Does anyone have any information about the Churchill principal search?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who can comment take note of whether any candidates would bring some
diversity to the role?

Omg, how many times does it have to be spelled out? Everyone will find out when the principal is announced. Nobody with info “can comment,” and if they did, why would they jeopardize their position by blabbing on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

Hence the “anyone who CAN comment.” The person said the people were walking the halls and visiting the school. That’s not so secret, and frankly, I don’t think there should be this much secrecy. It’s why everyone thinks (probably correctly) that the system is rigged. No one is asking the people who signed nondisclosure agreements to spill state secrets.

[Anonymous]

Yes, all candidates get to walk the building.

[Anonymous]

FWIW: Plenty of people who aren’t on those interview committees have info. For instance, I found out my principal was applying for a job at the cluster’s high school when a few staff members at that school casually mentioned he had been there that day because he was planning to interview for the position. They were in my school to talk about the rising 8th graders. A few of my colleagues looked kind of surprised, but I don’t think anyone was shocked. You have to understand that for staff members, principal picks are a big deal. We may be trying to decide whether to stay or leave a specific school, and we have a limited interviewing window, and that’s a critical data point. We probably care more than parents to some extent. We know not to choose a school for a specific admin, because they do move around, but when you have, say, a known bad boss, you don’t want to flee your school if he or she is on the way out anyway. And if you do leave, you don’t want to end up where he (or she) lands! That would be a cruel irony.

I think the people on those commtittees do keep it secret—but no one else really does. Word gets around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who can comment take note of whether any candidates would bring some
diversity to the role?

Define what you mean by "diversity."

[Anonymous]

That the candidates on that final interview list include people of color.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone heard anything they can share?

[Anonymous]

I think there was some overlap between the Whitman and Churchill candidates

[Anonymous]

I am disappointed in the lack of transparency and inclusion of all stakeholder groups. Diversity representation was lacking in the process. The end result is calculated in secrecy so who knows how much parental and staff input was considered.

[Anonymous]

I know current staff (and parent) input ended the chances of at least one candidate who didn’t have much of a chance at the outset —that’s someone who went for Whitman. His staff made it VERY clear they didn’t think he was up to the job. I don’t think input matters much unless it’s extreme like that. I think you have to hope that Webster doesn’t want to create new headaches for herself by hiring someone who won’t cut it. Beyond that they’ve been working with the candidates for years in the principal training program and know who they want. Those committees are largely bullshit. There’s no transparency because then they’d give up control.

[Anonymous]

My concern is someone like Webster will get the job. Webster is a cookie cutter model of what is wrong with MCPS - all talk, no action, with lack of ethics thrown in to the mix. How would anyone want a boss like that? How can students be served if problems are swept under the rug? Webster has done little to improve things at the schools she supervises. If she is the gatekeeper of the decision on who is principal at Churchill - good luck with who you get.

[Anonymous]

I disagree about Jen Webster. I know some of the churchill parents are unhappy with her, but she’s the one who finally got you a new principal (to be named tomorrow). No prior supervisor has managed to do that, and the county has known for years that that needed to happen. She really listened to the Pyle/Whitman community when it came to the new principal over at Whitman. Also yet to be named, but I heard she chose well. I worked for Jen Webster at Pyle (where she was the principal before she was a high school principal). She didn’t tolerate it if mean supervisors were controlling and bossy to others on staff—none of that kind of thing went unnoticed or unhandled. A few of those women didn’t like her as a result, but I see that as being because she didn’t let them take charge. She was strong and protective of her solid performers, especially if they were on the timid side. I felt supported by her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I disagree about Jen Webster. I know some of the churchill parents are unhappy with her, but she’s the one who finally got you a new principal (to be named tomorrow). No prior supervisor has managed to do that, and the county has known for years that that needed to happen. She really listened to the Pyle/Whitman community when it came to the new principal over at Whitman. Also yet to be named, but I heard she chose well. I worked for Jen Webster at Pyle (where she was the principal before she was a high school principal). She didn’t tolerate it if mean supervisors were controlling and bossy to others on staff—none of that kind of thing went unnoticed or unhandled. A few of those women didn’t like her as a result, but I see that as being because she didn’t let them take charge. She was strong and protective of her solid performers, especially if they were on the timid side. I felt supported by her.

