Mad at the Board

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh wait…none of you will leave? That’s what I thought. Stop complaining and step up to volunteer. Get involved instead of being keyboard warriors

This attitude right here is what’s created this problem. Instead of being responsive to any concerns, the school and the board closed ranks and insisted there was no problem and that if you don’t like it, you should just leave. 20% of last year’s eighth grade did that.

I have high hopes for the school to rebound successfully, but I think the narrative needs to change and the school needs to start to consider the customers.

In the MT days with a 97% retention rate, they could put forward the ‘if you don’t like it, leave’ message, but that doesn’t work with the current environment.

I agree. The board just assumes that parents must accept anything they do. In most organizations, when serious mistakes happen, the CEO takes responsibility and steps down. In a school, the equivalent of a CEO is the president of the board of trustees.

No. The head is the CEO.🤦‍♂️

Who is ultimately responsible for the financial sustainability of a school? Just read any school website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Damn, 20 pages of comments on DCUM all because the school has chosen secrecy over transparency. Not a good look, Maret.

THERE. IS. NO. SECRET. THERE IS NO SCANDAL. THERE IS NO COVER-UP. Now go find something else to do with your time.

Sure there is. The board is covering up the fact that they fired him by telling the parents he resigned.

They could just tell the parents why he was fired.

And all the parents can see through the facade, the crazy parents and the not crazy parents, because none of the parents are stupid!

That’s why people are angry at the board. It’s not that difficult to understand and it’s also not that hard to solve.

I’ll raise my hand and say it’s actually difficult for me to follow your logic of this big conspiratorial cover up. Were you not at the meeting when an incredulous parent heaped praise on the HOS and claimed there was no way he would have resigned as his own decision and then directly asked the board president to confirm in front of everyone - including the HOS who was sitting right there - that he was the one who decided to leave? And when the pres said “yep, it was his decision entirely” you took that as a hush hush cover up how exactly? Are they paying the HOS hush money to also lie directly to parents in an open forum like that?

I attended that meeting and the problem is that the school
Has so many issues that the board “cannot” disclose like the departure of several faculty. naturally people might think that the departure of the Hos is also in the same category of staff that leaves “voluntarily”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. You think the board purposefully hired an incompetent head? The board made a hire. I'm sure they thought it would work it out. It has not for a number of reasons clearly. Time to move on and hopefully make the right hire. I just think it's hilarious that the parents are making this situation so much worse suddenly trying to be backseat quarterbacks. That's the neurotic part and I'm sure it's not most parents. Probably the same folks that are repeat customers around being neurotic, typical of many Ind. schools. I have seen other schools struggle to hire strong Heads because of this type of behavior. My nephew's school wasn't able to hire a strong head after a similar issue at their school. Was the school fine, sure. Did the school lose a competitive advantage, absolutely. But keep on trucking trying to be pseudo school managers!

How do you know it’s actual parents doing this? There was a Maret troll on these boards for over a year who started a new thread every day about Maret. They were so unhinged that the moderators of this board recommended they seek professional help. Could be that person just sock puppeting their way through this thread on a “told you so” victory lap.

Even if these posts are all from actual parents, DCUM is not real life. It’s like this narrative on here about the math teachers being underpaid relative to their humanities peers. That’s not an actual thing. Some rando posted a 2023 tax form on here that listed a language department head who happened to be listed as a top earner, but also happens to have 30 years of tenure at the school, and all of a sudden pay equity for STEM is, according to this thread, a fundamental priority for the board to restore trust. Get a grip.

If what you say is true about the impact this thread has on Maret, then every HOS and every Board of Trustees in the DMV will have to resign over the next year because every single well known school has at least one thread with 50+ pages discussing how horrible it is and how far it’s fallen from its prior standing as a top school.

As an actual parent, I’m not pleased with how the board has conducted themselves so far so I’m far from an apologist. But the claims on this thread are hilariously divorced from reality.

I no longer need to post and no need to tell you “i told you so”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Damn, 20 pages of comments on DCUM all because the school has chosen secrecy over transparency. Not a good look, Maret.

THERE. IS. NO. SECRET. THERE IS NO SCANDAL. THERE IS NO COVER-UP. Now go find something else to do with your time.

Sure there is. The board is covering up the fact that they fired him by telling the parents he resigned.

They could just tell the parents why he was fired.

And all the parents can see through the facade, the crazy parents and the not crazy parents, because none of the parents are stupid!

That’s why people are angry at the board. It’s not that difficult to understand and it’s also not that hard to solve.

