DCPS cuts - Murch might lose school counselor position?

[Anonymous]

Anyone make it to the meeting at Murch? Couldn't leave work that early. Would love an update. Is the issue really $, space, or that they have to sacrifice a body to satisfy downtown?

[Anonymous]

The issue is that the principal submitted budget without the Counselor position without any input from thecommunity against therecommendation of the LSAT. It is not that this ward 3 school is a "bad fit" fir a social worker. It's that she wants to get rid of this counselor who gives the teachers strength, is implementing responsive classroom as a schoolwide behavior prevention and management program, and that the principal doesnot thinkthe social and emotional goals identified during the strategic planning process are even worth mentioning,never mind implementing. The issue is that she isso disrespectful andcondesending to teachers that weareatgreat risk of many of them leaving. Btw,Lafayette and oyster Adams have counselors in their submitted budgets for next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue is that the principal submitted budget without the Counselor position without any input from thecommunity against therecommendation of the LSAT. It is not that this ward 3 school is a "bad fit" fir a social worker. It's that she wants to get rid of this counselor who gives the teachers strength, is implementing responsive classroom as a schoolwide behavior prevention and management program, and that the principal doesnot thinkthe social and emotional goals identified during the strategic planning process are even worth mentioning,never mind implementing. The issue is that she isso disrespectful andcondesending to teachers that weareatgreat risk of many of them leaving. Btw,Lafayette and oyster Adams have counselors in their submitted budgets for next year.

Another Murch parent who agrees with the above. What, if anything, can be done about it?

What is her justification though? I can't get a consistent answer from anyone. If it's money, I've been told that the HSA has enough in hand or could raise more. If it's space, then 1 1/2 people take more space than 1. I've been told she is fighting for the counselor, and that she wants her gone. It's like there is a disinformation campaign to obscure the fact that she wants the popular counselor out. The principal does not believe in communicating with the parents and staff, she is a 1 woman show and it's a spectacularly poor fit for the prefered style of the Murch community. I've heard and seen her disrespect for her teachers, I'd hate to work for her.

I believe that she retired from MC, but she's not that old. She could be at Murch for a long time to come. She shares a personal style with Rhee without the responsiveness to parents. It's an ugly combo. As a friend reminded me today though, many people would love the chance to take the place of disaffected families. But if the sense of community is affected and talented teachers leave, Murch will be the poorer for it, as will the kids who are attending. I can only imagine what a distraction this is for the counselor and the staff.

[Anonymous]

I'm confused. Does the Murch budget
1) cut the school counselor position entirely?
2) cut the school counselor position to half time (not possible for current counselor to stay on)?
3) add a full time social worker?
Anyone know?

[Anonymous]

1/2 social worker and 1/2 time counselor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For 11-12? What school?

???

This is a question for the poster at 1912 who said their school got a counselor and 1/2 time social worker.

stoddert

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1/2 social worker and 1/2 time counselor.

I know that space is a real issue, guessing that they would share an office?

[Anonymous]

Murch currently has a part time social worker who works out of an office in one of the trailers. I don't see an issue with the part time social worker next year doing the same.

[Anonymous]

At the meeting last night the principal put up obstacles to every solution presented. Interested that the 1/2time social worker already has a space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At the meeting last night the principal put up obstacles to every solution presented. Interested that the 1/2time social worker already has a space.

Well, if the HSA has the money, that isn't the real problem.

If the counselor (either full time or 1/2 time) has a space, that isn't the problem. If the social worker has a space, that isn't the problem.

Starting to look like the principal just wants this counselor gone. Since she has already submitted the budget without her full time position (without notifying the LSAT) I think her wishes are clear.

Did it seem like she is actually willing to reverse herself PP? Several other schools are keeping a full time counselor so it seems like there must be some work around with DCPS. She strikes me as someone who digs in when feeling embattled. Hope I'm wrong.

Were any other staff identified as being on the chopping block? Does she HAVE to cut a position?

[Anonymous]

I am not the PP but I was at the meeting. The principal is clearly willing to fight this any way she can. That portion of the meeting ended with the principal agreeing to (1) call the other schools to see how they are keeping their counselors, (2) call the Chancellor with a donation from an HSA rep to cover the rest of the counselor position. From what I understood, the HSA money would be spent on supplies and the supply money from DCPS would be moved to the counselor salary.

The principal seemed to be agreeing just so parents would stop talking about it. I don't know if she will follow through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not the PP but I was at the meeting. The principal is clearly willing to fight this any way she can. That portion of the meeting ended with the principal agreeing to (1) call the other schools to see how they are keeping their counselors, (2) call the Chancellor with a donation from an HSA rep to cover the rest of the counselor position. From what I understood, the HSA money would be spent on supplies and the supply money from DCPS would be moved to the counselor salary.

The principal seemed to be agreeing just so parents would stop talking about it. I don't know if she will follow through.

Um, so what can be done about that?

Is her axe just with the counselor or does she just want to throw her weight around?

[Anonymous]

Seems like this is a done deal. I would love to see the Murch HSA use the power of the purse to deny the principal something that is important to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like this is a done deal. I would love to see the Murch HSA use the power of the purse to deny the principal something that is important to her.

This doesn't make it seem like a done deal--from the LSAT page on the Murch website:

A brief update on where things stand with the counselor position for next year at Murch:

The LSAT strongly believes that the guidance counselor should be a full-time position. Throughout the budget process, the LSAT urged Principal Ellis to retain a full-time counselor in next year's budget.

Two letters (dated March 12 and March 15) that the LSAT sent to Instructional Superintendent William Wilhoyte reflect that view. 

Most recently, the LSAT met on Monday, April 4.  At that meeting, Principal Ellis presented the budget she had submitted on March 18. The budget includes a half-time social worker and a half-time counselor.  Many Murch parents attended the meeting and participated in the discussion, sharing their concerns with the Principal about reducing the counselor to 1/2 time.    

At the conclusion of the budget discussion, Principal Ellis committed to:

1) Contacting Lafayette Elementary to discuss their budget submission for two counselors to see if Murch could use a similar rationale and resubmit the budget

2) Calling Chancellor Henderson to see how the Murch HSA can make an advance payment through DCPS which would cover a portion of non-personnel services in the school budget (i.e. supplies).  The payment would equal the amount needed to cover the remaining half of the counselor position next year.  Such an advance payment for supplies would enable the Principal to shift funds in the school budget to restore the counselor to a full-time position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not the PP but I was at the meeting. The principal is clearly willing to fight this any way she can. That portion of the meeting ended with the principal agreeing to (1) call the other schools to see how they are keeping their counselors, (2) call the Chancellor with a donation from an HSA rep to cover the rest of the counselor position. From what I understood, the HSA money would be spent on supplies and the supply money from DCPS would be moved to the counselor salary.

The principal seemed to be agreeing just so parents would stop talking about it. I don't know if she will follow through.

Um, so what can be done about that?

Is her axe just with the counselor or does she just want to throw her weight around?

Regardless of her personal feelings about the counselor, it is disturbing how determined she is to poke her thumb in the eye of the parents.