I think some of the Churchill parents are unhappy with Webster because she doesn’t tolerate problems being swept under the rug, the modus operandi of Dr. Benz. They know that Webster and her choice of principal will put consequences in place when their entitled progeny are caught selling drugs on campus, etc. No more of the hush hush, can’t allow any tarnishing of the Churchill name.

Believe me, Webster has done far more good for Churchill in her almost year as Benz’s supervisor than all other supervisors combined. As mentioned above, Webster is THE reason why Benz is retiring. A long time AP also retired, and the long time Staff Development Teacher is gone as well. Both of them kowtowed to Dr. Benz and were symptomatic of all that was wrong under Benz’s “leadership.” There is a definitive positive change being felt at Churchill now; Jen Webster is THE reason for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree about Jen Webster. I know some of the churchill parents are unhappy with her, but she’s the one who finally got you a new principal (to be named tomorrow). No prior supervisor has managed to do that, and the county has known for years that that needed to happen. She really listened to the Pyle/Whitman community when it came to the new principal over at Whitman. Also yet to be named, but I heard she chose well. I worked for Jen Webster at Pyle (where she was the principal before she was a high school principal). She didn’t tolerate it if mean supervisors were controlling and bossy to others on staff—none of that kind of thing went unnoticed or unhandled. A few of those women didn’t like her as a result, but I see that as being because she didn’t let them take charge. She was strong and protective of her solid performers, especially if they were on the timid side. I felt supported by her.

I think some of the Churchill parents are unhappy with Webster because she doesn’t tolerate problems being swept under the rug, the modus operandi of Dr. Benz. They know that Webster and her choice of principal will put consequences in place when their entitled progeny are caught selling drugs on campus, etc. No more of the hush hush, can’t allow any tarnishing of the Churchill name.

Believe me, Webster has done far more good for Churchill in her almost year as Benz’s supervisor than all other supervisors combined. As mentioned above, Webster is THE reason why Benz is retiring. A long time AP also retired, and the long time Staff Development Teacher is gone as well. Both of them kowtowed to Dr. Benz and were symptomatic of all that was wrong under Benz’s “leadership.” There is a definitive positive change being felt at Churchill now; Jen Webster is THE reason for it.

Keep dreaming. Dr. Benz is old. She is retiring. It had to happen at somepoint and her health is starting to fail. Webster didn't make any miracles happen in that regard and there are problems she didn't do any better with than Benz. Good luck to who follows Benz and has Webster as a boss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree about Jen Webster. I know some of the churchill parents are unhappy with her, but she’s the one who finally got you a new principal (to be named tomorrow). No prior supervisor has managed to do that, and the county has known for years that that needed to happen. She really listened to the Pyle/Whitman community when it came to the new principal over at Whitman. Also yet to be named, but I heard she chose well. I worked for Jen Webster at Pyle (where she was the principal before she was a high school principal). She didn’t tolerate it if mean supervisors were controlling and bossy to others on staff—none of that kind of thing went unnoticed or unhandled. A few of those women didn’t like her as a result, but I see that as being because she didn’t let them take charge. She was strong and protective of her solid performers, especially if they were on the timid side. I felt supported by her.

I think some of the Churchill parents are unhappy with Webster because she doesn’t tolerate problems being swept under the rug, the modus operandi of Dr. Benz. They know that Webster and her choice of principal will put consequences in place when their entitled progeny are caught selling drugs on campus, etc. No more of the hush hush, can’t allow any tarnishing of the Churchill name.

Believe me, Webster has done far more good for Churchill in her almost year as Benz’s supervisor than all other supervisors combined. As mentioned above, Webster is THE reason why Benz is retiring. A long time AP also retired, and the long time Staff Development Teacher is gone as well. Both of them kowtowed to Dr. Benz and were symptomatic of all that was wrong under Benz’s “leadership.” There is a definitive positive change being felt at Churchill now; Jen Webster is THE reason for it.

Keep dreaming. Dr. Benz is old. She is retiring. It had to happen at somepoint and her health is starting to fail. Webster didn't make any miracles happen in that regard and there are problems she didn't do any better with than Benz. Good luck to who follows Benz and has Webster as a boss.

Well someone is bitter about Jen Webster. Maybe she is one of the bitchy Pyle women that Webster knocked down a notch while she was there.

BTW, the post about Webster cleaning house at Churchill is 100% accurate. It’s the talk of the school.