New head for Sidwell Friends School

[Anonymous]

Look I'm very sorry to see Tom go. I'm also glad we found a good replacement. But Tom's departure was a total surprise. If he's good enough to keep around for two more years, why did it need to happen? I don't expect answers here but every time I bring it up with a board member they clam up. There needs to be better communication.

[Anonymous]

If you talked to teachers any time over the past couple of years, Tom's departure wouldn't have come as a surprise. That said, I'll agree that communication has never been Sidwell's strong suit.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, well previous posters say it wasn't the teachers, then you say ''if i had talked to the teachers...'' So it's really confusing. My experience was that Tom was very responsive to issues I cared about. My point of view may be different in that I think a few, very specific, teachers were over the top. It may just be that I thought Tom was doing the right thing, perhaps a little too slowly. And others thought he was doing too much to quickly. Neither Tom nor I appeared to have carried the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, well previous posters say it wasn't the teachers, then you say ''if i had talked to the teachers...'' So it's really confusing. My experience was that Tom was very responsive to issues I cared about. My point of view may be different in that I think a few, very specific, teachers were over the top. It may just be that I thought Tom was doing the right thing, perhaps a little too slowly. And others thought he was doing too much to quickly. Neither Tom nor I appeared to have carried the day.

I'd say yours was a minority view.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but I honestly just can't imagine a good Quaker, meeting the demands of Sidwell's entitled parents.
Opposing values don't mesh very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but I honestly just can't imagine a good Quaker, meeting the demands of Sidwell's entitled parents.
Opposing values don't mesh very well.

Perhaps it's your view of Sidwell parents that is off kilter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, well previous posters say it wasn't the teachers, then you say ''if i had talked to the teachers...'' So it's really confusing. My experience was that Tom was very responsive to issues I cared about. My point of view may be different in that I think a few, very specific, teachers were over the top. It may just be that I thought Tom was doing the right thing, perhaps a little too slowly. And others thought he was doing too much to quickly. Neither Tom nor I appeared to have carried the day.

I'd say yours was a minority view.

You may be right or you may be wrong. The board and the community will never know because it was a process that was done in secret. Things are done in secret to avoid sticky problems like finding out what the majority thinks. That doesn't matter really because as a Quaker school decisions are made by consensus. Sidwell is great because it has terrific empowered teachers. And visa versa...

[Anonymous]

Sidwell teachers should rember that the Quaker aspect is what makes the school particularly cool. As good academics can be found at about 10 other private /public schools around DC.

[Anonymous]

Another example of Sidwell's decline ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell teachers should rember that the Quaker aspect is what makes the school particularly cool. As good academics can be found at about 10 other private /public schools around DC.

My kids have had quite a few teachers at Sidwell who manage to live Quaker values while at the same time setting high academic standards and helping kids reach those standards. And, yeah, at least my kids thought they were pretty cool people in the bargain. The fact that someone is a birthright Quaker doesn't make him/her infallible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another example of Sidwell's decline ...

Don't really get this. Unless it's just a reflexive typing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell teachers should rember that the Quaker aspect is what makes the school particularly cool. As good academics can be found at about 10 other private /public schools around DC.

My kids have had quite a few teachers at Sidwell who manage to live Quaker values while at the same time setting high academic standards and helping kids reach those standards. And, yeah, at least my kids thought they were pretty cool people in the bargain. The fact that someone is a birthright Quaker doesn't make him/her infallible.

You were doing pretty well on the "Quaker Values" front until you had to get that little dig in at the end. Not so Quakerly, friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell teachers should rember that the Quaker aspect is what makes the school particularly cool. As good academics can be found at about 10 other private /public schools around DC.

My kids have had quite a few teachers at Sidwell who manage to live Quaker values while at the same time setting high academic standards and helping kids reach those standards. And, yeah, at least my kids thought they were pretty cool people in the bargain. The fact that someone is a birthright Quaker doesn't make him/her infallible.

You were doing pretty well on the "Quaker Values" front until you had to get that little dig in at the end. Not so Quakerly, friend.

Different poster. I see no dig at Quakers or anyone, just recognition that no one is naturally superior to anyone else. I would guess you are Quaker and being overly sensitive, but I don't see a Quaker using the term "unquakerly." So I'm guessing you're just trying to stir up trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell teachers should rember that the Quaker aspect is what makes the school particularly cool. As good academics can be found at about 10 other private /public schools around DC.

My kids have had quite a few teachers at Sidwell who manage to live Quaker values while at the same time setting high academic standards and helping kids reach those standards. And, yeah, at least my kids thought they were pretty cool people in the bargain. The fact that someone is a birthright Quaker doesn't make him/her infallible.

You were doing pretty well on the "Quaker Values" front until you had to get that little dig in at the end. Not so Quakerly, friend.

Different poster. I see no dig at Quakers or anyone, just recognition that no one is naturally superior to anyone else. I would guess you are Quaker and being overly sensitive, but I don't see a Quaker using the term "unquakerly." So I'm guessing you're just trying to stir up trouble.

If you know the context, the "birthright Quaker" reference is definitely a swipe. Not the first, worst, nor last -- but it was barbed. To be fair, the poster was responding to a post that seemed aimed at Sidwell teachers. However, it may be kindergarten wisdom but two wrongs don't make a right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sidwell teachers should rember that the Quaker aspect is what makes the school particularly cool. As good academics can be found at about 10 other private /public schools around DC.

My kids have had quite a few teachers at Sidwell who manage to live Quaker values while at the same time setting high academic standards and helping kids reach those standards. And, yeah, at least my kids thought they were pretty cool people in the bargain. The fact that someone is a birthright Quaker doesn't make him/her infallible.

You were doing pretty well on the "Quaker Values" front until you had to get that little dig in at the end. Not so Quakerly, friend.

Different poster. I see no dig at Quakers or anyone, just recognition that no one is naturally superior to anyone else. I would guess you are Quaker and being overly sensitive, but I don't see a Quaker using the term "unquakerly." So I'm guessing you're just trying to stir up trouble.

If you know the context, the "birthright Quaker" reference is definitely a swipe. Not the first, worst, nor last -- but it was barbed. To be fair, the poster was responding to a post that seemed aimed at Sidwell teachers. However, it may be kindergarten wisdom but two wrongs don't make a right.

Meh. I've heard several friends refer to themselves as "birthright Quakers," and cite it as a badge of supposed honor, so I don't see how you get to cast it as a swipe. I stand by my assessment that you're just trying to stir up trouble.