I’ll raise my hand and say it’s actually difficult for me to follow your logic of this big conspiratorial cover up. Were you not at the meeting when an incredulous parent heaped praise on the HOS and claimed there was no way he would have resigned as his own decision and then directly asked the board president to confirm in front of everyone - including the HOS who was sitting right there - that he was the one who decided to leave? And when the pres said “yep, it was his decision entirely” you took that as a hush hush cover up how exactly? Are they paying the HOS hush money to also lie directly to parents in an open forum like that?

I attended that meeting and the problem is that the school
Has so many issues that the board “cannot” disclose like the departure of several faculty. naturally people might think that the departure of the Hos is also in the same category of staff that leaves “voluntarily”.

Ok so we went from a definitive coverup and deliberate lie by the Board to a “naturally people might think that” real fast. Got it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh wait…none of you will leave? That’s what I thought. Stop complaining and step up to volunteer. Get involved instead of being keyboard warriors

This attitude right here is what’s created this problem. Instead of being responsive to any concerns, the school and the board closed ranks and insisted there was no problem and that if you don’t like it, you should just leave. 20% of last year’s eighth grade did that.

I have high hopes for the school to rebound successfully, but I think the narrative needs to change and the school needs to start to consider the customers.

In the MT days with a 97% retention rate, they could put forward the ‘if you don’t like it, leave’ message, but that doesn’t work with the current environment.

I agree. The board just assumes that parents must accept anything they do. In most organizations, when serious mistakes happen, the CEO takes responsibility and steps down. In a school, the equivalent of a CEO is the president of the board of trustees.

No. The head is the CEO.🤦‍♂️

Who is ultimately responsible for the financial sustainability of a school? Just read any school website.

In any non-for-profit the board has fiduciary responsibility, but in a school, the HOS is the CEO responsible for every single function and system of the organization. The board hires the head of school to be the CEO. The head of school hires a CFO. The board expects that the CEO/HOS is the professional that knows how to run the organization. The HOS makes the budget with the CFO. Yes there is a board president and a finance chair and they exercise their fiduciary responsibility to oversee the HOS and the CFO and ask questions when appropriate. But in a school that is running well, those are strong and respectful relationships and there is a collaborative process, not a combative one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Damn, 20 pages of comments on DCUM all because the school has chosen secrecy over transparency. Not a good look, Maret.

THERE. IS. NO. SECRET. THERE IS NO SCANDAL. THERE IS NO COVER-UP. Now go find something else to do with your time.

Sure there is. The board is covering up the fact that they fired him by telling the parents he resigned.

They could just tell the parents why he was fired.

And all the parents can see through the facade, the crazy parents and the not crazy parents, because none of the parents are stupid!

That’s why people are angry at the board. It’s not that difficult to understand and it’s also not that hard to solve.

I’ll raise my hand and say it’s actually difficult for me to follow your logic of this big conspiratorial cover up. Were you not at the meeting when an incredulous parent heaped praise on the HOS and claimed there was no way he would have resigned as his own decision and then directly asked the board president to confirm in front of everyone - including the HOS who was sitting right there - that he was the one who decided to leave? And when the pres said “yep, it was his decision entirely” you took that as a hush hush cover up how exactly? Are they paying the HOS hush money to also lie directly to parents in an open forum like that?

I attended that meeting and the problem is that the school
Has so many issues that the board “cannot” disclose like the departure of several faculty. naturally people might think that the departure of the Hos is also in the same category of staff that leaves “voluntarily”.

Ok so we went from a definitive coverup and deliberate lie by the Board to a “naturally people might think that” real fast. Got it

That happrens when “legally” you cannot disclose the information. Otherwise, I am sure everyone trusts the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh wait…none of you will leave? That’s what I thought. Stop complaining and step up to volunteer. Get involved instead of being keyboard warriors

This attitude right here is what’s created this problem. Instead of being responsive to any concerns, the school and the board closed ranks and insisted there was no problem and that if you don’t like it, you should just leave. 20% of last year’s eighth grade did that.

I have high hopes for the school to rebound successfully, but I think the narrative needs to change and the school needs to start to consider the customers.

In the MT days with a 97% retention rate, they could put forward the ‘if you don’t like it, leave’ message, but that doesn’t work with the current environment.

I agree. The board just assumes that parents must accept anything they do. In most organizations, when serious mistakes happen, the CEO takes responsibility and steps down. In a school, the equivalent of a CEO is the president of the board of trustees.

No. The head is the CEO.🤦‍♂️

Who is ultimately responsible for the financial sustainability of a school? Just read any school website.

