Leaving Lowell early

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We were at Lowell and left, the year we left it was a mass exodus. Most left due to the gaslighting that occurred particularly in 1-3 grades as teachers refused to come back in person and the school failed to even acknowledge the issues students faced as a result. There were long-time faculty and heads of divisions who also left creating a major void in quality educators as well. The acting head of the preschool division was the aftercare coordinator who had no actual teaching experience. The communication within the school was abysmal with multiple day school closures being announced Sunday nights at 8pm when it was known by administrators school would be closed much earlier in advance.

I don't know which year you were there, but a lot of schools saw changes in their student and faculty/staff communities during COVID. All three of my kids graduated from Lowell in 8th grade and moved onto GDS both before and during COVID. Your post just isn't accurate. Having kids at two different schools I noticed that Lowell's response wasn't any different than GDS's. Also, every single school, teacher, child, and parent suffered during COVID. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear entitled parents acting like they and their children were the only ones in turmoil.

Finally, you complained about the Auxiliary Program DIRECTOR (not the aftercare coordinator) stepping in to serve as the interim pre-primary director without mentioning that her experience not only includes 15 years at Lowell running the aftercare and enrichment programs, it also includes creating and running Lowell's popular summer camp (which gets rave reviews and sells out pretty much every year). I would hardly call her unqualified, and given that the Pre-Primary students were the first of the school's three divisions to return to in-person learning during COVID, I think her experience served Lowell pretty darn well.

If you were in fact in a "mass exodus" two years ago and you are still on this forum complaining, I think maybe you need to find a new hobby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were at Lowell and left, the year we left it was a mass exodus. Most left due to the gaslighting that occurred particularly in 1-3 grades as teachers refused to come back in person and the school failed to even acknowledge the issues students faced as a result. There were long-time faculty and heads of divisions who also left creating a major void in quality educators as well. The acting head of the preschool division was the aftercare coordinator who had no actual teaching experience. The communication within the school was abysmal with multiple day school closures being announced Sunday nights at 8pm when it was known by administrators school would be closed much earlier in advance.

I don't know which year you were there, but a lot of schools saw changes in their student and faculty/staff communities during COVID. All three of my kids graduated from Lowell in 8th grade and moved onto GDS both before and during COVID. Your post just isn't accurate. Having kids at two different schools I noticed that Lowell's response wasn't any different than GDS's. Also, every single school, teacher, child, and parent suffered during COVID. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear entitled parents acting like they and their children were the only ones in turmoil.

Finally, you complained about the Auxiliary Program DIRECTOR (not the aftercare coordinator) stepping in to serve as the interim pre-primary director without mentioning that her experience not only includes 15 years at Lowell running the aftercare and enrichment programs, it also includes creating and running Lowell's popular summer camp (which gets rave reviews and sells out pretty much every year). I would hardly call her unqualified, and given that the Pre-Primary students were the first of the school's three divisions to return to in-person learning during COVID, I think her experience served Lowell pretty darn well.

If you were in fact in a "mass exodus" two years ago and you are still on this forum complaining, I think maybe you need to find a new hobby.

I am not the PP but you are saying because GDS didn't have positive communication that justifies Lowell's? You didn't negate the PP's comment about bad communication. The PP also didn't say all students were unheard but specifically 1-3 grade- since you seemed to have been there- what happened that was specific to 1-3 grade versus the other grades? Obviously the PP didn't give many specifics but your post also didn't negate any of their concerns which could be valuable to other parents on this board, especially since Lowell isn't a school often discussed.

[Anonymous]

I am a Lowell parent who was there before and during the pandemic.

There were some staffing issues with the 1st grade that were unavoidable. They were among the last to return to campus, and it was a difficult time for all.

Instead of recognizing that this was an impossible situation where nobody won, some parents of first graders completely lost perspective. They let their fear, frustration, and anger cloud their judgment. Instead of trusting leadership working to make a horrible situation better, they blamed and even battered the HoS. There was ugly gossip. There were threats. I wasn't even a 1st grade parent, but I heard about it from many fronts.

