Will any new families be sending their kids to SSFS next year?

[Anonymous]

We were going to enroll for 9th grade but have decided against it, which was a tough decision. My DD was so excited to spend her upper school years there but with the abrupt closure, then reopening, we're not going to gamble with her high school education. We spoke with a few too many families that were planning on attending just next year so they can go through the school search process not in crisis mode. We worry that enrollment will drop significantly after next year and we'd be in the same spot again.....

[Anonymous]

Same with us but my son is entering 7th. It isn't worth the gamble (to us).

[Anonymous]

Do you browse the private school forums? Currently you can read about concerns at GFS, Holton, and Stone Ridge. Go.back a few weeks and you can find concerns about Fields,SAAS. All private school's are a gamble. You gamble with finances, teacher turnover, whether the student population is a good fit for your kid, etc.

There are no absolutes in this game for better or worse and that includes SSFS. Just do the best you can to find a school that feels right. For that reason we are taking the gamble with SSFS.

[Anonymous]

It is seems really risky because students who are doing well in school and do not have any emotional /behavioral problems are leaving because they are able to get into other private schools. This frees up a bunch of spaces so from a financial standpoint the school is going take students who couldn't get into any other private school or who were counseled out of their private school.

The same thing with teachers. Any quality, go-getter teacher is going to try to get another job and will be hired somewhere else. Teachers who aren't hired elsewhere maybe just have bad timing, or teach a subject that does not have openings, or maybe isn't stellar. Who knows? Chances are there will be a decline in the student body and teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Former SSFS parent here (this is our last year for obvious reasons). I'm wondering: since many folks are leaving SSFS, will any new families be coming? If so, why? And if not, how on earth will SSFS stay in business? Are they decreasing their budget?

Sorry, I'm just a bit frantic right now. Aaaaaaahhhhh

Why are you frantic? And why do you care now about whether new people are coming or not? Stop creating new threads.

Yeah, at this point you seem addicted to the drama. Just be glad you've found a school you like and wish SSFS well. And move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is seems really risky because students who are doing well in school and do not have any emotional /behavioral problems are leaving because they are able to get into other private schools. This frees up a bunch of spaces so from a financial standpoint the school is going take students who couldn't get into any other private school or who were counseled out of their private school.

The same thing with teachers. Any quality, go-getter teacher is going to try to get another job and will be hired somewhere else. Teachers who aren't hired elsewhere maybe just have bad timing, or teach a subject that does not have openings, or maybe isn't stellar. Who knows? Chances are there will be a decline in the student body and teachers.

Oh look, another post full of negative assumptions.

SSFS has always admitted students who don't necessarily get into other privates. So? What kind of biased or elitist or deficit mindset point are you attempting to make?

And regarding teachers- you fail to consider two simple facts: 1) Excellent teachers are staying at SSFS because they love the school and 2) review the dcum forums to read about teacher turnover at many privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is seems really risky because students who are doing well in school and do not have any emotional /behavioral problems are leaving because they are able to get into other private schools. This frees up a bunch of spaces so from a financial standpoint the school is going take students who couldn't get into any other private school or who were counseled out of their private school.

The same thing with teachers. Any quality, go-getter teacher is going to try to get another job and will be hired somewhere else. Teachers who aren't hired elsewhere maybe just have bad timing, or teach a subject that does not have openings, or maybe isn't stellar. Who knows? Chances are there will be a decline in the student body and teachers.

Many "quality go-getter" teachers are staying at SSFS because they believe in the value of the school.

Take your false-choice unstructured assumptions to another forum because "chances are" you have no relationship with this school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is seems really risky because students who are doing well in school and do not have any emotional /behavioral problems are leaving because they are able to get into other private schools. This frees up a bunch of spaces so from a financial standpoint the school is going take students who couldn't get into any other private school or who were counseled out of their private school.

The same thing with teachers. Any quality, go-getter teacher is going to try to get another job and will be hired somewhere else. Teachers who aren't hired elsewhere maybe just have bad timing, or teach a subject that does not have openings, or maybe isn't stellar. Who knows? Chances are there will be a decline in the student body and teachers.

Many "quality go-getter" teachers are staying at SSFS because they believe in the value of the school.

Take your false-choice unstructured assumptions to another forum because "chances are" you have no relationship with this school.

Freely admit I have nothing to do with the school, just procrastinating. It can be helpful though to get a completely neutral person's opinion. I've worked in education for 25 years.

Unless the school has a sizable number of well off teachers who don't need the income, for them to "believe in the value of the school" is not going to pay their mortgage if the school closes and they are unemployed. Nothing against any of the teachers. Sometimes it might be they have a family that hopefully comes first or some other issue in their life that makes it hard to be a "go-getter" at this point in their lives, so it has to be incredibly stressful for every teacher there. It will be hard for them to get raises in the near future, and there will be turn over in the student body, so I feel for the teachers. There are always options for students even if they aren't the first or second choice of the family. Not true for the staff!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you browse the private school forums? Currently you can read about concerns at GFS, Holton, and Stone Ridge. Go.back a few weeks and you can find concerns about Fields,SAAS. All private school's are a gamble. You gamble with finances, teacher turnover, whether the student population is a good fit for your kid, etc.

There are no absolutes in this game for better or worse and that includes SSFS. Just do the best you can to find a school that feels right. For that reason we are taking the gamble with SSFS.

