SSFS Will Stay Open

[Anonymous]

Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

[Anonymous]

I find all perspectives useful. Coming here to just hear ppl say it’s rosy or all ppl saying it’s doomsday is not useful. Hearing all the pros and cons people are considering helps us think things from all angles. Please keep perspectives, opinions and advice coming!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can just… scroll on. You are angry. We get it. But this is a message board. Message boards are full of people offering opinions. You can chastise people all you want, but you can’t control what people post. You’re not the arbiter.

You lost this argument when you assumed from an anonymous post of written words that a poster was anger. And when you failed to distinguish between opinions and advice. The call was for people to stop giving advice since this isn't a forum that was asking for it. The call wasn't for people to stop posting opinions about the topic of SSFS closing and now staying open. Move along.

Here’s an opinion: people are feeling a lot less sorry for your predicament now based on your attitude.

Here’s an advice: stop telling people what to do before they start to celebrate your misfortune.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can just… scroll on. You are angry. We get it. But this is a message board. Message boards are full of people offering opinions. You can chastise people all you want, but you can’t control what people post. You’re not the arbiter.

You lost this argument when you assumed from an anonymous post of written words that a poster was anger. And when you failed to distinguish between opinions and advice. The call was for people to stop giving advice since this isn't a forum that was asking for it. The call wasn't for people to stop posting opinions about the topic of SSFS closing and now staying open. Move along.

Here’s an opinion: people are feeling a lot less sorry for your predicament now based on your attitude.

Here’s an advice: stop telling people what to do before they start to celebrate your misfortune.

Now we understand why you assume someone is defensive or angry - projecting.

I very much appreciate hearing the opinions about all that has happened at SSFS and the perspectives that form their opinions about all that has happened and all that we still don't know. I question however, those on this particular forum that are advising people to stay or leave or advising people of certain grade levels to stay or leave. It seems unsolicited and therefore rather condescending since that decision is a highly personal one. Regardless of whether you agree with that sentiment, I would not celebrate anyone's misfortune.

For those of you wanting to hear from people you can be sure are actually SSFS families about how they are making such difficult decisions, I encourage you to reach out to your grade level PA reps as many of them have been organizing zoom sessions and get togethers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

You can be very happy for SSFS if it survives especially if you’ve moved on. You tell your kid that SSFS’ future was uncertain when you made your decision and you did what you thought was best for your family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can just… scroll on. You are angry. We get it. But this is a message board. Message boards are full of people offering opinions. You can chastise people all you want, but you can’t control what people post. You’re not the arbiter.

You lost this argument when you assumed from an anonymous post of written words that a poster was anger. And when you failed to distinguish between opinions and advice. The call was for people to stop giving advice since this isn't a forum that was asking for it. The call wasn't for people to stop posting opinions about the topic of SSFS closing and now staying open. Move along.

Here’s an opinion: people are feeling a lot less sorry for your predicament now based on your attitude.

Here’s an advice: stop telling people what to do before they start to celebrate your misfortune.

Now we understand why you assume someone is defensive or angry - projecting.

I very much appreciate hearing the opinions about all that has happened at SSFS and the perspectives that form their opinions about all that has happened and all that we still don't know. I question however, those on this particular forum that are advising people to stay or leave or advising people of certain grade levels to stay or leave. It seems unsolicited and therefore rather condescending since that decision is a highly personal one. Regardless of whether you agree with that sentiment, I would not celebrate anyone's misfortune.

For those of you wanting to hear from people you can be sure are actually SSFS families about how they are making such difficult decisions, I encourage you to reach out to your grade level PA reps as many of them have been organizing zoom sessions and get togethers.

Maybe some families are more skeptical and critical of everything they hear given what has happened. They may want outside perspectives because they don’t trust the echo chamber and pressure to stay for the good of the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

This is exactly the kind of pressure I was referring to. Rather than validating the very real situation that is leading people to think about moving our kids, this guilting is pretty stifling. It’s having the opposite of its intended effect.

[Anonymous]

We’re a current SSFS family and we are following through with our applications and will see what happens. We don’t get a sense of urgency from the school in addressing the board and financial issues. What they provided in the FAQS so far seems to be okay with a lot of families but not ours. Too much money and too big of a risk to be fooled again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

You can be very happy for SSFS if it survives especially if you’ve moved on. You tell your kid that SSFS’ future was uncertain when you made your decision and you did what you thought was best for your family.

