Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?

[Anonymous]

Holton with a new posting for a Fourth Grade teacher. Unusual and not a great sign to be launching a search in mid-June

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]Holton with a new posting for a Fourth Grade teacher. Unusual and not a great sign to be launching a search in mid-June [/quote]

Maybe the next posting will be your job. It’s win-win. You are no longer tortured at school, and the school can hire someone that actually is happy to teach at Holton.

[Anonymous]

DP. Why send your kid to a school if you don't value the expertise and opinions of it's teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP. Why send your kid to a school if you don't value the expertise and opinions of it's teachers?

I do value the expertise and face to face opinion of teachers. Not anonymous cyber bullying posts.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Holton with a new posting for a Fourth Grade teacher. Unusual and not a great sign to be launching a search in mid-June [/quote]

Maybe the next posting will be your job. It’s win-win. You are no longer tortured at school, and the school can hire someone that actually is happy to teach at Holton. [/quote]

I’m not a teacher but your clear contempt for the school’s faculty is telling. As is your attempt to shift the focus from yet another example of teacher turnover, particularly one that occurs at a time in the hiring cycle that makes it very difficult to find a quality replacement

[Anonymous]

It's seriously embarrassing that the administration is losing talented faculty to so many area schools.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Holton with a new posting for a Fourth Grade teacher. Unusual and not a great sign to be launching a search in mid-June [/quote]

Maybe the next posting will be your job. It’s win-win. You are no longer tortured at school, and the school can hire someone that actually is happy to teach at Holton. [/quote]

I’m not a teacher but your clear contempt for the school’s faculty is telling. As is your attempt to shift the focus from yet another example of teacher turnover, particularly one that occurs at a time in the hiring cycle that makes it very difficult to find a quality replacement [/quote]

It’s before the start of the academic year, so in fact it is easier. And no, I don’t have respect for trolls, even if they are teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's seriously embarrassing that the administration is losing talented faculty to so many area schools.

Not really. The number of vacancies is comparable to any other private school. So in any case the situation is comparable to other schools. Nothing surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's seriously embarrassing that the administration is losing talented faculty to so many area schools.

Not really. The number of vacancies is comparable to any other private school. So in any case the situation is comparable to other schools. Nothing surprising.

Yup. Nothing to see here, folks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's seriously embarrassing that the administration is losing talented faculty to so many area schools.

Not really. The number of vacancies is comparable to any other private school. So in any case the situation is comparable to other schools. Nothing surprising.

You either don’t know anything about private school hiring or you’re simply lying to defend Holton

Starting a candidate search in mid-June is a big problem because all the best and most qualified teachers are already committed for next year.

What 4th Grade teacher is leaving? In public school you find out at the end of one year who your child’s teacher will be next year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's seriously embarrassing that the administration is losing talented faculty to so many area schools.

Not really. The number of vacancies is comparable to any other private school. So in any case the situation is comparable to other schools. Nothing surprising.

You either don’t know anything about private school hiring or you’re simply lying to defend Holton

Starting a candidate search in mid-June is a big problem because all the best and most qualified teachers are already committed for next year.

What 4th Grade teacher is leaving? In public school you find out at the end of one year who your child’s teacher will be next year

You don’t know anything about public school.

And why bring public schools into the thread? This is forum is for privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's seriously embarrassing that the administration is losing talented faculty to so many area schools.

Not really. The number of vacancies is comparable to any other private school. So in any case the situation is comparable to other schools. Nothing surprising.

You either don’t know anything about private school hiring or you’re simply lying to defend Holton

Starting a candidate search in mid-June is a big problem because all the best and most qualified teachers are already committed for next year.

What 4th Grade teacher is leaving? In public school you find out at the end of one year who your child’s teacher will be next year

Just look at the number of vacancies in other schools and then come back and tell me what you find.

