WES Head of School resigns

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One or two very persistent anti-WES posters are using the anonymous nature of the forum to dominate the thread and attack WES community and current parents who follow DCUM.

Things are fine at WES. These posts cannot change the facts. Enrollment figures are on the school's website.

Here are the numbers, from the website. I'd say that 277 kids from pre-K to grade 8 is pretty low.

Enrollment: 277 Students

•48 in Nursery School, Transition, and Kindergarten
•70 in Primary School (Grades 1 - 3)
•72 in Elementary School (Grades 4 - 5)
•87 in Middle School (Grades 6 - 8)

You clearly are not familiar with WES... WES offers small class sizes.






WES community is small, and it is like a family to us. Everyone is kind and friendly. We love it.

that's good because it is getting smaller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One or two very persistent anti-WES posters are using the anonymous nature of the forum to dominate the thread and attack WES community and current parents who follow DCUM.

Things are fine at WES. These posts cannot change the facts. Enrollment figures are on the school's website.

Here are the numbers, from the website. I'd say that 277 kids from pre-K to grade 8 is pretty low.

Enrollment: 277 Students

•48 in Nursery School, Transition, and Kindergarten
•70 in Primary School (Grades 1 - 3)
•72 in Elementary School (Grades 4 - 5)
•87 in Middle School (Grades 6 - 8)

You clearly are not familiar with WES... WES offers small class sizes.






WES community is small, and it is like a family to us. Everyone is kind and friendly. We love it.

Have to have a snarky comment after each positive. Have to keep the vitriol at the WES thread.





that's good because it is getting smaller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One or two very persistent anti-WES posters are using the anonymous nature of the forum to dominate the thread and attack WES community and current parents who follow DCUM.

Things are fine at WES. These posts cannot change the facts. Enrollment figures are on the school's website.

So true. They leave me scratching my head. We left another school where we had a terrible experience to go to WES and we don't post things about the old school. We love WES!

That is because you have a life and are not a bitter person. Some people just live to be negative. They get a high off of it.

[Anonymous]

You sound like a bully that does not allow anyone to have a different (negative) opinion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One or two very persistent anti-WES posters are using the anonymous nature of the forum to dominate the thread and attack WES community and current parents who follow DCUM.

Things are fine at WES. These posts cannot change the facts. Enrollment figures are on the school's website.

So true. They leave me scratching my head. We left another school where we had a terrible experience to go to WES and we don't post things about the old school. We love WES!

That is because you have a life and are not a bitter person. Some people just live to be negative. They get a high off of it.

Oh to be so blissful and not have a shred of self-awareness! Look in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

Our family has had experience with WES and a few other schools also. Based on our experience with WES, there are some good things going on there. I think the main problem with WES is it is run like a small family business when compared to other independent schools. There are, mind you, good aspects of the "family business" approach. Some of the previous posters talk about the small community feel, big family feel, etc. Those are all part of the "family business" dynamic.

There are also real negatives that go with that approach such as a lack of professionalism, lack of change when needed, and a maintenance of the status quo. I think that is what other posters are getting at when they talk about the promoting from within, hiring without advertising, hiring non ordained chaplin, making seemingly random hiring/firing decisions. Hopefully the new headmaster will be able to find a balance between maintaining the small, close community feel but also professionalize the organization and move it beyond a small, personality-driven family business.

[Anonymous]

Unless they get a new head of the elementary grades, I seriously doubt there will be much change. Those are the problematic grades -- it's been that way for a very long time.

[Anonymous]

13:31 I agree with many of your observations. On the other hand, I would ignore majority of the "gossips" in this tread including on hiring of the new Chaplin and on enrollment until a formal announcement is made by the school. Also I agree with the school administration on not making public firing decisions for privacy reasons. Ex post, as argued in the community forums, the communication on these decisions with the concerned students/parents could have been better. On hiring decisions: contrary to the previous posters, I liked the resume of the teachers (in the weekly news letters) recently hired.

I am very optimistic that the Interim HOS, Nancy Wright, as well as the Board will address many issues you also raise based on the inputs received from the recent surveys, HOS search sessions and the recent WES community forums. Additionally, making available the outline on how governance works at WES (in the NeWES on April 24) and the opportunities that exist for the WES community to provide input on issues, are all steps in the right direction.

[Anonymous]

You think the interim HOS -who has been at WES for soooo many years-- and the Board can begin to understand the situation and how to change course?

[Anonymous]

I heard she was pretty successful as head of middle school. The Board is relatively new in composition. Our experience suggests overall things are fine at WES. I believe issues raised on governance is currently being addressed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13:31 I agree with many of your observations. On the other hand, I would ignore majority of the "gossips" in this tread including on hiring of the new Chaplin and on enrollment until a formal announcement is made by the school. Also I agree with the school administration on not making public firing decisions for privacy reasons. Ex post, as argued in the community forums, the communication on these decisions with the concerned students/parents could have been better. On hiring decisions: contrary to the previous posters, I liked the resume of the teachers (in the weekly news letters) recently hired.

I am very optimistic that the Interim HOS, Nancy Wright, as well as the Board will address many issues you also raise based on the inputs received from the recent surveys, HOS search sessions and the recent WES community forums. Additionally, making available the outline on how governance works at WES (in the NeWES on April 24) and the opportunities that exist for the WES community to provide input on issues, are all steps in the right direction.

This is 13:31.

You sound much more optimistic than I am. Based on your knowledge, I am guessing you are an employee. You make some good points, but the school's recent track record does not give me reason to believe things are going to significantly and quickly change around WES in the near future. Also I do not think it reasonable to ask parents to pay more than $30 K a year while they wait for the change.

[Anonymous]

WES needs a complete redo and update. No temporary Head can do that . Find a qualified , current and confident HOS to take control ASAP. We are concerned .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound like a bully that does not allow anyone to have a different (negative) opinion.

You sound like a bully that does not like anyone to have a different opinion from yours. It can go both ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You sound like a bully that does not allow anyone to have a different (negative) opinion.

You can have you negative attitude, I just don't have to agree with it. If you can voice your opinion, I can voice mine. I am sorry that it bothers you so much that I just made an observation on what I read. You are the bully who is on the attack and it seems that you are talking through anger. I am just calmly stating my observations.

[Anonymous]

I have never, in all my years on DCUM, seen a debate on any one particular school go on for this long and result in 23 pages of replies!!!

I wonder if WES admin is watching. If not they should be!

I have no skin in the game, just fascinated by the amount of passionate responses.