YES, it was terrible. But no, it wasn't different from things happening at other schools. Lowell weathered the pandemic extremely well, especially compared with other privates. Kudos to the trustees and the head for leading with grace and respect during an impossible situation.

To the PP: go to therapy. Seriously. The anger and resentment years later isn't about the school anymore. That's yours, and I hope you can work through in, instead of trying to attack the school years later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Lowell parent who was there before and during the pandemic.

There were some staffing issues with the 1st grade that were unavoidable. They were among the last to return to campus, and it was a difficult time for all.

Instead of recognizing that this was an impossible situation where nobody won, some parents of first graders completely lost perspective. They let their fear, frustration, and anger cloud their judgment. Instead of trusting leadership working to make a horrible situation better, they blamed and even battered the HoS. There was ugly gossip. There were threats. I wasn't even a 1st grade parent, but I heard about it from many fronts.

YES, it was terrible. But no, it wasn't different from things happening at other schools. Lowell weathered the pandemic extremely well, especially compared with other privates. Kudos to the trustees and the head for leading with grace and respect during an impossible situation.

To the PP: go to therapy. Seriously. The anger and resentment years later isn't about the school anymore. That's yours, and I hope you can work through in, instead of trying to attack the school years later.

No dog in this fight, but for that amount of money, I would also be enraged. And btw, our K-8 lost almost no teachers and was back in person well before most others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a Lowell parent who was there before and during the pandemic.

There were some staffing issues with the 1st grade that were unavoidable. They were among the last to return to campus, and it was a difficult time for all.

Instead of recognizing that this was an impossible situation where nobody won, some parents of first graders completely lost perspective. They let their fear, frustration, and anger cloud their judgment. Instead of trusting leadership working to make a horrible situation better, they blamed and even battered the HoS. There was ugly gossip. There were threats. I wasn't even a 1st grade parent, but I heard about it from many fronts.

YES, it was terrible. But no, it wasn't different from things happening at other schools. Lowell weathered the pandemic extremely well, especially compared with other privates. Kudos to the trustees and the head for leading with grace and respect during an impossible situation.

To the PP: go to therapy. Seriously. The anger and resentment years later isn't about the school anymore. That's yours, and I hope you can work through in, instead of trying to attack the school years later.

What was unavoidable about the staffing issues in 1st grade? What made 1st grade different from any other grade? Also I didn't hear any anger nor resentment from the PP just stating how he/she felt. If you are representative of parents at Lowell who can't take any criticism without resorting to "you need therapy", I would want nothing to do with the school.

[Anonymous]

Very common. Like others have said kids, faculty and admin keep leaving left and right from pandemic onward including lower school head who weirdly left after only one year, assistant lower school head, DEI coordinator, athletic director, development director & a lot of teachers who were at the school forever. The HoS keeps saying that "the hallmark of a great school is when its best people leave for other or better schools" but that's absurd and people know it. Academics are a joke and not getting any better and it's showing in out-placement numbers.

Something has definitely changed. We sensed it during the pandemic but thought it would pass but Lowell just isn't the same anymore. The school is like a shadow of its former self- no longer that happy, liberal welcoming place we knew.

Seems the same old attack dogs are out bad-mouthing people and deflecting on this board as they do on all other threads critical of Lowell. Maybe they're the ones who need to get hobbies and seek therapy LOL.

[Anonymous]

I don't know about the school but the summer camp and swimming were among the longest shut downs in the area. Heck, they didn't even have any in person events this admissions season. Something seems off about doing virtual tours in 2023. Hope they work through whatever issues they have because prior to the pandemic it seemed to be a nice school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Very common. Like others have said kids, faculty and admin keep leaving left and right from pandemic onward including lower school head who weirdly left after only one year, assistant lower school head, DEI coordinator, athletic director, development director & a lot of teachers who were at the school forever. The HoS keeps saying that "the hallmark of a great school is when its best people leave for other or better schools" but that's absurd and people know it. Academics are a joke and not getting any better and it's showing in out-placement numbers.

Something has definitely changed. We sensed it during the pandemic but thought it would pass but Lowell just isn't the same anymore. The school is like a shadow of its former self- no longer that happy, liberal welcoming place we knew.