In any non-for-profit the board has fiduciary responsibility, but in a school, the HOS is the CEO responsible for every single function and system of the organization. The board hires the head of school to be the CEO. The head of school hires a CFO. The board expects that the CEO/HOS is the professional that knows how to run the organization. The HOS makes the budget with the CFO. Yes there is a board president and a finance chair and they exercise their fiduciary responsibility to oversee the HOS and the CFO and ask questions when appropriate. But in a school that is running well, those are strong and respectful relationships and there is a collaborative process, not a combative one.

Key important decisions like raising the tuition, managing the endowment, purchase of new assets, recruiting HoS, and borrowing all come from the board. The point is that they should also be accountable. Only in monarchies people are not accountable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Damn, 20 pages of comments on DCUM all because the school has chosen secrecy over transparency. Not a good look, Maret.

THERE. IS. NO. SECRET. THERE IS NO SCANDAL. THERE IS NO COVER-UP. Now go find something else to do with your time.

Sure there is. The board is covering up the fact that they fired him by telling the parents he resigned.

They could just tell the parents why he was fired.

And all the parents can see through the facade, the crazy parents and the not crazy parents, because none of the parents are stupid!

That’s why people are angry at the board. It’s not that difficult to understand and it’s also not that hard to solve.

I’ll raise my hand and say it’s actually difficult for me to follow your logic of this big conspiratorial cover up. Were you not at the meeting when an incredulous parent heaped praise on the HOS and claimed there was no way he would have resigned as his own decision and then directly asked the board president to confirm in front of everyone - including the HOS who was sitting right there - that he was the one who decided to leave? And when the pres said “yep, it was his decision entirely” you took that as a hush hush cover up how exactly? Are they paying the HOS hush money to also lie directly to parents in an open forum like that?

I attended that meeting and the problem is that the school
Has so many issues that the board “cannot” disclose like the departure of several faculty. naturally people might think that the departure of the Hos is also in the same category of staff that leaves “voluntarily”.

Ok so we went from a definitive coverup and deliberate lie by the Board to a “naturally people might think that” real fast. Got it

That happrens when “legally” you cannot disclose the information. Otherwise, I am sure everyone trusts the board.

There would have been no legal impediments for the HOS to correct the record while the Board pres said it was his decision to leave during the parent meeting. So your theory is that he is in on the lie and the conspiracy too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh wait…none of you will leave? That’s what I thought. Stop complaining and step up to volunteer. Get involved instead of being keyboard warriors

This attitude right here is what’s created this problem. Instead of being responsive to any concerns, the school and the board closed ranks and insisted there was no problem and that if you don’t like it, you should just leave. 20% of last year’s eighth grade did that.

I have high hopes for the school to rebound successfully, but I think the narrative needs to change and the school needs to start to consider the customers.

In the MT days with a 97% retention rate, they could put forward the ‘if you don’t like it, leave’ message, but that doesn’t work with the current environment.

I agree. The board just assumes that parents must accept anything they do. In most organizations, when serious mistakes happen, the CEO takes responsibility and steps down. In a school, the equivalent of a CEO is the president of the board of trustees.

No. The head is the CEO.🤦‍♂️

Who is ultimately responsible for the financial sustainability of a school? Just read any school website.

In any non-for-profit the board has fiduciary responsibility, but in a school, the HOS is the CEO responsible for every single function and system of the organization. The board hires the head of school to be the CEO. The head of school hires a CFO. The board expects that the CEO/HOS is the professional that knows how to run the organization. The HOS makes the budget with the CFO. Yes there is a board president and a finance chair and they exercise their fiduciary responsibility to oversee the HOS and the CFO and ask questions when appropriate. But in a school that is running well, those are strong and respectful relationships and there is a collaborative process, not a combative one.

Key important decisions like raising the tuition, managing the endowment, purchase of new assets, recruiting HoS, and borrowing all come from the board. The point is that they should also be accountable. Only in monarchies people are not accountable.

By that measure, the Board is doing really well. The school’s financial health is in great footing all the while keeping a commitment to financial aid and keeping tuition lower than competitors. I think they’d happily be held accountable when it comes to financial stewardship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Damn, 20 pages of comments on DCUM all because the school has chosen secrecy over transparency. Not a good look, Maret.

THERE. IS. NO. SECRET. THERE IS NO SCANDAL. THERE IS NO COVER-UP. Now go find something else to do with your time.

Sure there is. The board is covering up the fact that they fired him by telling the parents he resigned.

They could just tell the parents why he was fired.

And all the parents can see through the facade, the crazy parents and the not crazy parents, because none of the parents are stupid!

That’s why people are angry at the board. It’s not that difficult to understand and it’s also not that hard to solve.

