Holton Arms v Stone Ridge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My point is that maybe SR admissions and parents should be a little less inclusive as they took too many for 9th grade already and it’s a problem. Catholic Schools are for Catholic kids. Sorry that Holton is super woke and hired a head that apparently isn’t going over well with teachers and staff but that’s not SR’s problem to solve. Maybe the Holton people should try to make NCS happen.

Catholic schools aren’t just for Catholic kids. It’s always been that way and it's not going to change. If it’s too much for you and your daughter to handle then don’t re-enroll. Better yet, why don’t you and your daughter reach out to SR admissions and share your grievances against non-Catholics. SR is a wonderful welcoming school and I encourage all families Catholic or not to check it out and see if it’s a good fit for you and your daughter.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is a child so she would never approach an adult administrator about such a thing but if it directly affects her I will. I can just tell you that once some SR alumnus’ daughter doesn’t make a team or there are 25 kids to a teacher or something because they took 20 extra kids, this is going to come up and it’s going to be heated. Catholic Schools actually are for Catholic kids - that’s why they receive Catholic religious instruction multiple times a week from the start. Why would someone want to learn about that in that much detail if they aren’t Catholic? It’s not like the Cathedral Schools or Sidwell. It’s Catholic education.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the notice SR Karen. I suggest you do some research if you really don’t understand why so many families in the DMV prefer and want a Catholic education for their children Catholic or not.

[Anonymous]

Oh I do - it’s to get a private school experience at $10-20k less than non Catholic private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh I do - it’s to get a private school experience at $10-20k less than non Catholic private schools.

NP. Several girls have brothers that attend a very expensive school - $55,00 plus so maybe it is not just the money unless they can't afford to send both sons and daughters to the ore expensive schools? Not sure? Some Catholic and some not Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh I do - it’s to get a private school experience at $10-20k less than non Catholic private schools.

So why ask if you already know the answer!? SR is moving forward. We’re not going back. You can always leave.

[Anonymous]

We will see what happens - if kids coming from Catholic K-8s start not getting into SR in favor of non-Catholics coming from non-Catholic schools on any widespread scale, I bet there will be a lot of unhappiness and things will change. OR SR just drops the Sacred Heart affiliation which is tenuous at best at this point and just stops being a Catholic school.

[Anonymous]

Glad that we were oblivious to this type of "don't come if you aren't Catholic" messaging when my three non-Catholic daughters went to SR. Can you perhaps think of it as a way to show the deep and meaningful parts of the faith to others? You know, spreading the word of Jesus? Because that is the impact it had on our girls and family.

[Anonymous]

Did they convert to Catholicism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who knew about PBE have been telling you this was going to happen from the moment her appointment was announced.

It’s only going to get worse during the upcoming hiring cycle when the former LS and MS heads poach all the best people who will have had the ample time to prepare their exits this year which they didn’t have last year

This.The board ignored all concerns from parents last year. We’re about to see a mass exodus from Holton and the board is in denial…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We will see what happens - if kids coming from Catholic K-8s start not getting into SR in favor of non-Catholics coming from non-Catholic schools on any widespread scale, I bet there will be a lot of unhappiness and things will change. OR SR just drops the Sacred Heart affiliation which is tenuous at best at this point and just stops being a Catholic school.

So you think all Catholic girls should be admitted over non-Catholics regardless of all other admissions criteria? This is not how Sophie envisioned Sacred Heart education. You’re clearly at the wrong school.

[Anonymous]

I believe she envisioned Catholic girls and girls from lower socioeconomic groups and the post Covid influx of non Catholics at SR and HC is certainly not that.

This is obviously only my opinion and luckily for all of you non Catholics, I don’t have any power at either school. Anecdotally, the number of non Catholics at both schools seems to have drastically increased so it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Everyone responding indignantly I suspect are non Catholics with kids who went to Catholic school so none of those are surprising but the rubber is going to meet the road here numerically eventually for the SR freshman class it already is.

[Anonymous]

It is ironic that this convo about the new head at Holton is happening on a thread labeled "Holton v. Stoneridge." Part of what has made her transition so hard is that in the first few months of her tenure, she began watering down some of Holton's signature offerings -- global education/trips, rigor, seminar, a wrap-around advisory program, LW3 and integrated DEI. She'd tell you that was all at the behest of the board so Holton could be more like Stoneridge, a school they had recently started losing too many applicants to. So maybe the board keeps her because she is doing exactly what they say. Who knows.

I do know that 3 women resigned or were voted off the board last Spring for standing up for the values Holton used to profess. Those three women were recently replaced by 3 white men.

If you don't like the changes she's made, it sounds to me like the Board is just as much of the problem as the new head.

[Anonymous]

When you say signature, how long would you say those things existed at Holton and what is a wrap around advisory program? What is LW3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t had interaction with the interim LS head. I’ve only heard good things so far though! The previous LS head was amazing and GDS is lucky to have her. Big shoes to fill.

Truthfully, our family is growing a bit disillusioned with how Holton has been handling this new Head of School transition— too many great teachers and administrators leaving Holton. Today I learned from a friend that the head of upper school is leaving too. Not for a new job. Just leaving to find other opportunities after 30+ years. So that makes all 3 division directors, the DEI director, 2 comms directors, a college counselor, an assortment of advancement staff, at least 2 chorus directors and several beloved teachers and coaches gone since she took the reins. I never thought a new Head would matter so much. I just wish someone would acknowledge the exodus and tell us how they are addressing.

UGH. This is sad and disappointing. Hoping the board didn't make a bad call with this Head choice.

If they did (and they definitely DID) they are likely too stubborn to admit it. Or at least the ones that remain and didn’t leave the board last year— 2 women resigned and 1 woman was dismissed bc she was too emotional in her appeal. All lodged very real concerns about her fitness for the role. The board also never responded to a groundswell of parents of color who sent letters of concern last spring. I’m not sure the board is equipped to handle their duties.

What exactly is she doing to cause so much turnover?

Screams and yells in meetings. Threatens and humiliates people. Treats teachers and staff as "the help." Speaks constantly in a way that indicates her disdain for the community she's entered.