Elana Bell moves to Takoma Education Campus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw the post earlier in the year about her leaving her current post. Now we know she landed at TEC does anyone want to share a bit more about your specific likes or concerns for those of us up here in Takoma.

Ooo boy you should search any recent Watkins/Peabody thread - it’s a lot to unpack

My two cents - she is unqualified, all talk, has no business being a principal and I can’t believe that DCPS stuck her somewhere else after asking her to leave Watkins. She destroyed our school and it will take us years to recover.

I really hope she doesn’t do the same to you for the sake of the students there or that you are able to get her out faster than we did.

Good Luck!

She took the school's Google parent list serve, forwarded several chains to Perry Stein/Washington Post, and then cooperated with an article that divided the
community, of which she was still the principal.
Need I say more? Who does that?

I know she cooperated with the article, but anyone could have leaked the listserv, right? I’m no fan but I hesitate to pin that on the outgoing principal.

How did you know it was her PPP?

[Anonymous]

What can you comment on Principal Bell's educational philosophy? Many posters have discussed equity, but that is not a pedagogical style or philosophy. For instance, is she supportive of PARCC as a reasonable way to assess students? What changes did she make in the instructional curriculum? For instance, is she a big proponent of phonics education for early readers? Can you point to instances where she was supportive of teachers? Thank you.

[Anonymous]

This is concerning because TEC already has significant buy-in issues for older grades with IB families. Loren Brody was well-liked, I can't think why they would bring in someone so divisive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is concerning because TEC already has significant buy-in issues for older grades with IB families. Loren Brody was well-liked, I can't think why they would bring in someone so divisive.

Personally I think "significant buy-in for older grades with IB families" is beside the point. It should be concerning because TEC is a Title 1 school, with a high percentage of ELL and at-risk students, and one of DCPS' self-contained autism programs.

That's a lot to manage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is concerning because TEC already has significant buy-in issues for older grades with IB families. Loren Brody was well-liked, I can't think why they would bring in someone so divisive.

Personally I think "significant buy-in for older grades with IB families" is beside the point. It should be concerning because TEC is a Title 1 school, with a high percentage of ELL and at-risk students, and one of DCPS' self-contained autism programs.

That's a lot to manage.

I think it is balance. The point of having schools with an IB cachement is that kids in the neighborhood ideally will want to go their neighborhood schools - which is arguably better for them, better for transportation, better for the neighborhood to invest in the success of the school. TEC is a title 1 school with a high percentage of ELL and at-risk students, evening controlling for the autism program, TEC has not historically done a good job of pulling in neighborhood kids. The neighborhood is largely middle and UMC at this point. While there are certainly foreign-language dominant households IB, there are not an enormous amount. So, if a goal is to increase IB students (which would then decrease at-risk students and some ELL students), you need to have leadership that on the one hand is focusing on all students and focusing on achievement gap between children of color and white children, but also drawing in IB families. Will she do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What can you comment on Principal Bell's educational philosophy? Many posters have discussed equity, but that is not a pedagogical style or philosophy. For instance, is she supportive of PARCC as a reasonable way to assess students? What changes did she make in the instructional curriculum? For instance, is she a big proponent of phonics education for early readers? Can you point to instances where she was supportive of teachers? Thank you.

Honestly this is an interesting question and one that made me think- I don’t think she has one - I am racking my brain to think of one educational philosophy she has brought to the table besides closing the achievement gap — she follows DCPS and any of their new ideas and programs without question - I can’t tell you one thing the school is about - she really doesn’t know what is best and has little leadership to back any one philosophy up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What can you comment on Principal Bell's educational philosophy? Many posters have discussed equity, but that is not a pedagogical style or philosophy. For instance, is she supportive of PARCC as a reasonable way to assess students? What changes did she make in the instructional curriculum? For instance, is she a big proponent of phonics education for early readers? Can you point to instances where she was supportive of teachers? Thank you.

Honestly this is an interesting question and one that made me think- I don’t think she has one - I am racking my brain to think of one educational philosophy she has brought to the table besides closing the achievement gap — she follows DCPS and any of their new ideas and programs without question - I can’t tell you one thing the school is about - she really doesn’t know what is best and has little leadership to back any one philosophy up.

New poster here. No idea about an educational philosophy. She did get Peabody some sort of creative curriculum certification. She also got Writers Workshop started last year - a good move. I do think she hires good teachers. I like her personally but unfortunately can't disagree with some of the criticism here. Her communication is horrible. Doesn't reply to emails. She strikes me as a micromanager who doesn't work hard enough to keep the work flowing. So, for example, she wanted to see flyers from PTA before they got copied and put in folders, so the rule was you had to give her a week's notice so she had time to comment on your flyers...its hard enough being a parent volunteer without feeling so mistrusted that you can't announce a family event without her approval. It was impossible to do anything without going through her. She did start sports for 4th and 5th grade - too bad sports tryouts would come and go without ANY communication to parents announcing it was happening, so kids totally missed out. School won the city soccer championship? She didn't go to the game or include any sort of kudos to those kids in her newsletter. Announcements about basketball games? Non-existent. Some of the cuts mentioned are unfair criticisms - DCPS cuts budgets. The "increases" aren't enough to cover teacher pay raises so every year she has to cut positions. That part isn't her fault. But, case in point on communications - this year there were more cuts to the budget...not a single communication went out to the community to announce changes for next year.