Sure there are concerns about other schools, there always will be! This is QUITE different and everyone knows it. A school in such serious debt that informs their teachers about the closing of the entire school 15 minutes before sending a notice to the rest of the community? They had just hired a new HoS and a new HoMS, even while the Board has preparing for the close. Then a week later, decides to stay open? NO other private in the area has done this so there is NO comparison to the posts about other schools!

[Anonymous]

As long as there is a new Board in place and not the same people who oversaw the debacle that was the past year, I would feel better. Can anyone confirm if there is a new Board in place (or in process)? I know that was one of the items the coalition was serious about (understandably).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As long as there is a new Board in place and not the same people who oversaw the debacle that was the past year, I would feel better. Can anyone confirm if there is a new Board in place (or in process)? I know that was one of the items the coalition was serious about (understandably).

Yes, the board is being restructured. Part of the restructure has happened, part still in progress. I think there is a June or July date for the new board tenure to begin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is seems really risky because students who are doing well in school and do not have any emotional /behavioral problems are leaving because they are able to get into other private schools. This frees up a bunch of spaces so from a financial standpoint the school is going take students who couldn't get into any other private school or who were counseled out of their private school.

The same thing with teachers. Any quality, go-getter teacher is going to try to get another job and will be hired somewhere else. Teachers who aren't hired elsewhere maybe just have bad timing, or teach a subject that does not have openings, or maybe isn't stellar. Who knows? Chances are there will be a decline in the student body and teachers.

Many "quality go-getter" teachers are staying at SSFS because they believe in the value of the school.

Take your false-choice unstructured assumptions to another forum because "chances are" you have no relationship with this school.

Freely admit I have nothing to do with the school, just procrastinating. It can be helpful though to get a completely neutral person's opinion. I've worked in education for 25 years.

Unless the school has a sizable number of well off teachers who don't need the income, for them to "believe in the value of the school" is not going to pay their mortgage if the school closes and they are unemployed. Nothing against any of the teachers. Sometimes it might be they have a family that hopefully comes first or some other issue in their life that makes it hard to be a "go-getter" at this point in their lives, so it has to be incredibly stressful for every teacher there. It will be hard for them to get raises in the near future, and there will be turn over in the student body, so I feel for the teachers. There are always options for students even if they aren't the first or second choice of the family. Not true for the staff!

If you've been in education for 25 years then you should be able to recognize that your post is full of nothing more than unsubstantiated speculation. Educators should have the kind of media literacy and communication skills that you lack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you browse the private school forums? Currently you can read about concerns at GFS, Holton, and Stone Ridge. Go.back a few weeks and you can find concerns about Fields,SAAS. All private school's are a gamble. You gamble with finances, teacher turnover, whether the student population is a good fit for your kid, etc.

There are no absolutes in this game for better or worse and that includes SSFS. Just do the best you can to find a school that feels right. For that reason we are taking the gamble with SSFS.

Sure there are concerns about other schools, there always will be! This is QUITE different and everyone knows it. A school in such serious debt that informs their teachers about the closing of the entire school 15 minutes before sending a notice to the rest of the community? They had just hired a new HoS and a new HoMS, even while the Board has preparing for the close. Then a week later, decides to stay open? NO other private in the area has done this so there is NO comparison to the posts about other schools!

Whatever you need to do to convince yourself that YOUR school is the better choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you browse the private school forums? Currently you can read about concerns at GFS, Holton, and Stone Ridge. Go.back a few weeks and you can find concerns about Fields,SAAS. All private school's are a gamble. You gamble with finances, teacher turnover, whether the student population is a good fit for your kid, etc.

There are no absolutes in this game for better or worse and that includes SSFS. Just do the best you can to find a school that feels right. For that reason we are taking the gamble with SSFS.

Sure there are concerns about other schools, there always will be! This is QUITE different and everyone knows it. A school in such serious debt that informs their teachers about the closing of the entire school 15 minutes before sending a notice to the rest of the community? They had just hired a new HoS and a new HoMS, even while the Board has preparing for the close. Then a week later, decides to stay open? NO other private in the area has done this so there is NO comparison to the posts about other schools!

Whatever you need to do to convince yourself that YOUR school is the better choice.

Yikes, man. Walk away. You're making SSFS look bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you browse the private school forums? Currently you can read about concerns at GFS, Holton, and Stone Ridge. Go.back a few weeks and you can find concerns about Fields,SAAS. All private school's are a gamble. You gamble with finances, teacher turnover, whether the student population is a good fit for your kid, etc.

There are no absolutes in this game for better or worse and that includes SSFS. Just do the best you can to find a school that feels right. For that reason we are taking the gamble with SSFS.

Sure there are concerns about other schools, there always will be! This is QUITE different and everyone knows it. A school in such serious debt that informs their teachers about the closing of the entire school 15 minutes before sending a notice to the rest of the community? They had just hired a new HoS and a new HoMS, even while the Board has preparing for the close. Then a week later, decides to stay open? NO other private in the area has done this so there is NO comparison to the posts about other schools!

Whatever you need to do to convince yourself that YOUR school is the better choice.

Yikes, man. Walk away. You're making SSFS look bad.

Oh good grief. Don't assume that this is from an SSFS community member. Every forum has posted and trolls.