Elana Bell moves to Takoma Education Campus
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Anonymous
This. |
Anonymous
Yes, they were initially supporters, until they saw the man behind the curtain. They didn’t have to “lead a campaign” as dozens of families were already complaining to DCPS about Bell. Also, it was in Bell’s second year, not her first. She was warmly welcomed by the community in her first year, and people only realized how awful she was after she dismantled everything that had been working, only to replace it all with her ideas, which didn’t work out. That’s why people turned sour on her. |
Anonymous
| Can anybody speak to ways in which she builds community? And ways in which she might destroy the feeling of community? TEC is a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse school. No place is perfect, but we have a nice community feel. We also have the common equity problems one might find throughout DC. |
Anonymous
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Can someone explain what specific policies she dismantled and what ideas she tried to replace them with? Trying to get more specifics. Asking in response to: “ She was warmly welcomed by the community in her first year, and people only realized how awful she was after she dismantled everything that had been working, only to replace it all with her ideas, which didn’t work out. ”
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Anonymous
Between her first and second years, 15 teachers left Watkins. Half of classroom teachers, plus all specials teachers. One of the specials teachers used to organize amazing musical performances for kids as young as first grade. She pulled amazing performances out of kids - she was magical. Bell drove her out, though she ended up at Stuart-Hobson, thank goodness, so her talent found a good home. Bell eliminated the computer teacher’s job. Parents warned her that by eliminating the computer instruction, the kids who already struggled on PARCC exams would be at a greater disadvantage. She realized we were right two years later, but by then, she didn’t have the budget to get a new computer teacher, so she ended up using an aide as a “technology coach” which basically meant that kids played coding games during that “instructional time.” The aide had no idea how to teach computers, as his background was not in teaching, but in retail. She eliminated the science and math programs, which had been enhanced by the previous administration. No more First in Math, My On, or other competitive programs. Award assemblies and spelling bees were also gone. She also cut funding for FoodPrints, leaving the entire bill for both Peabody and Watkins to the PTA, but she would often brag about “supporting” FoodPrints. Developmental design curriculum and morning meetings (part of Responsive Classrooms) were also eliminated. She also made changes to the timing of the school day at both Peabody and Watkins without inquiring why the schedules were set as they were. She learned quickly that her new schedules wouldn’t work, and the schedules were adjusted again the following year. Bell eliminated aides, who provided extra eyes and ears in multiple classrooms, and were able to help with small group instruction. Now, there is only one aide left at Watkins. At Peabody, she ended sibling continuation with the same teacher (which had been encouraged to help with parent-teacher relationships). She ended it, claiming that there might be unfair favoritism, without examining whether that was actually happening. I could go on, and on. It’s one unnecessary and painful change after another. We had to try to rebuild everything, but because of the way she made cuts, we lost the budget for a lot of them too. She really damaged Watkins. Peabody will recover, we think, though, teachers there are tired, so we’ll have to see. Our general view is that things can only get better, and we’re cautiously optimistic. |
Anonymous
She does not build communities; she builds cults, much like Trump. The way she divides is she convinces black and brown parents that their kids would be doing better if the white families would only leave the school. She rolls her eyes at parents who make valid suggestions about school operations. She “always knows better” except that she is clueless about almost everything. She lies about discussions she has with parents, especially if they’re on the PTA. And then unsuspecting parents witnessing all of this in a public meeting, like a PTA or LSAT meeting, are left to assume that the parents must be lying because “what principal would lie” about stuff like that??!! Yes, what kind of person, let alone a principal, would lie about stuff like that??!! |
Anonymous
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I really hope that things are better at Takoma and you all do not have to go through what we did. I can only speak to our family experience with Principal Bell. I hesitate to put this out there in a public forum but I also wish that I had known more about her leadership style when she came to the Cluster. Other people have had different experiences with her.