Seems the same old attack dogs are out bad-mouthing people and deflecting on this board as they do on all other threads critical of Lowell. Maybe they're the ones who need to get hobbies and seek therapy LOL.

This! We loved the school but that’s the key word, loved! A lot has changed and not for the better. The HoS has a weird following from a few parents that’s downright cult-like. I mean good for them for believing in her and the school, I certainly don’t fault that. But it comes at the expense of any ability for critical thought or objectivity. You can love someone, something, somewhere and believe in them/it while simultaneously admitting some things could be better. That isn’t possible at Lowell. It’s like an alter universe. Saying good people are leaving is a sign of positive things is beyond alternative facts and just shows the mental gymnastics that happen at the school to justify things. And don’t dare question any of that or yeah, you’ll be told you need therapy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about the school but the summer camp and swimming were among the longest shut downs in the area. Heck, they didn't even have any in person events this admissions season. Something seems off about doing virtual tours in 2023. Hope they work through whatever issues they have because prior to the pandemic it seemed to be a nice school.

Are you kidding???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about the school but the summer camp and swimming were among the longest shut downs in the area. Heck, they didn't even have any in person events this admissions season. Something seems off about doing virtual tours in 2023. Hope they work through whatever issues they have because prior to the pandemic it seemed to be a nice school.

Are you kidding???

The school was one of a few outliers as being crazy over the top with COVID restrictions, and that’s saying something for the DC area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Very common. Like others have said kids, faculty and admin keep leaving left and right from pandemic onward including lower school head who weirdly left after only one year, assistant lower school head, DEI coordinator, athletic director, development director & a lot of teachers who were at the school forever. The HoS keeps saying that "the hallmark of a great school is when its best people leave for other or better schools" but that's absurd and people know it. Academics are a joke and not getting any better and it's showing in out-placement numbers.

Something has definitely changed. We sensed it during the pandemic but thought it would pass but Lowell just isn't the same anymore. The school is like a shadow of its former self- no longer that happy, liberal welcoming place we knew.

Seems the same old attack dogs are out bad-mouthing people and deflecting on this board as they do on all other threads critical of Lowell. Maybe they're the ones who need to get hobbies and seek therapy LOL.

This! We loved the school but that’s the key word, loved! A lot has changed and not for the better. The HoS has a weird following from a few parents that’s downright cult-like. I mean good for them for believing in her and the school, I certainly don’t fault that. But it comes at the expense of any ability for critical thought or objectivity. You can love someone, something, somewhere and believe in them/it while simultaneously admitting some things could be better. That isn’t possible at Lowell. It’s like an alter universe. Saying good people are leaving is a sign of positive things is beyond alternative facts and just shows the mental gymnastics that happen at the school to justify things. And don’t dare question any of that or yeah, you’ll be told you need therapy.

Their pre-primary head and amazing science teacher also left. Parents were told she was leaving due to going to graduate school. That may have been true but she also went to a nearby public school and left very last minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about the school but the summer camp and swimming were among the longest shut downs in the area. Heck, they didn't even have any in person events this admissions season. Something seems off about doing virtual tours in 2023. Hope they work through whatever issues they have because prior to the pandemic it seemed to be a nice school.

This seems unlikely since I was invited to several in person admissions events in the Spring of 2022.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know about the school but the summer camp and swimming were among the longest shut downs in the area. Heck, they didn't even have any in person events this admissions season. Something seems off about doing virtual tours in 2023. Hope they work through whatever issues they have because prior to the pandemic it seemed to be a nice school.

They had in-person shadow day this year, one of which my kid attended. The virtual tours were a let down, as the school really shined in person.

[Anonymous]

Two kids left between 5th and 6th I believe. One for a big 3 and the other for athletics.

[Anonymous]

I don’t have a dog in this fight, but it’s clear there is a lot of bitter ax grinding on this thread.

Parents, we don’t always know what happens behind the scenes. Sometimes a beloved teacher leaves because they screwed up. Or they are having mental health, family, or kid issues. Maybe your favorite teacher is a nightmare for their colleagues.

You just don’t know—even when we are sure we do.