Springbrook HS Staff Letter

[Anonymous]

Are you okay? Yes, principles are supposed to put rules in place. However, the fact that you find all of this “minor” says a lot about you and how ignorant you are. This simply is not “putting rules in place,” this is abusing the power handed to you. Regardless of your position, you treat the people you work with and the people you are technically accountable for with respect like you would want for yourself.. especially as a leader of the entire school. There is a high level of abuse in power here, and teachers come to SBHS everyday stressed, and uneasy. I feel for them and I feel as if you are not affiliated with SBHS and never was, this isn’t your conversation to jump into because you simply do not know everything going on inside that school based on the fact that half of the things that happen are COVERED UP for the image.. for HER image so therefore, what would you know below the surface level? Sexual assaults are covered and taken lightly, bullying within her and the staff, when danger is presented at the school, they send out a email after it was “taken care of,” even though, it seems to be a reoccurring issue every time, as well as the mental and emotional abuse that the staff take on is extremely unacceptable and should NOT be tolerated and looked over but I also would not put it past MCPS to tread lightly with heavy situations as such. Do not invalidate the feeling of others actually being treated horribly by Valentine. And, honestly as for you, unacceptable input from a person who lacks experience within this topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you okay? Yes, principles are supposed to put rules in place. However, the fact that you find all of this “minor” says a lot about you and how ignorant you are. This simply is not “putting rules in place,” this is abusing the power handed to you. Regardless of your position, you treat the people you work with and the people you are technically accountable for with respect like you would want for yourself.. especially as a leader of the entire school. There is a high level of abuse in power here, and teachers come to SBHS everyday stressed, and uneasy. I feel for them and I feel as if you are not affiliated with SBHS and never was, this isn’t your conversation to jump into because you simply do not know everything going on inside that school based on the fact that half of the things that happen are COVERED UP for the image.. for HER image so therefore, what would you know below the surface level? Sexual assaults are covered and taken lightly, bullying within her and the staff, when danger is presented at the school, they send out a email after it was “taken care of,” even though, it seems to be a reoccurring issue every time, as well as the mental and emotional abuse that the staff take on is extremely unacceptable and should NOT be tolerated and looked over but I also would not put it past MCPS to tread lightly with heavy situations as such. Do not invalidate the feeling of others actually being treated horribly by Valentine. And, honestly as for you, unacceptable input from a person who lacks experience within this topic.

+1000 well said. It’s transfer season and I strongly encourage Springbrook teachers transfer. MCPS will take too long to act. Toxic work environments do so much damage to your health. It’s not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you okay? Yes, principles are supposed to put rules in place. However, the fact that you find all of this “minor” says a lot about you and how ignorant you are. This simply is not “putting rules in place,” this is abusing the power handed to you. Regardless of your position, you treat the people you work with and the people you are technically accountable for with respect like you would want for yourself.. especially as a leader of the entire school. There is a high level of abuse in power here, and teachers come to SBHS everyday stressed, and uneasy. I feel for them and I feel as if you are not affiliated with SBHS and never was, this isn’t your conversation to jump into because you simply do not know everything going on inside that school based on the fact that half of the things that happen are COVERED UP for the image.. for HER image so therefore, what would you know below the surface level? Sexual assaults are covered and taken lightly, bullying within her and the staff, when danger is presented at the school, they send out a email after it was “taken care of,” even though, it seems to be a reoccurring issue every time, as well as the mental and emotional abuse that the staff take on is extremely unacceptable and should NOT be tolerated and looked over but I also would not put it past MCPS to tread lightly with heavy situations as such. Do not invalidate the feeling of others actually being treated horribly by Valentine. And, honestly as for you, unacceptable input from a person who lacks experience within this topic.

+1000 well said. It’s transfer season and I strongly encourage Springbrook teachers transfer. MCPS will take too long to act. Toxic work environments do so much damage to your health. It’s not worth it.

Unfortunately, some of these staff members will be blocked by Valentine. I know of several leaders she blocked from taking lateral moves and promotions in the last two years because she “needed them” aka wanted to torment them more.

