Another harmful leader sent to our school Why?

[Anonymous]

DCPS just named Tiffany White the new principal of Ketcham Elementary and I’m furious. How could they do this to our school? To our children?

She was an AP intern at Walker-Jones and it was a disaster. Removed as assistant principal from Stuart-Hobson. Let go in the middle of the year as principal at a charter school. Released from Sousa Middle School as assistant principal. Then recently left Dunbar High School in complete disarray. Record staff grievances. People left. The school community was shaken.

She has a reputation for being emotional and mean. Vindictive. Harassing staff. Crying during meetings and then lashing out at people. Poor decisions and toxic leadership. This is not what our kids need. We cant survive another bad principal.

Now DCPS is putting her in charge of Ketcham. A school that needs love, stability, and strong leadership.We are tired of being the ones who get failed leaders pushed onto our schools. Our children deserve better. Our teachers deserve better. Our community deserves better.
What can we do? Has anyone pushed back on a DCPS appointment like this before?

[Anonymous]

Loyalty to central is very important, and they can’t really fire anyone without a massive lawsuit. So they’ll move problem admins around.

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe they gave her another school. She is all the things OP said. I’m sorry for the Ketcham community. I can’t even imagine her interacting with small children given how I’ve seen her interact with older kids and adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe they gave her another school. She is all the things OP said. I’m sorry for the Ketcham community. I can’t even imagine her interacting with small children given how I’ve seen her interact with older kids and adults.

+1, this is outrageous.

OP, I don't think there is anything you can do about the appointment now, but I would talk to other parents and come up with a gameplay moving forward. Document everything (both personally and as a PTA), and be ready to fight if you need to. With her track record, I would actually consider going to the press if/when issues arise. I imagine a Washington Post article detailing White's history and any growing issues at Ketcham would be more effective in forcing the issue than any grievance process through Central. I might even reach out to reporters now, off the record, to get this on their radar because it's a issue that is ripe for coverage.

[Anonymous]

I remember this name. Was she also at Miner? I’m so sorry, OP.

[Anonymous]

I am so sorry OP. I know they're far, but if you're looking for the exact opposite at a school you can actually get into through the lottery, Bruce Jackson at Amidon-Bowen and Carmen Shepherd at Thomson are AMAZING school leaders. Both schools are accessible on public transit.

Not all DCPS principals suck, though that seems to be despite the central office, not because of it.

I am sure there are other lottery-friendly schools that have strong principals and staffs even if test scores aren't through the roof. Maybe someone can suggest ones they know of?

It would obviously be much, much better if central office just got rid of leaders like this so you don't have to travel for the good ones.

[Anonymous]

Yes. White was at Miner very briefly. She wanted the school, but DCPS wouldn’t give it to her. Apparently, the Dunbar staff filed several grievances( lots and lots), but since she was an interim, maybe it didn’t matter. The president of WTU was camped out at Dunbar all year. It was bad. The new principal, whos is supposed to be great, has a big clean-up job to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS just named Tiffany White the new principal of Ketcham Elementary and I’m furious. How could they do this to our school? To our children?

She was an AP intern at Walker-Jones and it was a disaster. Removed as assistant principal from Stuart-Hobson. Let go in the middle of the year as principal at a charter school. Released from Sousa Middle School as assistant principal. Then recently left Dunbar High School in complete disarray. Record staff grievances. People left. The school community was shaken.

She has a reputation for being emotional and mean. Vindictive. Harassing staff. Crying during meetings and then lashing out at people. Poor decisions and toxic leadership. This is not what our kids need. We cant survive another bad principal.

Now DCPS is putting her in charge of Ketcham. A school that needs love, stability, and strong leadership.We are tired of being the ones who get failed leaders pushed onto our schools. Our children deserve better. Our teachers deserve better. Our community deserves better.
What can we do? Has anyone pushed back on a DCPS appointment like this before?

She wasn't let go, she quit about five months into her first year at Wahler Place Elementary Campus. She had signed a two-year contract. The organization that operates Wahler Place sued her in DC Superior Court for breach of contract (this is all public record, you can look it up at the DC court case search). I think they reached some sort of settlement.

[Anonymous]

DCPS has a type

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS just named Tiffany White the new principal of Ketcham Elementary and I’m furious. How could they do this to our school? To our children?

She was an AP intern at Walker-Jones and it was a disaster. Removed as assistant principal from Stuart-Hobson. Let go in the middle of the year as principal at a charter school. Released from Sousa Middle School as assistant principal. Then recently left Dunbar High School in complete disarray. Record staff grievances. People left. The school community was shaken.