For the people on here who want advice - does that help you? Of course it doesn't because it lacks the personal context of what only you know about your kids and their thought processes, about your finances, about why you chose SSFS in the first place, about your emotions regarding how SSFS has and is handling things, about your kids relationships with their classmates, perhaps about the other schools you may have looked at over the last 2 weeks, and on and on and on. If we're going to offer advice then my advice is to find ways to have actual conversations with folks you know are actual parents at SSFS who are wrestling with these difficult decisions and worries. In conversation with others who you know are going through the same difficult process you can talk about all the nuances of the decision before you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re a current SSFS family and we are following through with our applications and will see what happens. We don’t get a sense of urgency from the school in addressing the board and financial issues. What they provided in the FAQS so far seems to be okay with a lot of families but not ours. Too much money and too big of a risk to be fooled again.

I’m sorry your family is going through this. I genuinely hope you will find a place your child will be happy and thrive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

This is exactly the kind of pressure I was referring to. Rather than validating the very real situation that is leading people to think about moving our kids, this guilting is pretty stifling. It’s having the opposite of its intended effect.

How is this question any more guilt inducing than the question to Ask yourself how you'll feel if you have to explain your child why you didn't move? I don't see how either question is helpful particularly as they appear as one offs in an anonymous forum. The situation we are all in IS real and it IS leading people to thinking about moving. The whole situation stinks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

You can be very happy for SSFS if it survives especially if you’ve moved on. You tell your kid that SSFS’ future was uncertain when you made your decision and you did what you thought was best for your family.

For the people on here who want advice - does that help you? Of course it doesn't because it lacks the personal context of what only you know about your kids and their thought processes, about your finances, about why you chose SSFS in the first place, about your emotions regarding how SSFS has and is handling things, about your kids relationships with their classmates, perhaps about the other schools you may have looked at over the last 2 weeks, and on and on and on. If we're going to offer advice then my advice is to find ways to have actual conversations with folks you know are actual parents at SSFS who are wrestling with these difficult decisions and worries. In conversation with others who you know are going through the same difficult process you can talk about all the nuances of the decision before you.

You are exactly why some parents want to come here for advice. They don’t want to be guilted into staying. They don’t want to be judged or brow beaten for asking unpopular questions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ummm - I’m a SSFS parent and am appreciating people’s comments and advice. What the Friends Coalition has done with raising money is truly remarkable and made me marvel at our community. But our family is not sure what we are going to do, and the SSFS slack channels are full now of boosters who are desperate to retain as many families as possible. So every comment expressing concern or doubt gets jumped on and it’s getting pretty hard to have open dialogue about the unresolved worries people have. We are feeling pretty alone and unable to talk about our next steps.

I’m very happy for your family that you have more options to choose from versus a few days ago. What the Friends Coalition has achieved is truly impressive. However, ask yourself how you would feel if the current plan fell through and you have to explain to your child why you didn’t explore all other options.

Or ask yourself how you will feel if SSFS survives well and you have to explain to your child why you moved them from a school they loved and perhaps from friends they loved?

You can be very happy for SSFS if it survives especially if you’ve moved on. You tell your kid that SSFS’ future was uncertain when you made your decision and you did what you thought was best for your family.

For the people on here who want advice - does that help you? Of course it doesn't because it lacks the personal context of what only you know about your kids and their thought processes, about your finances, about why you chose SSFS in the first place, about your emotions regarding how SSFS has and is handling things, about your kids relationships with their classmates, perhaps about the other schools you may have looked at over the last 2 weeks, and on and on and on. If we're going to offer advice then my advice is to find ways to have actual conversations with folks you know are actual parents at SSFS who are wrestling with these difficult decisions and worries. In conversation with others who you know are going through the same difficult process you can talk about all the nuances of the decision before you.

You are exactly why some parents want to come here for advice. They don’t want to be guilted into staying. They don’t want to be judged or brow beaten for asking unpopular questions.

I'm not sure how you reached this interpretation since we are also a family wrestling with leaving. I can hardly attempt to make someone feel guilty about something that I may choose for my own family - which is to leave.