Thoughts on Interim Chancellor Dr. Amanda Alexander?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So one of Alexander's roles in the last few years has been to provide training and development opportunities to the instructional superintendents.

The same instructional superintendents' who, we gather, are putting pressure on principals to pass kids who don't meet the standards?

Elementary only. She hasn't worked with HS principals as far as I'm aware.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone going to hassle her if she decides to live in-boundary for Wilson?

She does not have kids and is a long-time DC homeowner in Brookland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/young-dc-principal-quits-and-tells-why/2011/06/19/AGfcP6kH_story.html?utm_term=.435bc7af4541

Fascinating old article, and it seems that the principal was wrong about White/IB families choosing Hearst as the White pop has at least doubled since it was written.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So one of Alexander's roles in the last few years has been to provide training and development opportunities to the instructional superintendents.

The same instructional superintendents' who, we gather, are putting pressure on principals to pass kids who don't meet the standards?

Elementary only. She hasn't worked with HS principals as far as I'm aware.

You don't think there is social promotion happening in elementary schools? Isn't 5th grade one of the years when DCPS can hold back students?

[Anonymous]

I had experience with, and the chance to observe her, in various scenarios several years ago. I was totally impressed. As others have said, she seemed thoughtful, smart, energetic, and sincere. Among other things, seeing her at a school she was visiting engage with a young reader was an object lesson in how to make a child feel like she's the most important and brilliant person in the room

She has our enthusiastic support and fingers crossed for a permanent position.

[Anonymous]

We visited Ross for an open house a couple of times when she was principal. Amanda Alexander struck my DH and me as being very thoughtful, committed, well organized. Oddly, our then very young DC -- who'd accompanied us to the open houses -- spoke enthusiastically about "Amanda Alexander" for years after, even tho she didn't get into Ross. I was surprised; Alexander is not exactly bubbly, but she really pulls children into her orbit, as PP suggests.

[Anonymous]

but can she get the calendar out sometime soon? Back to basics people!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:but can she get the calendar out sometime soon? Back to basics people!!

AMEN!!!!

[Anonymous]

Latest from Dr. Alexander:

February 21, 2018

To the DC Public Schools Community,

Yesterday, Mayor Bowser asked me to serve as Interim Chancellor of DC Public Schools. I am honored to accept this role and continue my service to the district. I am confident in DCPS’ ability to support students, families, and educators through the remainder of this school year, as we strive to build a district in which every child feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life.

I began my career with DCPS in 1998 as a kindergarten teacher at Walker-Jones Elementary School, and later principal at Bunker Hill Elementary School and Ross Elementary School. I am a former DCPS instructional superintendent, and most recently served as Chief of the Office of Elementary Schools, leading our district’s elementary school support and early childhood programs. You can read more about my background and experience here.

In my 20 years as an educator, I have seen again and again what is possible when families and schools act as partners. As a teacher, I saw my young students tackle challenges with wonder and enthusiasm, affirmed at both home and the classroom. As a principal, I watched teachers and parents build relationships that moved our whole school to greater levels of achievement. And as a district leader, I worked with talented and passionate people across the city as DCPS became—and continues to be—a rapidly improving school district.

I am eager to hear from you in the weeks ahead. You are experts in our students and their needs, and I will depend on your insight to guide the district’s work. I will continue to meet with stakeholders across the city, as well as attend the previously scheduled monthly community forums and Chancellor’s Cabinets. Later this month, DCPS will also announce a series of engagement sessions to begin rebuilding trust among the DCPS community.

With respect and appreciation,

Dr. Amanda Alexander
Interim Chancellor, DC Public Schools

[Anonymous]

She quickly accepted an offer to gain more prestige after using Ross ES’s already rising test scores on her current bio. That was called gentrification. She is a vulture like the rest she follows. I hope they keep this interim, and once and for all find a decent tried and true School Superintendent!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Latest from Dr. Alexander:

February 21, 2018

To the DC Public Schools Community,

Yesterday, Mayor Bowser asked me to serve as Interim Chancellor of DC Public Schools. I am honored to accept this role and continue my service to the district. I am confident in DCPS’ ability to support students, families, and educators through the remainder of this school year, as we strive to build a district in which every child feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life.

I began my career with DCPS in 1998 as a kindergarten teacher at Walker-Jones Elementary School, and later principal at Bunker Hill Elementary School and Ross Elementary School. I am a former DCPS instructional superintendent, and most recently served as Chief of the Office of Elementary Schools, leading our district’s elementary school support and early childhood programs. You can read more about my background and experience here.

In my 20 years as an educator, I have seen again and again what is possible when families and schools act as partners. As a teacher, I saw my young students tackle challenges with wonder and enthusiasm, affirmed at both home and the classroom. As a principal, I watched teachers and parents build relationships that moved our whole school to greater levels of achievement. And as a district leader, I worked with talented and passionate people across the city as DCPS became—and continues to be—a rapidly improving school district.

