What is going on at Holton?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are new family entering 6th. I, for one, believe that the school will do its best to meet the needs of that small cohort. It would make no sense for Holton to hold back girls who really need to fly in math. It’s not to their advantage either. The past 18 months were unprecedented. Let’s give them benefit of the doubt here!

If you are a new family at 6th grade, why would you believe that the school will meet the needs of a small group? That is the biggest complaint here. That blanket policies are being made without input from families and without regard to individual concerns. Sure, you can hope for whatever. But everyone else here is speaking from specific personal experience.

[Anonymous]

I can speak from experience that they absolutely do hold back girls in math when the school
Finds it necessary for other reasons. Perhaps the girl needs less rigor, more 1-1, only thrives with intervention. It has its reasons.

[Anonymous]

do you really think the administration should include parents in their curriculum decisions? That just wouldn’t work. There are around 500 families there and judging by this thread alone there is no way everyone would agree. It’s not possible. But there are so many opportunities for you to ask questions transparently like the monthly parent coffees for each grade with HOS and other heads of divisions. Most people choose a school based on its reputation for academics, its culture fit for your child and then you trust the school to do its job. If you lose that trust, then maybe you should leave, but you don’t get to tell the school how to run its program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:do you really think the administration should include parents in their curriculum decisions? That just wouldn’t work. There are around 500 families there and judging by this thread alone there is no way everyone would agree. It’s not possible. But there are so many opportunities for you to ask questions transparently like the monthly parent coffees for each grade with HOS and other heads of divisions. Most people choose a school based on its reputation for academics, its culture fit for your child and then you trust the school to do its job. If you lose that trust, then maybe you should leave, but you don’t get to tell the school how to run its program.

Of course! This is not a dictatorship of the Head of School. It is a nonprofit that is governed by a Board that can hire and fire. If parents are not happy about her performance they don't just sit there and wait for a coffee to speak their minds. They are free to communicate however they want.

[Anonymous]

Of course they are but a previous poster suggested being in on curriculum design. These people are professionals with years of experience and Masters and PhDs in their field. I don’t know why moms think they are qualified to help design curriculum. You can certainly share your opinion at any time but you aren’t running the show. Just like you don’t run any other business, retail or whatever. You can voice your thoughts but shouldn’t “be consulted.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are but a previous poster suggested being in on curriculum design. These people are professionals with years of experience and Masters and PhDs in their field. I don’t know why moms think they are qualified to help design curriculum. You can certainly share your opinion at any time but you aren’t running the show. Just like you don’t run any other business, retail or whatever. You can voice your thoughts but shouldn’t “be consulted.”

I disagree. If the parents are not happy with the way things are being run, they won't be supportive. They won't donate or participate. The Head of School is not an autocrat but serves under a contract with the Board. So it is really up to the Board to decide if she is handling decisions properly or not. Community engagement and transparency are critical to fundraising success. I'm surprised she has lasted in this position for so long considering all of the gripes on this board... And the complaints about her that don't make it to this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are but a previous poster suggested being in on curriculum design. These people are professionals with years of experience and Masters and PhDs in their field. I don’t know why moms think they are qualified to help design curriculum. You can certainly share your opinion at any time but you aren’t running the show. Just like you don’t run any other business, retail or whatever. You can voice your thoughts but shouldn’t “be consulted.”

Holtons head of school is no expert in this field. She does not even have a teaching degree or certificate.

[Anonymous]

Only 35 plus years in the field. Not all parents are unhappy. We are a very happy Holton family of multiple girls. We love the place and all it has to offer. It’s a great school and my girls are/were involved in so many things in addition to the excellent academics.

[Anonymous]

Why do you assume the HOS made the MS math decision?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course they are but a previous poster suggested being in on curriculum design. These people are professionals with years of experience and Masters and PhDs in their field. I don’t know why moms think they are qualified to help design curriculum. You can certainly share your opinion at any time but you aren’t running the show. Just like you don’t run any other business, retail or whatever. You can voice your thoughts but shouldn’t “be consulted.”

I disagree as well. Parents (and students) have been consulted on other decisions in the past, including academic decisions. True, they don't get to make actual decisions, but their input should be considered to make a thoughtful, and hopefully semi-transparent, decision. A private school is more than a typical business where people can easily leave if they don't like the service. There are many interested stakeholders and as mentioned in other posts, parents are an important source of fundraising and many often serve on the board. I do agree that attacking the HoS on this is not fair or appropriate.

[Anonymous]

I do not assume the HOS made the MS math decision; the head of the middle school pushed for this change. The issue with the HOS, is that she continues to support the head of the middle school who is a train wreck. The Math curriculum is just one of her many failures.

[Anonymous]

So.. most of this argument is about whether kids are allowed to take Geometry in 8th grade or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you assume the HOS made the MS math decision?

HoS is responsible for every decision made. She is not a volunteer. She gets paid more than $700k and lives for free on campus to do her job. MS is a total mess. Nothing like the previous division director. Who is accountable for all of these bad decisions? HoS is.

This post is about what is going on at Holton. I would really like to hear more about the sexual harassment claims than MS math. That is more troubling to me. I would like to know if the school is being proactive to protect our girls so it doesn't happen again. Or they are training personnel to deal with it? Would not want HoS to deny it's existence.

[Anonymous]

Someone told me the Trustees are on the cusp of doing something major. Not sure if it's a personnel change or what that means...

[Anonymous]

New poster here. LS DD was very bored in math last year, and like prior posters said, the school ignored the situation. Very frustrating.