Yet another SSFS admin leaving

[Anonymous]

We have found the middle school to be fantastic. Our son is engaged, they aren’t just handing out As but making him learn how to be organized, but also can see the forest for the trees in terms of what skills to focus on in these often challenging years. I find the educator departures disconcerting but have been so happy with the school so trying to sit tight and focus on my kid’s experience.

[Anonymous]

Private school teacher here. There is usually high turnover after a new head. Things will eventually settle. Seeing this at my school too, likely higher because of Covid exhaustion too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. There is usually high turnover after a new head. Things will eventually settle. Seeing this at my school too, likely higher because of Covid exhaustion too.

"New." He's been there for four years. Covid is a non-issue now but used across these boards as a handy excuse for all sorts of dysfunction. Not saying that's the case here, just pointing it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. There is usually high turnover after a new head. Things will eventually settle. Seeing this at my school too, likely higher because of Covid exhaustion too.

We're seeing similar at our school, and it will ultimately be positive. It takes a while for a new head to remove key administrators for performance or culture reasons. In the case of our school, the head spent one year assessing the community and culture and trying to understand its weaknesses, one year putting in a restructuring plan, and the end of that second year and beginning of the 3rd year putting performance plans in place for people who weren't actually doing their jobs (which became more apparent once the restructuring took place). Removing people from a school takes a very long time, especially when they are a protected class. Most schools do not have the ability to make swift personnel changes in the way that a corporation can, and you wouldn't want them to.

I'll also add that when there are cohorts with discipline problems that have gone unaddressed for multiple years, it often means that there is a culture problem that makes teachers unwilling to escalate to their leadership or families not getting a response from leadership when they have an issue. The SSFS situation sounds very similar to what our school went through and it took years to work through some of the quiet but toxic stuff that had built up.

[Anonymous]

I don’t have any guesses as to what’s going on culture wise for teachers and admin there but it’s clear something way outside the norm is happening. It’s a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. There is usually high turnover after a new head. Things will eventually settle. Seeing this at my school too, likely higher because of Covid exhaustion too.

We're seeing similar at our school, and it will ultimately be positive. It takes a while for a new head to remove key administrators for performance or culture reasons. In the case of our school, the head spent one year assessing the community and culture and trying to understand its weaknesses, one year putting in a restructuring plan, and the end of that second year and beginning of the 3rd year putting performance plans in place for people who weren't actually doing their jobs (which became more apparent once the restructuring took place). Removing people from a school takes a very long time, especially when they are a protected class. Most schools do not have the ability to make swift personnel changes in the way that a corporation can, and you wouldn't want them to.

I'll also add that when there are cohorts with discipline problems that have gone unaddressed for multiple years, it often means that there is a culture problem that makes teachers unwilling to escalate to their leadership or families not getting a response from leadership when they have an issue. The SSFS situation sounds very similar to what our school went through and it took years to work through some of the quiet but toxic stuff that had built up.

We've seen similar at our school, and it will probably turn out negative. It takes a while for a new administrator to figure out how to remove key personnel for personal, philosophical, spiteful, or other non-discernible reasons. In the case of our school, the head spent one year planning to change the community and culture and trying to feel out what he could get away with, one year putting together plans to marginalize dissenting voices, and the end of that second year and beginning of the 3rd year putting purge plans in place for people, often those most beloved and celebrated, who would challenge his vision or leadership (which became more apparent to those paying attention once the purges took place). Removing people from a school doesn’t take as long as you’d think, especially when the administration is protected by an ignorant or cowardly board, sometimes consciously engineered for compliance. Most independent schools have the ability to make swift personnel changes in ways so disorienting that it can be hard to understand what’s going on until it’s too late.

I'll also add that when there are cohorts with discipline problems that have gone unaddressed for multiple years, it often means that there has been and is still a cascading failure of leadership that makes teachers too afraid to escalate to superiors or families being gaslit by said superiors who either have no idea what they’re doing or won’t get rid of kids for political or optical reasons. The above situation sounds like it could be similar to what our school went through and it might take years to work through some of the quiet but toxic stuff that might be building up.

[Anonymous]

"I'll also add that when there are cohorts with discipline problems that have gone unaddressed for multiple years, it often means that there has been and is still a cascading failure of leadership that makes teachers too afraid to escalate to superiors or families being gaslit by said superiors who either have no idea what they’re doing or won’t get rid of kids for political or optical reasons."

THIS PART RIGHT HERE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. There is usually high turnover after a new head. Things will eventually settle. Seeing this at my school too, likely higher because of Covid exhaustion too.

"New." He's been there for four years. Covid is a non-issue now but used across these boards as a handy excuse for all sorts of dysfunction. Not saying that's the case here, just pointing it out.

I guess I’m confused. Is this sidwell or sandy spring?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school teacher here. There is usually high turnover after a new head. Things will eventually settle. Seeing this at my school too, likely higher because of Covid exhaustion too.

"New." He's been there for four years. Covid is a non-issue now but used across these boards as a handy excuse for all sorts of dysfunction. Not saying that's the case here, just pointing it out.

I guess I’m confused. Is this sidwell or sandy spring?

Or Bullis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I'll also add that when there are cohorts with discipline problems that have gone unaddressed for multiple years, it often means that there has been and is still a cascading failure of leadership that makes teachers too afraid to escalate to superiors or families being gaslit by said superiors who either have no idea what they’re doing or won’t get rid of kids for political or optical reasons."

THIS PART RIGHT HERE.

Truly effective leadership empowers everyone on the team. I'd especially expect this at a Quarter school but maybe that's not happening.

[Anonymous]

Current parent here. my family has been happy with our experience with the school. I don't love the transition period and change is always hard, but I agree with the person who said takes time and that it often ends positively. Sad to see people go, but it's not uncommon in the independent school world or education for that matter. I saw it at other schools we were a part of, but we didn't have the same positive experience that we're still having now.

[Anonymous]

I’m glad for any family whose child is happy and thriving.

It is incorrect to dismiss what is in fact going on at the school just because your child has luckily avoided the fallout.

Also, many of the admins who have left were hand-picked or made a significant point of talking about how they moved to work with Rodney. All of those people have now left because the reality of working with him is much much different than the charisma one gets listening to him give a speech. He does not empower but micromanages to the nth degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m glad for any family whose child is happy and thriving.

It is incorrect to dismiss what is in fact going on at the school just because your child has luckily avoided the fallout.

Also, many of the admins who have left were hand-picked or made a significant point of talking about how they moved to work with Rodney. All of those people have now left because the reality of working with him is much much different than the charisma one gets listening to him give a speech. He does not empower but micromanages to the nth degree.

Curious how youre able to say this. this post feels like a disgruntled parent or employee, especially with it hidden behind an anonymous post.

[Anonymous]

Many disgruntled parents on this thread. I think some of them are parents of kids who have been disciplined. SSFS does not take it lightly and I have seen several kids suspended and even expelled. Compared to previous school, we were at, I was surprised at how seriously admin deal with many issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many disgruntled parents on this thread. I think some of them are parents of kids who have been disciplined. SSFS does not take it lightly and I have seen several kids suspended and even expelled. Compared to previous school, we were at, I was surprised at how seriously admin deal with many issues.

SSFS applies their discipline policy very inconsistently. Yes I have kids there. No they have never been in any kind of trouble.