[Anonymous]

I thought only EVERYONE is leaving SR!!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I had a candid conversation with my DD’s advisor recently, and I coaxed some details about Penny that shed insights about the school’s inner workings. Penny is socially awkward. She exhibits a nervous energy that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Penny knows the upper-school teachers are aware of her quirks, so she overcompensates. Sadly, teachers simply do not trust her, and they are not buying into her leadership.

My DD is has had a wonderful experience at Holton thus far, so I have no big stake in this debate—at least not yet. However, I do worry about losing star faculty who know how to balance professional relationships with high standards.

But back to the conversation with my DD’s advisor. Faculty morale is not good right now. And when morale tanks, so, too, does instruction inside the classroom. For those on here touting the classic mantra, “The beatings will not cease until morale improves,” you might want to re-examine your reasoning. Top-down business models do not work in a school. Administration cannot fire their way out of this problem. Ordinary teachers may be replaceable. Good teachers are hard to find. And they insist upon a professional culture that prioritize professional respect among all constituencies. Penny, in her haste to establish her authority, has missed this critical point.

The Board needs to step in. Hire an outside party to conduct an internal audit. Interview key stakeholders. Gather data. And chart a plan forward. Status quo will only bring more instability and frustration.

If HOS is as “vindictive” as some described, how do you think the advisors feel right now seeing this post. Please stop sharing this type of sourcing if you care about the staff and faculty.

NP here, I strongly disagree. The only way to take down a tyrant is to expose them. If the emperor has no clothes, someone saying it is the only thing that will break the spell.

It would be nice to expose the troll teachers as well.

I haven't seen a single troll teacher on this thread. The only troll seems to be the person who reflexively defends the HOS against all concerns.

You have to improve your reading skills and scroll again the thread. One post mentioned the need to fire the HoS because she cried in public. Oh, I forgot, that’s not trolling for you.

The HOS crying repeatedly to the board and other leadership to play the victim when she's caught for making racist comments, assaulting a child, or bullying and threatening her faculty is absolutely a reason to look for a new head.

No dog in this fight but "assaulting a student" is a bug accusation in the education world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a candid conversation with my DD’s advisor recently, and I coaxed some details about Penny that shed insights about the school’s inner workings. Penny is socially awkward. She exhibits a nervous energy that may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Penny knows the upper-school teachers are aware of her quirks, so she overcompensates. Sadly, teachers simply do not trust her, and they are not buying into her leadership.

My DD is has had a wonderful experience at Holton thus far, so I have no big stake in this debate—at least not yet. However, I do worry about losing star faculty who know how to balance professional relationships with high standards.

But back to the conversation with my DD’s advisor. Faculty morale is not good right now. And when morale tanks, so, too, does instruction inside the classroom. For those on here touting the classic mantra, “The beatings will not cease until morale improves,” you might want to re-examine your reasoning. Top-down business models do not work in a school. Administration cannot fire their way out of this problem. Ordinary teachers may be replaceable. Good teachers are hard to find. And they insist upon a professional culture that prioritize professional respect among all constituencies. Penny, in her haste to establish her authority, has missed this critical point.

The Board needs to step in. Hire an outside party to conduct an internal audit. Interview key stakeholders. Gather data. And chart a plan forward. Status quo will only bring more instability and frustration.

If HOS is as “vindictive” as some described, how do you think the advisors feel right now seeing this post. Please stop sharing this type of sourcing if you care about the staff and faculty.

NP here, I strongly disagree. The only way to take down a tyrant is to expose them. If the emperor has no clothes, someone saying it is the only thing that will break the spell.

It would be nice to expose the troll teachers as well.

I haven't seen a single troll teacher on this thread. The only troll seems to be the person who reflexively defends the HOS against all concerns.

You have to improve your reading skills and scroll again the thread. One post mentioned the need to fire the HoS because she cried in public. Oh, I forgot, that’s not trolling for you.

The HOS crying repeatedly to the board and other leadership to play the victim when she's caught for making racist comments, assaulting a child, or bullying and threatening her faculty is absolutely a reason to look for a new head.

No dog in this fight but "assaulting a student" is a bug accusation in the education world.

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