[Anonymous]

The Writers Workshop program came to Watkins after AP Boisvert strongly advocated for it.
Definitely not Principal Bell's initiative.

[Anonymous]

NP. She told my kid not to start there (new IB) if we expected any above grade level accommodation/support/pullouts at all after hearing the programming she was getting from a different IB (a local-ish T1).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw the post earlier in the year about her leaving her current post. Now we know she landed at TEC does anyone want to share a bit more about your specific likes or concerns for those of us up here in Takoma.

Ooo boy you should search any recent Watkins/Peabody thread - it’s a lot to unpack

My two cents - she is unqualified, all talk, has no business being a principal and I can’t believe that DCPS stuck her somewhere else after asking her to leave Watkins. She destroyed our school and it will take us years to recover.

I really hope she doesn’t do the same to you for the sake of the students there or that you are able to get her out faster than we did.

Good Luck!

She took the school's Google parent list serve, forwarded several chains to Perry Stein/Washington Post, and then cooperated with an article that divided the
community, of which she was still the principal.
Need I say more? Who does that?

What do you mean she "divided the community"? That's nonsensical. That's like blaming black people for dividing communities by having the nerve to voice objections. Did she make divisions more open and visible to outsiders? Maybe. But you sound ever so silly blaming her for the fact that different people have different needs and wants. In fact, its condescending and little white privilegy to suggest that people on the other side are only there because someone else put them up to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw the post earlier in the year about her leaving her current post. Now we know she landed at TEC does anyone want to share a bit more about your specific likes or concerns for those of us up here in Takoma.

Ooo boy you should search any recent Watkins/Peabody thread - it’s a lot to unpack

My two cents - she is unqualified, all talk, has no business being a principal and I can’t believe that DCPS stuck her somewhere else after asking her to leave Watkins. She destroyed our school and it will take us years to recover.

I really hope she doesn’t do the same to you for the sake of the students there or that you are able to get her out faster than we did.

Good Luck!

She took the school's Google parent list serve, forwarded several chains to Perry Stein/Washington Post, and then cooperated with an article that divided the
community, of which she was still the principal.
Need I say more? Who does that?

What do you mean she "divided the community"? That's nonsensical. That's like blaming black people for dividing communities by having the nerve to voice objections. Did she make divisions more open and visible to outsiders? Maybe. But you sound ever so silly blaming her for the fact that different people have different needs and wants. In fact, its condescending and little white privilegy to suggest that people on the other side are only there because someone else put them up to it.

The poster said the article divided the community, which is true. Anyone on the listserv can confirm it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw the post earlier in the year about her leaving her current post. Now we know she landed at TEC does anyone want to share a bit more about your specific likes or concerns for those of us up here in Takoma.

Ooo boy you should search any recent Watkins/Peabody thread - it’s a lot to unpack

My two cents - she is unqualified, all talk, has no business being a principal and I can’t believe that DCPS stuck her somewhere else after asking her to leave Watkins. She destroyed our school and it will take us years to recover.

I really hope she doesn’t do the same to you for the sake of the students there or that you are able to get her out faster than we did.

Good Luck!

She took the school's Google parent list serve, forwarded several chains to Perry Stein/Washington Post, and then cooperated with an article that divided the
community, of which she was still the principal.
Need I say more? Who does that?

What do you mean she "divided the community"? That's nonsensical. That's like blaming black people for dividing communities by having the nerve to voice objections. Did she make divisions more open and visible to outsiders? Maybe. But you sound ever so silly blaming her for the fact that different people have different needs and wants. In fact, its condescending and little white privilegy to suggest that people on the other side are only there because someone else put them up to it.

Did you even read the PP? The article divided the community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is concerning because TEC already has significant buy-in issues for older grades with IB families. Loren Brody was well-liked, I can't think why they would bring in someone so divisive.

Personally I think "significant buy-in for older grades with IB families" is beside the point. It should be concerning because TEC is a Title 1 school, with a high percentage of ELL and at-risk students, and one of DCPS' self-contained autism programs.

That's a lot to manage.

I think it is balance. The point of having schools with an IB cachement is that kids in the neighborhood ideally will want to go their neighborhood schools - which is arguably better for them, better for transportation, better for the neighborhood to invest in the success of the school. TEC is a title 1 school with a high percentage of ELL and at-risk students, evening controlling for the autism program, TEC has not historically done a good job of pulling in neighborhood kids. The neighborhood is largely middle and UMC at this point. While there are certainly foreign-language dominant households IB, there are not an enormous amount. So, if a goal is to increase IB students (which would then decrease at-risk students and some ELL students), you need to have leadership that on the one hand is focusing on all students and focusing on achievement gap between children of color and white children, but also drawing in IB families. Will she do that?

Look at the boundary lines. Many of its at-risk and ELL students are inbound students. TEC includes Georgia Ave and many of the more affordable apartments near it. It isn’t just the bungalows homes east of Piney Branch over toward the Metro. It is a very mixed neighborhood economically, racially and ethnically. And TEC reflects that.

[Anonymous]

I just hope she will have a better behavior management system than we have had up until now at Takoma.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just hope she will have a better behavior management system than we have had up until now at Takoma.

Nope she doesn’t have that either...


It is really sad that DCPS has done this. Even if you believe half of what people have said about her and what happened at Watkins - how could DCPS put her in charge of another school? Particularly one that has so many grades and specialized programming. I really feel for the TEC community it is basically a confirmation that DCPS doesn’t care about you.