She has a reputation for being emotional and mean. Vindictive. Harassing staff. Crying during meetings and then lashing out at people. Poor decisions and toxic leadership. This is not what our kids need. We cant survive another bad principal.

Now DCPS is putting her in charge of Ketcham. A school that needs love, stability, and strong leadership.We are tired of being the ones who get failed leaders pushed onto our schools. Our children deserve better. Our teachers deserve better. Our community deserves better.
What can we do? Has anyone pushed back on a DCPS appointment like this before?

She wasn't let go, she quit about five months into her first year at Wahler Place Elementary Campus. She had signed a two-year contract. The organization that operates Wahler Place sued her in DC Superior Court for breach of contract (this is all public record, you can look it up at the DC court case search). I think they reached some sort of settlement.

WOW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. White was at Miner very briefly. She wanted the school, but DCPS wouldn’t give it to her. Apparently, the Dunbar staff filed several grievances( lots and lots), but since she was an interim, maybe it didn’t matter. The president of WTU was camped out at Dunbar all year. It was bad. The new principal, whos is supposed to be great, has a big clean-up job to do.

Dunbar principal is one of if not the hardest admin job in the system, regardless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so sorry OP. I know they're far, but if you're looking for the exact opposite at a school you can actually get into through the lottery, Bruce Jackson at Amidon-Bowen and Carmen Shepherd at Thomson are AMAZING school leaders. Both schools are accessible on public transit.

Not all DCPS principals suck, though that seems to be despite the central office, not because of it.

I am sure there are other lottery-friendly schools that have strong principals and staffs even if test scores aren't through the roof. Maybe someone can suggest ones they know of?

It would obviously be much, much better if central office just got rid of leaders like this so you don't have to travel for the good ones.

I remember him from our time at Miner and he was *incredible*. I'm so jealous. I am at a school with a principal who, while not as bad as this one sounds, is BY FAR the worst thing about an otherwise lovely school.

[Anonymous]

Why is the current principal, Beckwith, not staying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so sorry OP. I know they're far, but if you're looking for the exact opposite at a school you can actually get into through the lottery, Bruce Jackson at Amidon-Bowen and Carmen Shepherd at Thomson are AMAZING school leaders. Both schools are accessible on public transit.

Not all DCPS principals suck, though that seems to be despite the central office, not because of it.

I am sure there are other lottery-friendly schools that have strong principals and staffs even if test scores aren't through the roof. Maybe someone can suggest ones they know of?

It would obviously be much, much better if central office just got rid of leaders like this so you don't have to travel for the good ones.

Just to respond to the bolded - Tubman Elementary definitely fits this description. The principal, Ms. Delabar, is fabulous. It’s a big school but she knows nearly every kid there and most of the parents (at least by sight if not name). Teachers are great, and seem well supported by admin. It’s really a great community. And right now we’re in a swing space so there are plenty of seats, even for PK. Brand new building opens August 2026.

The test scores aren’t phenomenal, but they’re dealing with a population that’s primarily low income recent immigrants and kids who come in without a word of English. The test score growth each year is great - in fact, last year they had the largest increase in test scores across the whole district. Great community vibe, too. We’ve been really pleased with our experience there. Something to consider - a bad principal can really drive a school into the ground.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so sorry OP. I know they're far, but if you're looking for the exact opposite at a school you can actually get into through the lottery, Bruce Jackson at Amidon-Bowen and Carmen Shepherd at Thomson are AMAZING school leaders. Both schools are accessible on public transit.

Not all DCPS principals suck, though that seems to be despite the central office, not because of it.

I am sure there are other lottery-friendly schools that have strong principals and staffs even if test scores aren't through the roof. Maybe someone can suggest ones they know of?

It would obviously be much, much better if central office just got rid of leaders like this so you don't have to travel for the good ones.

Just to respond to the bolded - Tubman Elementary definitely fits this description. The principal, Ms. Delabar, is fabulous. It’s a big school but she knows nearly every kid there and most of the parents (at least by sight if not name). Teachers are great, and seem well supported by admin. It’s really a great community. And right now we’re in a swing space so there are plenty of seats, even for PK. Brand new building opens August 2026.

The test scores aren’t phenomenal, but they’re dealing with a population that’s primarily low income recent immigrants and kids who come in without a word of English. The test score growth each year is great - in fact, last year they had the largest increase in test scores across the whole district. Great community vibe, too. We’ve been really pleased with our experience there. Something to consider - a bad principal can really drive a school into the ground.

Judging from friends' experiences I think Cleveland may fit this too, though it is really far for OP.