I was a HUGE fan of Principal Bell her first year. She was very engaging and I thought her work to recognize and tackle the racial achievement gap at our schools was really important. She held several workshops and seemed to be bringing people together. After her first year, when half the teachers left Watkins, it gave me real pause. Then a number of programs also went away, including the responsive classroom, as another poster mentioned. We also lost two APs at the school that I think had been keeping these things going in her first year. There were months where there was no official communication from the Principal. She did not respond to emails. The Science Fair was not held and there was no science curriculum ... we went without an Art teacher and librarian. She did not believe in field trips so there were years when our children had no field trips outside of the MLK speech, including the traditional 4th grade trip to Philadelphia and other events that were something the kids really looked forward to. One year there was no student government ... the elections just didn't happen. I was concerned that many of the programs, events and other activities my children loved were just not happening, with no explanation of why things changed. There was nothing in their place. She did not provide an overall strategy for closing the achievement gap and academics were suffering. But what really did it for us was the lack of support for teachers and anything that would help improve the classroom environment - including trying to get more help and aids. This past year things deteriorated so much with the parent community that she instituted a policy that parents were not allowed to come and volunteer in the classroom. One of my child's teachers was having a lot of trouble with managing kids in the classroom - my child was miserable, learning very little and being bullied. We left in the middle of the year because these issues were not addressed. She only became interested in helping us when I told the school we were moving our child. And we were not the only family that made a decision like that. Many times we talk about these issues in the abstract... but I believe there are real and lasting consequences to what I consider to be her failures as a leader, and we have seen those repercussions with our child and the aftermath of changes at Watkins and Peabody. Rather than try and build the community and act as a bridge between different groups, I always felt she would use her role to widen the divide. Since we left Watkins and Peabody, we have been at other local DCPS schools that also have differences in race, income and other measures. I am not saying there are not challenges in those communities - but the difference, I believe, is that the leaders of those schools (both black and white principals) actively work to build up the community. It became very clear after a few years that Principal Bell did not have that interest during her time at the Cluster. |
Anonymous
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I don't have a dog in this fight but it seems like there is a laundry list of what she took away without mention of what did she actually try to do? What was her agenda? Where did the money go? Did she implement or change anything?
Not that I am doubting or dismissing anything here but it also reads like 1 or maybe 2 parents are doing all the posting about this, based on language and syntax. Are there any other voices? |
Anonymous
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Here is my list of specifics
1. Removal of the dean of students from the budget - which was the only person who brought any joy and programming like the student government, spelling bee and other extra feel goods to the school day 2. School was modernized with a science lab, collaborative space and computer lab - all of which she wouldn’t allow teachers to use or funded in any way 3. Field trips - gone unless parents or teachers filled out a 9 page form to get it approved - instructional time is king - the school has no joy 4. Communication- she is the worst at this - can’t do a weekly update on a regular basis - won’t answer emails or engage on the listserv - the PTA ghost wrote her weekly communication for the first year to help her and when she took it back over in year two she never could get it done 5. Teacher retention- we lost a massive amount of teachers during her time - ones that have been with Watkins for double digit years! Ones who you look forward to your kid having 6. She had no idea how to unite a group of people and she likes the dysfunction as it creates discord and takes the focus off her |
Anonymous
| A Trumper vs a black woman educator is never good optics for DC. |
Anonymous
I haven't not posted previously, but my child is at Watkins and have personally experienced and seen what other posters have said. As for where the money went, that's a good question. Watkins has two assistant principals, while Peabody has 1. That is three AP's, each pulling an AP salary, for one elementary school, plus herself. Is that common? |
Anonymous
| I really do wish the best of luck to TEC. |
Anonymous
The perception of this was so convenient for Bell and DCPS. The reality was that about 30 families met with DCPS about Bell’s performance issues. All but one of them were progressives. |
Anonymous
Same, haven’t posted previously. She was a bad administrator, bad at communication, and divisive. Her goal was to improve the achievement gap, which everyone supported, but her only strategy there was weekend test prep courses. If the next principal just keeps the trains running it will be an improvement. |
Anonymous
I know she cooperated with the article, but anyone could have leaked the listserv, right? I’m no fan but I hesitate to pin that on the outgoing principal. |