Greenwood Elementary School

[Anonymous]

OP here- My older child had really fabulous teachers from K-2, dating back 5 years ago. Things seemed to have gone downhill with each successive leadership change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The longtime principal who retired several (many) years ago was a nice lady who let a group of neighborhood moms have too much power. While the school had a warm small-town vibe with robust traditions, the academics weren’t stellar, it was a mixed bag of teachers, and there were issues. Plenty.

The next principal was an outsider with a big commute. It was a job, not a mission. Likely saw how the prior leader was steamrolled by parents and teachers alike and overcorrected. Seismic changes that didn’t sit well with anyone.

Current principal is fine.

Some teachers are fantastic. Some are clearly coasting (easy to do when the demographics have skewed UMC/affluent). Some are really bad. Demographics are starting to change and I suspect the job is becoming more challenging for staff across the board.

The school’s latest rating was disappointing (especially compared to neighborhood schools).

Overcorrected is putting it mildly. She did a 180, and do not accept any parent input. I think she saw the school as a corporation and not as a community. This principal is nicer and a little more tactful in dismissing parents concerns but, as a long time parent at that school, it no longer feels like a community. I don’t think the current scores reflect the demographics, but rather the leader ship and teachers. We have the same or similar demographics as the rest of the schools in the community.

I completely agree that the current lackluster test scores are worrisome and teachers should be scrutinized.

Our demographics are comparable to Kensington Parkwood, so you can’t blame demographics…at least not yet. As they continue to shift, perhaps.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know, I think some of you are being pretty unfair about the school. I wasn’t a fan of the previous principal either but it’s a great school. Some of this conversation about demographics changing leading to the quality of the school declining makes me uncomfortable, and I agree with PP that the demographics aren’t changing all that much anyway. What you may have read as a loss of community feeling is more like the school has become less driven by parent cliques. It might have felt good if you were in that clique community, but as a parent of a special needs child we saw all the ways that exclusion results from clique behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even with everything you all are saying it will still be seen as a “ good” school because of the demographic and GS rating. Meanwhile over in East County my kids school is a “ bad school” but has fantastic teachers and a very engaged Principal..

You mean people live in the East County? You wouldn't know it from here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, I think some of you are being pretty unfair about the school. I wasn’t a fan of the previous principal either but it’s a great school. Some of this conversation about demographics changing leading to the quality of the school declining makes me uncomfortable, and I agree with PP that the demographics aren’t changing all that much anyway. What you may have read as a loss of community feeling is more like the school has become less driven by parent cliques. It might have felt good if you were in that clique community, but as a parent of a special needs child we saw all the ways that exclusion results from clique behavior.

The shift in demographics has an impact on the staff and other students in terms of how kids are grouped and instructed. The reality is the school hasn’t had a measurable number of esol students or first Gen English speakers unlike schools in other parts of the county where it’s the majority.

The comments aren’t meant in a xenophobic way. Anyone who lives in MoCo likely embraces diversity. Rather, the comments are simply facts meant to illustrate a shift that is likely catching the school staff a bit off guard. Remember: the op flagged issues with responsiveness, etc. I suspect the staff is stretched thin given new challenges (whether from the admin, parents, or students).

Touché regarding the mommy cliques! I suppose there are trade offs when it comes to having robust parent participation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, I think some of you are being pretty unfair about the school. I wasn’t a fan of the previous principal either but it’s a great school. Some of this conversation about demographics changing leading to the quality of the school declining makes me uncomfortable, and I agree with PP that the demographics aren’t changing all that much anyway. What you may have read as a loss of community feeling is more like the school has become less driven by parent cliques. It might have felt good if you were in that clique community, but as a parent of a special needs child we saw all the ways that exclusion results from clique behavior.

If anything I am an outsider and not part one of the cliques at all. That’s not what I mean by community. The school used to host many events and, imo, felt more open and welcoming. When B was a principal, the school was open to parents, there were lots of classroom events. You got to know other parents, you got to know teachers and staff. I thought it was really nice. Then z became principal and completely shut the school down to all parents. I understood where they were coming from from a security point, but that was the beginning of the end of the community feel. S has maintained a closed environment.

With my oldest, we were able to become acquaintances, even just a friendly, hello wave, with the parents in his grade. We would see people at the store, or at the library and could have a friendly smile. It helped build a sense of community for me. Same with my second, though once the school was shut down, it became much more difficult to build that same rapport with other families. Now with my third child, I don’t have the slightest clue who parents are. You meet people through sports but it’s not the same.

In a nutshell, I would say the school used to be a community but it’s now just an institution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know, I think some of you are being pretty unfair about the school. I wasn’t a fan of the previous principal either but it’s a great school. Some of this conversation about demographics changing leading to the quality of the school declining makes me uncomfortable, and I agree with PP that the demographics aren’t changing all that much anyway. What you may have read as a loss of community feeling is more like the school has become less driven by parent cliques. It might have felt good if you were in that clique community, but as a parent of a special needs child we saw all the ways that exclusion results from clique behavior.

The shift in demographics has an impact on the staff and other students in terms of how kids are grouped and instructed. The reality is the school hasn’t had a measurable number of esol students or first Gen English speakers unlike schools in other parts of the county where it’s the majority.

The comments aren’t meant in a xenophobic way. Anyone who lives in MoCo likely embraces diversity. Rather, the comments are simply facts meant to illustrate a shift that is likely catching the school staff a bit off guard. Remember: the op flagged issues with responsiveness, etc. I suspect the staff is stretched thin given new challenges (whether from the admin, parents, or students).

Touché regarding the mommy cliques! I suppose there are trade offs when it comes to having robust parent participation.

There are plenty of people who like the idea of ‘diversity’ but then dislike how it affects their community and school.

We saw this at a different school, where once the level of ‘diversity’ gets to where it impacts their kids’ school experience, the family leaves for private school in the name of finding their ‘community’ and making sure their kids are challenged.

For better or worse, we have to acknowledge that changing demographics have an affect on the schools, on the teachers and on the staff.

[Anonymous]

I’m a teacher at another school and I can tell you that kids behaviors post Covid are drastically different, and not for the better.

[Anonymous]

I think the principal is weak and caters to the teachers...she is letting them run the show.

[Anonymous]

how so?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the principal is weak and caters to the teachers...she is letting them run the show.

Practically speaking, the rubber meets the road in the classroom. The teacher matters. She either does a good job or not. It’s a mixed bag.

I’ve had multiple kids at Greenwood under 3 different principals and while the vibe has changed the academics have been consistently meh. Why? Because of what the teachers do. It hasn’t changed despite different leadership—and despite noticeable turnover.

Having said that, there are some fantastic teachers. Wish we could clone them and get rid of the subpar teachers who are coasting.

[Anonymous]

You’ve had kids at greenwood with all three principals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’ve had kids at greenwood with all three principals?

The longtime principal’s replacement didn’t last very long. Lots of parents experienced 3 principals.

[Anonymous]

Exactly what change in student demographics are posters referring to?

[Anonymous]

My two children are in first and third at Greenwood. Our current teachers are fabulous and every teacher we have had have been stellar. 🤷🏻‍♀️❤️