Does anyone have any information about the Churchill principal search?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree about Jen Webster. I know some of the churchill parents are unhappy with her, but she’s the one who finally got you a new principal (to be named tomorrow). No prior supervisor has managed to do that, and the county has known for years that that needed to happen. She really listened to the Pyle/Whitman community when it came to the new principal over at Whitman. Also yet to be named, but I heard she chose well. I worked for Jen Webster at Pyle (where she was the principal before she was a high school principal). She didn’t tolerate it if mean supervisors were controlling and bossy to others on staff—none of that kind of thing went unnoticed or unhandled. A few of those women didn’t like her as a result, but I see that as being because she didn’t let them take charge. She was strong and protective of her solid performers, especially if they were on the timid side. I felt supported by her.

I think some of the Churchill parents are unhappy with Webster because she doesn’t tolerate problems being swept under the rug, the modus operandi of Dr. Benz. They know that Webster and her choice of principal will put consequences in place when their entitled progeny are caught selling drugs on campus, etc. No more of the hush hush, can’t allow any tarnishing of the Churchill name.

Believe me, Webster has done far more good for Churchill in her almost year as Benz’s supervisor than all other supervisors combined. As mentioned above, Webster is THE reason why Benz is retiring. A long time AP also retired, and the long time Staff Development Teacher is gone as well. Both of them kowtowed to Dr. Benz and were symptomatic of all that was wrong under Benz’s “leadership.” There is a definitive positive change being felt at Churchill now; Jen Webster is THE reason for it.

Keep dreaming. Dr. Benz is old. She is retiring. It had to happen at somepoint and her health is starting to fail. Webster didn't make any miracles happen in that regard and there are problems she didn't do any better with than Benz. Good luck to who follows Benz and has Webster as a boss.

Well someone is bitter about Jen Webster. Maybe she is one of the bitchy Pyle women that Webster knocked down a notch while she was there.

BTW, the post about Webster cleaning house at Churchill is 100% accurate. It’s the talk of the school.

I also think it’s one of the women at Pyle. One in particular—head of a department. She HATED Webster and Webster didn’t let her run the place. When Webster left she got to take charge again, which was a shame.

[Anonymous]

I also believe there are many here who over-estimate the power of Jen Webster!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also believe there are many here who over-estimate the power of Jen Webster!

She’s got a lot of juice, actually. She uses it for good. My guess is that if you see it differently, you have something to gain from maintaining the status quo. There’s a reason she’s one of the few who kept their central jobs. She doesn’t suffer fools or stupidity or bullying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also believe there are many here who over-estimate the power of Jen Webster!

She’s got a lot of juice, actually. She uses it for good. My guess is that if you see it differently, you have something to gain from maintaining the status quo. There’s a reason she’s one of the few who kept their central jobs. She doesn’t suffer fools or stupidity or bullying.

I disagree that Webster uses her power for good. She is just a self serving ladder climber like those before her. Changing the status quo is also more than just putting more bad people in place of the bad ones that left. Perhaps you haven't seen her bad side yet. No one is served when you use dishonest tactics to do a job.

[Anonymous]

Please elaborate on the dishonest tactics. I worked for her and never saw that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also believe there are many here who over-estimate the power of Jen Webster!

She’s got a lot of juice, actually. She uses it for good. My guess is that if you see it differently, you have something to gain from maintaining the status quo. There’s a reason she’s one of the few who kept their central jobs. She doesn’t suffer fools or stupidity or bullying.

I disagree that Webster uses her power for good. She is just a self serving ladder climber like those before her. Changing the status quo is also more than just putting more bad people in place of the bad ones that left. Perhaps you haven't seen her bad side yet. No one is served when you use dishonest tactics to do a job.

You don’t even know who she appointed yet! Unless this is sour grapes because someone you know was passed over for one of the open principal positions?

[Anonymous]

I agree - let's wait to see who the candidate is. However, if the person has been developed through the MCPS pipeline, the likelihood of the change that is needed is slim. The MCPS training process and policy of picking only from within are what propagates the same problems over and over again. We can hope for a miracle though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree - let's wait to see who the candidate is. However, if the person has been developed through the MCPS pipeline, the likelihood of the change that is needed is slim. The MCPS training process and policy of picking only from within are what propagates the same problems over and over again. We can hope for a miracle though.

I think you hope for the best of what they’ve got! They’ve been pretty clear that they won’t look outside the system. I just hope they don’t move around the players who have poor track records.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree - let's wait to see who the candidate is. However, if the person has been developed through the MCPS pipeline, the likelihood of the change that is needed is slim. The MCPS training process and policy of picking only from within are what propagates the same problems over and over again. We can hope for a miracle though.

I think you hope for the best of what they’ve got! They’ve been pretty clear that they won’t look outside the system. I just hope they don’t move around the players who have poor track records.

One of the finalists for the Churchill job is not a current MCPS employee. One is Central Office person whose position has been cut. The others are current MCPS school based administrators.

[Anonymous]

So interesting that they did branch out. For the piney branch search, they really made it clear they don’t do that. Are either of the current admin ms principals—either in or outside the cluster?

[Anonymous]

Just announced, the new principal of Churchill is Brandi Heckert.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just announced, the new principal of Churchill is Brandi Heckert.

As predicted in the Whitman thread on May 17. Churchill got a winner. FINALLY!

[Anonymous]

The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments at its May 21, 2018 Business Meeting:

Robert W. Dodd, currently Lead Consulting Principal, Administrator Training and Support, Department of Professional Growth Systems, Office of Human Resources and Development, as Principal, Walt Whitman High School

Brandice C. Heckert, currently Assistant Principal, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, as Principal, Winston Churchill High School

Eric L. Minus, currently Director of School Support and Improvement of Middle Schools, Office of School Support and Improvement, as Principal, Sherwood High School

Megan H. Murphy, currently Assistant Principal, William B. Gibbs, Jr. Elementary School, as Principal, Seven Locks Elementary School

Loretta A. Woods, currently Principal Intern, Wayside Elementary School, as Principal, Whetstone Elementary School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just announced, the new principal of Churchill is Brandi Heckert.

As predicted in the Whitman thread on May 17. Churchill got a winner. FINALLY!

Do you know if her? Can you tell us anything about her?

[Anonymous]

At one point she was the assistant principal at Whitman where she was successful. Dr. Goodwin is a fan which says something.