I am eager to hear from you in the weeks ahead. You are experts in our students and their needs, and I will depend on your insight to guide the district’s work. I will continue to meet with stakeholders across the city, as well as attend the previously scheduled monthly community forums and Chancellor’s Cabinets. Later this month, DCPS will also announce a series of engagement sessions to begin rebuilding trust among the DCPS community.

With respect and appreciation,

Dr. Amanda Alexander
Interim Chancellor, DC Public Schools

Oh good lord, please no more listening/engagement sessions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She quickly accepted an offer to gain more prestige after using Ross ES’s already rising test scores on her current bio. That was called gentrification. She is a vulture like the rest she follows. I hope they keep this interim, and once and for all find a decent tried and true School Superintendent!

I'm not sure that's true. When she was principal at Ross there were still quite a few lower income famlies (based on the free and reduced meals stats). My sense at the time was that she and the teachers had made a substantial, meaningful difference. Certainly gentrification did come shortly afterward, but the increase in demand was at least in part in response to people being impressed by what was happening there. Every aspect of that little school was given extremely smart attention and concern. And the parent involvemeent was phenomenal; any idea that was worthwhile, they found a way to make it happen. At least that was our experience.

[Anonymous]

Gloria Smith- pre Fenty/Rhee, with no support from anyone but DuPont Circle neighbors, many retired with grown children, with their help encouraged neighborhood families to enroll and encouraged their activist work to help Ross stay on the map, there was no waitlist.

Ximena Hartsock rolled in a minute after Smith retired, just when Rhee came aboard and shook up things in a good way for a single year there and abruptly left to become part of the bureaucracy with her new buddy Michelle.

Sandra Gonzalez was pulled from Oyster as AP before she began to interview to replace Ross. She and many original parent activists encouraged Ross with Gonzalez help to become a bilingual program, with feeder rights into the then new Oyster-Adams, right up the street. Rhee nixed the effort and OA struggled with the MS, including keeping Woodley Park enrolled. Ross still had no good feeder.

Next Rhee fired Gonzalez and Oyster principal Guzman and replaced with Alexander at Ross and at Oyster Monica Aguirre, drone married to Jesus of DPR.

Meanwhile the movement began by Gloria Smith, more and more kids with socio-Econ advantages at home were climbing in age and bringing scores up all along - it was inevitable the test score rise, if you care about that stuff.

Like Hartsock, Alexander was a good principal on an already steadying ship— then also like Hartsock, stepped from there to the fat world of instructional Super the moment Rhee invited her away from a school hands on into bureaucratic BS..

Ross parents are the reason it exists today, Going back to around 2002. I hope Alexander isn’t as corrupt and power hungry as every single other predecessor in the Chancellors office since Rhee. But let’s not pretend she saved a little ES, the parents and teachers had it covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Latest from Dr. Alexander:

February 21, 2018

To the DC Public Schools Community,

Yesterday, Mayor Bowser asked me to serve as Interim Chancellor of DC Public Schools. I am honored to accept this role and continue my service to the district (thanks for the salary bump aka real reason). I am confident in DCPS’ ability to support students, families, and educators through the remainder of this school year(lol yeah because DCPS is doing a great job), as we strive to build a district in which every child feels loved, challenged, and prepared to positively influence society and thrive in life. (lol because its all about feeling good about yourself vs actually you know LEARNING)

I began my career with DCPS in 1998 as a kindergarten teacher at Walker-Jones Elementary School, and later principal at Bunker Hill Elementary School and Ross Elementary School. I am a former DCPS instructional superintendent, and most recently served as Chief of the Office of Elementary Schools, leading our district’s elementary school support and early childhood programs. You can read more about my background and experience here.

In my 20 years as an educator, I have seen again and again what is possible when families and schools act as partners (good point). As a teacher, I saw my young students tackle challenges with wonder and enthusiasm, affirmed at both home (and there is the problem folks the majority of students in DCPS aren't even getting acknowledgement at home let alone being affirmed) and the classroom. As a principal, I watched (yup had nothing to do with you honey lol) teachers and parents build relationships that moved our whole school to greater levels of achievement. And as a district leader, I worked with talented and passionate people across the city as DCPS became—and continues to be—a rapidly improving school district (entirely due to gentrification).

I am eager to hear from you in the weeks ahead(oh don't worry you will.... will you still be eager a month from now). You are experts in our students and their needs, and I will depend on your insight to guide the district’s work (sounds good, so why are you needed again? why do we even have this role?). I will continue to meet with stakeholders across the city, as well as attend the previously scheduled monthly community forums and Chancellor’s Cabinets. Later this month, DCPS will also announce a series of engagement sessions to begin rebuilding trust among the DCPS community(woo hoot more window dressing).

With respect and appreciation,

Dr. Amanda Alexander
Interim Chancellor, DC Public Schools

Oh good lord, please no more listening/engagement sessions.

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Big plus -- she is not a Rhee/Henderson/Wilson style reformer.