you don't claim to know that nobody at all likes her.

And that's one of the problems with this forum. Constant speculation and over generalizing to create an echo chamber of negativity.

Okay that’s fair. I don’t know everyone. However I did hear a lot of negative feedback but have no heard positive feedback from parents and teachers. The positive minded ppl must not have spoken out. But yes they may exist. I have heard and seen for myself they her personality is not one of consensus building in the Quaker way which rubs ppl the wrong way. Perhaps this is how you fix things. But she hasn’t given a warm fuzzy to many ppl. Do all 600 student families dislike her? I’m sure maybe don’t even have an opinion. But given the first set of opinions about her were all negative she didn’t seem like she could be that well liked. All I’ve heard is that she doesn’t really seem to get the ssfs community so thank goodness she has a term limit. And genuinely I personally have no heard any positive feedback on her. I’m not being sarcastic, just genuinely haven’t.

If you have please share. But don’t negate what I said without having anything to counter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Exactly. Keep asking tough questions. Let’s figure this out. And why might people want to understand more and ask all the questions now? Some of us are trying to decide where to commit more money for another year. I find the dwindling resources and the lack of transparency disturbing.

Then don't commit. Otherwise, there must be some positive reasons why you are holding on to SSFS and not yet making the decision to leave

Honestly? The only reason is that change is hard for my kid. So trying to gauge if I should cut the cord which is what the school deserves based on the way they’ve treated us or just bear this treatment hoping my kid scrapes through school and it can’t “possibly get worse” against what is genuinely my gut instinct to leave. It’s just a couple more years to suffer. But every fiber of my being actually wishes I never came here in the first place and I could just yank kid out.

As an outsider considering the school, how is it going for the students? Change is hard for kids and if they are still getting a great support and learning is fun then as a parent it can be a reason to stay. Do the students really feel the impact of the leadership changes in their day to day activities? Have class sizes and quality of teachers been negatively impacted? I hear good things about building renovations being done and that is encouraging.

Well things had started going downhill with all that before the summer leadership change. Quality of the program, senior teachers departing, tuition going up with no rhyme or reason, discipline becoming non existent making teachers life hard, removing the level differentiation in the classroom…. I mean if everything was peachy why do you think 80 kids left and RG was let go in the first place? Things were going downhill for a lot of people obviously.

Does everyone feel the same problems? Of course not. If your kid doesn’t get bullied, well it doesn’t matter that the school will do nothing.

If your kid is challenged by a program that teaches the average student well the weakening of the academic program won’t be noticeable.

If your kid doesn’t need peace and quiet to focus the frequent mayhem won’t bother.

It’s all in what you’re looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster describing the interim as someone, "no one even likes"...

I think you meant to say that you don't like her. Surely you don't claim to know that nobody at all likes her.

And that's one of the problems with this forum. Constant speculation and over generalizing to create an echo chamber of negativity.

Okay that’s fair. I don’t know everyone. However I did hear a lot of negative feedback but have no heard positive feedback from parents and teachers. The positive minded ppl must not have spoken out. But yes they may exist. I have heard and seen for myself they her personality is not one of consensus building in the Quaker way which rubs ppl the wrong way. Perhaps this is how you fix things. But she hasn’t given a warm fuzzy to many ppl. Do all 600 student families dislike her? I’m sure maybe don’t even have an opinion. But given the first set of opinions about her were all negative she didn’t seem like she could be that well liked. All I’ve heard is that she doesn’t really seem to get the ssfs community so thank goodness she has a term limit. And genuinely I personally have no heard any positive feedback on her. I’m not being sarcastic, just genuinely haven’t.

If you have please share. But don’t negate what I said without having anything to counter.

I don't negate YOUR personal opinion. I am calling you out and anyone else who over generalizes. That is my counter. Stop doing it.

As far as the interim goes. I have no opinion. And quite frankly don't feel the need to bother myself with an opinion of her as she is an interim.