[Anonymous]

I left MCPS because of dealing with the toxic principal at White Oak for several years. They bleed staff and she is constantly being reported to the union for her passive-aggressive emails and favoritism toward staff, even openly flirting with male staff members. I knew nothing would ever be done so I left. The pay cut I took going to Howard County is well worth it for having a principal that lifts staff up and is more focused on building community than upholding an image.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is happening with special education? Is this concern impacting students or special education staff?

Of course!! Staff leaves and paras are used as substitutes to cover every class except the ones they’re needed in. Students with IEPs and 504s aren’t getting supports because there is SUPPOSED to be additional staff in a room. However, this is a state and nation-wide issue currently with a major teacher shortage in SpEd. It just impacts these schools more because people are more likely to leave toxic environments and admin would never let parents know if their children aren’t getting supports because of the lack of staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left MCPS because of dealing with the toxic principal at White Oak for several years. They bleed staff and she is constantly being reported to the union for her passive-aggressive emails and favoritism toward staff, even openly flirting with male staff members. I knew nothing would ever be done so I left. The pay cut I took going to Howard County is well worth it for having a principal that lifts staff up and is more focused on building community than upholding an image.

More bad behavior overlooked by CO. De Los Santos is another well-known bully who gets away with it in the long run. Inexcusable.

[Anonymous]

Can we encourage staff at other schools to do the same? I commend these teachers for speaking out. I think we should begin compiling a list of all MCPS leaders who engage in bullying, favoritism, and intimidation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we encourage staff at other schools to do the same? I commend these teachers for speaking out. I think we should begin compiling a list of all MCPS leaders who engage in bullying, favoritism, and intimidation.

We absolutely should.

But then I have another question: Where the hell is the MCEA? Isn't the whole point of having Elected Faculty Reps (EFRs) so that these issues don't get suppressed and stifled? Why is MCEA so uninvolved in climates and cultures that harm staff?

It seems like the only thing MCEA does is collude with the BOE and the County Council to increase the budget, with zero accountability for failed outcomes by MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can we encourage staff at other schools to do the same? I commend these teachers for speaking out. I think we should begin compiling a list of all MCPS leaders who engage in bullying, favoritism, and intimidation.

We absolutely should.

But then I have another question: Where the hell is the MCEA? Isn't the whole point of having Elected Faculty Reps (EFRs) so that these issues don't get suppressed and stifled? Why is MCEA so uninvolved in climates and cultures that harm staff?

It seems like the only thing MCEA does is collude with the BOE and the County Council to increase the budget, with zero accountability for failed outcomes by MCPS.

I've heard that admin at some schools intimidate EFRs and make them adjust meeting notes.

[Anonymous]

These apathetic turd admin is the reason why there is a severe shortage nationwide. Check out the show Vice Principals. It shows how the system works.

[Anonymous]

The problem is that a lot of these admin are "old school" and don't understand that the internet can expose them. As someone said above me - THIS is a huge reason why there's a teacher shortage. EXPOSE THEM AND DON'T LET UP!

[Anonymous]

Did Springbrook letter writing teachers hear back, from Taylor or anyone? Maybe it was mentioned in a previous post didn't read all of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did Springbrook letter writing teachers hear back, from Taylor or anyone? Maybe it was mentioned in a previous post didn't read all of them.

Supposedly Valentine and Donna Redmond-Jones addressed the letter during ILT, but that’s all that’s been shared thus far.

[Anonymous]

Has there been any changes to principal evaluations recently? You know, with the whole JB scandal from last year? Or does the principal/admin union not want there to be any changes.

Maybe if bad principals were held accountable, good ones would stay and we wouldn't have this shortage. How many strong principals have left the school system that might otherwise have had some steam left in them to keep doing good work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has there been any changes to principal evaluations recently? You know, with the whole JB scandal from last year? Or does the principal/admin union not want there to be any changes.

Maybe if bad principals were held accountable, good ones would stay and we wouldn't have this shortage. How many strong principals have left the school system that might otherwise have had some steam left in them to keep doing good work?

The system is flawed as mediocre principals are often promoted to Directors to supervise other mediocre or worse principals. Once in a while a highly effective principal is promoted, but it is mostly a shell game.