I’ll raise my hand and say it’s actually difficult for me to follow your logic of this big conspiratorial cover up. Were you not at the meeting when an incredulous parent heaped praise on the HOS and claimed there was no way he would have resigned as his own decision and then directly asked the board president to confirm in front of everyone - including the HOS who was sitting right there - that he was the one who decided to leave? And when the pres said “yep, it was his decision entirely” you took that as a hush hush cover up how exactly? Are they paying the HOS hush money to also lie directly to parents in an open forum like that?

I attended that meeting and the problem is that the school
Has so many issues that the board “cannot” disclose like the departure of several faculty. naturally people might think that the departure of the Hos is also in the same category of staff that leaves “voluntarily”.

Ok so we went from a definitive coverup and deliberate lie by the Board to a “naturally people might think that” real fast. Got it

That happrens when “legally” you cannot disclose the information. Otherwise, I am sure everyone trusts the board.

There would have been no legal impediments for the HOS to correct the record while the Board pres said it was his decision to leave during the parent meeting. So your theory is that he is in on the lie and the conspiracy too?

Yes of course the reasons for his departure are crystal clear. No one wants a 800k salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Oh wait…none of you will leave? That’s what I thought. Stop complaining and step up to volunteer. Get involved instead of being keyboard warriors

This attitude right here is what’s created this problem. Instead of being responsive to any concerns, the school and the board closed ranks and insisted there was no problem and that if you don’t like it, you should just leave. 20% of last year’s eighth grade did that.

I have high hopes for the school to rebound successfully, but I think the narrative needs to change and the school needs to start to consider the customers.

In the MT days with a 97% retention rate, they could put forward the ‘if you don’t like it, leave’ message, but that doesn’t work with the current environment.

I agree. The board just assumes that parents must accept anything they do. In most organizations, when serious mistakes happen, the CEO takes responsibility and steps down. In a school, the equivalent of a CEO is the president of the board of trustees.

No. The head is the CEO.🤦‍♂️

Who is ultimately responsible for the financial sustainability of a school? Just read any school website.

In any non-for-profit the board has fiduciary responsibility, but in a school, the HOS is the CEO responsible for every single function and system of the organization. The board hires the head of school to be the CEO. The head of school hires a CFO. The board expects that the CEO/HOS is the professional that knows how to run the organization. The HOS makes the budget with the CFO. Yes there is a board president and a finance chair and they exercise their fiduciary responsibility to oversee the HOS and the CFO and ask questions when appropriate. But in a school that is running well, those are strong and respectful relationships and there is a collaborative process, not a combative one.

Key important decisions like raising the tuition, managing the endowment, purchase of new assets, recruiting HoS, and borrowing all come from the board. The point is that they should also be accountable. Only in monarchies people are not accountable.

By that measure, the Board is doing really well. The school’s financial health is in great footing all the while keeping a commitment to financial aid and keeping tuition lower than competitors. I think they’d happily be held accountable when it comes to financial stewardship.

Yes, but no accountability for
The hos recruitment which is the main issue here. Also the financial stability it’s mostly thanks to us the parents that are willing to pay more than 50k in tuition not the board.

[Anonymous]

By that measure, the Board is doing really well. The school’s financial health is in great footing all the while keeping a commitment to financial aid and keeping tuition lower than competitors. I think they’d happily be held accountable when it comes to financial stewardship.

Thank you so much for chiming in, board member

Instead of cruising dcurbanmom, maybe answer parent concerns in a public forum. Just a suggestion

[Anonymous]

It is absolutely possible he decided not to renew because he realized he was struggling and may not be able to deliver. People are getting stuck on semantics here. I could see a HoS resign after getting feedback and recognizing he would not be able to do it. Some would call that "firing" and others would see it walking away. Either way he couldn't do it and is leaving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely possible he decided not to renew because he realized he was struggling and may not be able to deliver. People are getting stuck on semantics here. I could see a HoS resign after getting feedback and recognizing he would not be able to do it. Some would call that "firing" and others would see it walking away. Either way he couldn't do it and is leaving.

You can spin it anyway you want, but the bottom line is that there was an underperformance issue and the board was not happy. If he was performing well and the board were be happy, then just “walking away” would be very puzzling.

[Anonymous]

One thing that stood out in the MPA meeting was how nervous and apologetic the president of the board of trustees looked—saying things like “this is a tough spot to be in,” and even apologizing for having to read a prepared statement instead of speaking to us directly about the issues. The HoS, for his part, appeared almost melancholic about the decision to leave. If this were truly his own initiative, you would expect the opposite reaction. In situations like this, you learn far more from the board members’ body language than from their actual words.