Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

If that is true, a parent can sue the school and make tons of money. Of course, that didn’t happen. Maybe because there was no assault to begin with….

But there is no hope of convincing the troll teacher. In any case, she is free to post her perceptions of reality here.

[Anonymous]

The HoS is known to be petty, vindictive, and impulsive. The parents understood the cost to their child if they went public with what happened. But the child's classmates, teachers, etc all know. Most classmates witnessed what happened. So the child's family smiled through the HoS's measly attempts at apology and bribery. It doesn't change what happened, nor can you hide the HoS lack of integrity.

[Anonymous]

NP. I’m a teacher who has met a lot of Holton alumnae and former teachers through the local community of private school educators. While I don’t have a dog in this fight, I’ve seen enough upset about Penny to stay far, far away. When the AISGW and Carney Sandoe postings go up, I ignore the ones for Holton. For that matter, I ignore Stone Ridge too. I can’t confirm the individual rumors, but there’s clearly enough unhappiness in the community that it would be silly to stake one’s job on weathering the current drama.

[Anonymous]

If I were unhappy about the direction of the school I would resign and choose a school that would be consistent with my values. It’s like being a supporter of conservative ideas and then joining a liberal party. You are not going to change the party. It’s better to move on to a place that is a better fit.

Unfortunately teachers do not hire HoS, the board does. So this is something that you cannot change.

[Anonymous]

^ obviously, people ARE leaving. That's the whole point of this thread. And poor leadership, not politics, is the reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. I’m a teacher who has met a lot of Holton alumnae and former teachers through the local community of private school educators. While I don’t have a dog in this fight, I’ve seen enough upset about Penny to stay far, far away. When the AISGW and Carney Sandoe postings go up, I ignore the ones for Holton. For that matter, I ignore Stone Ridge too. I can’t confirm the individual rumors, but there’s clearly enough unhappiness in the community that it would be silly to stake one’s job on weathering the current drama.

Wrong thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were unhappy about the direction of the school I would resign and choose a school that would be consistent with my values. It’s like being a supporter of conservative ideas and then joining a liberal party. You are not going to change the party. It’s better to move on to a place that is a better fit.

Unfortunately teachers do not hire HoS, the board does. So this is something that you cannot change.

Why not just declare, "The beatings will not cease until morale improves"? Is that not what you really mean?

As an HA parent, I want my DD's teachers to feel supported. I want them to have faith in the school's leadership. And I want them to respect the school's leadership. I have far more faith in the professional men and women who work with my DD on a daily basis. I have far more faith in their ability to inspire, model, and guide. I hold trust in them to advocate on her behalf when she applies to college. There is not one single administrator for whom I can say the same--not necessarily because they are incompetent, but because they are not the reason I cut a tuition check each spring.

So, no, I do not want our school's top teachers to leave. No, I do not want HA to take an unnecessary risk on a new hire. No, I do not want respected faculty to be told "Obey or leave." This is a school--a non-profit environment that ought to function as a community, not a top-down corporation based on arbitrary edicts from a Head whom few seem to respect.

Therefore, I call upon the Board to declare publicly their complete support for Penny. Show your cards, and do so affirmatively and unconditionally. Afford my DD's teachers, afford my family, and afford my DD's friends and classmates the chance to make a decision about where this ship is headed. And if the Board cannot--or will not--pledge their faith in Penny's leadership, then I'm prepared to look elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I were unhappy about the direction of the school I would resign and choose a school that would be consistent with my values. It’s like being a supporter of conservative ideas and then joining a liberal party. You are not going to change the party. It’s better to move on to a place that is a better fit.

Unfortunately teachers do not hire HoS, the board does. So this is something that you cannot change.

You are absolutely right. If I were a teacher and felt mistreated, I would leave too.

The problem arises if you are a family with a high schooler at Holton, and so many good teachers are leaving. It's too late to switch to another school. As a parent, I feel helpless in solving the issue too. Apart from stopping all donations, there is not much else we could do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were unhappy about the direction of the school I would resign and choose a school that would be consistent with my values. It’s like being a supporter of conservative ideas and then joining a liberal party. You are not going to change the party. It’s better to move on to a place that is a better fit.

Unfortunately teachers do not hire HoS, the board does. So this is something that you cannot change.

Why not just declare, "The beatings will not cease until morale improves"? Is that not what you really mean?

As an HA parent, I want my DD's teachers to feel supported. I want them to have faith in the school's leadership. And I want them to respect the school's leadership. I have far more faith in the professional men and women who work with my DD on a daily basis. I have far more faith in their ability to inspire, model, and guide. I hold trust in them to advocate on her behalf when she applies to college. There is not one single administrator for whom I can say the same--not necessarily because they are incompetent, but because they are not the reason I cut a tuition check each spring.

So, no, I do not want our school's top teachers to leave. No, I do not want HA to take an unnecessary risk on a new hire. No, I do not want respected faculty to be told "Obey or leave." This is a school--a non-profit environment that ought to function as a community, not a top-down corporation based on arbitrary edicts from a Head whom few seem to respect.

Therefore, I call upon the Board to declare publicly their complete support for Penny. Show your cards, and do so affirmatively and unconditionally. Afford my DD's teachers, afford my family, and afford my DD's friends and classmates the chance to make a decision about where this ship is headed. And if the Board cannot--or will not--pledge their faith in Penny's leadership, then I'm prepared to look elsewhere.

Have you sent this to the board with your name attached and posted it to any Holton SM? Have any parents?

[Anonymous]

The previous two posters are spot-on. HA is facing a real inflection point.

Yes, teachers should leave if they are unhappy. But as a parent, I want the best teachers to stay. Teachers are replaceable, I grant that. But the good ones--the ones who inspire, the ones who care about my daughter's success--are not. And if a sizable number of the faculty are unhappy, then what is the problem with seeking their input and hearing their concerns?

Having run non-profits, I can attest to the importance of a stable workplace. Gossip, festering resentment, and tribalism are toxic. And when those gripes get aired in public, it further undermines confidence.

[Anonymous]

Those of you saying "just leave" should know that Penny has repeatedly sabotaged the prospects of departing administrators over the last three years. Teachers were beneath her notice initially, but she has threatened some with poor references and reminders of her connections throughout the national private school community.

It's gross. Her ego, her insecurities, her prejudices all damage the potential of this school and its community. The board has abandoned its responsibility because they are blinded by her obsequious behavior in their presence.

[Anonymous]

Well, it’s very simple. You can ask to have an additional metric to assess pennys performance like faculty retention or faculty job satisfaction in a survey. And the board can judge her performance and decide. Saying “I don’t like penny” will not take you too far. Maybe a long thread in dcum, and that’s it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were unhappy about the direction of the school I would resign and choose a school that would be consistent with my values. It’s like being a supporter of conservative ideas and then joining a liberal party. You are not going to change the party. It’s better to move on to a place that is a better fit.

Unfortunately teachers do not hire HoS, the board does. So this is something that you cannot change.

Why not just declare, "The beatings will not cease until morale improves"? Is that not what you really mean?

As an HA parent, I want my DD's teachers to feel supported. I want them to have faith in the school's leadership. And I want them to respect the school's leadership. I have far more faith in the professional men and women who work with my DD on a daily basis. I have far more faith in their ability to inspire, model, and guide. I hold trust in them to advocate on her behalf when she applies to college. There is not one single administrator for whom I can say the same--not necessarily because they are incompetent, but because they are not the reason I cut a tuition check each spring.

So, no, I do not want our school's top teachers to leave. No, I do not want HA to take an unnecessary risk on a new hire. No, I do not want respected faculty to be told "Obey or leave." This is a school--a non-profit environment that ought to function as a community, not a top-down corporation based on arbitrary edicts from a Head whom few seem to respect.

Therefore, I call upon the Board to declare publicly their complete support for Penny. Show your cards, and do so affirmatively and unconditionally. Afford my DD's teachers, afford my family, and afford my DD's friends and classmates the chance to make a decision about where this ship is headed. And if the Board cannot--or will not--pledge their faith in Penny's leadership, then I'm prepared to look elsewhere.

Have you sent this to the board with your name attached and posted it to any Holton SM? Have any parents?

+1. It’s hard to believe that people who actually care about a school and don’t simply have an axe to grind find DCUM to be the appropriate forum for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I were unhappy about the direction of the school I would resign and choose a school that would be consistent with my values. It’s like being a supporter of conservative ideas and then joining a liberal party. You are not going to change the party. It’s better to move on to a place that is a better fit.

Unfortunately teachers do not hire HoS, the board does. So this is something that you cannot change.

Why not just declare, "The beatings will not cease until morale improves"? Is that not what you really mean?

As an HA parent, I want my DD's teachers to feel supported. I want them to have faith in the school's leadership. And I want them to respect the school's leadership. I have far more faith in the professional men and women who work with my DD on a daily basis. I have far more faith in their ability to inspire, model, and guide. I hold trust in them to advocate on her behalf when she applies to college. There is not one single administrator for whom I can say the same--not necessarily because they are incompetent, but because they are not the reason I cut a tuition check each spring.

So, no, I do not want our school's top teachers to leave. No, I do not want HA to take an unnecessary risk on a new hire. No, I do not want respected faculty to be told "Obey or leave." This is a school--a non-profit environment that ought to function as a community, not a top-down corporation based on arbitrary edicts from a Head whom few seem to respect.

Therefore, I call upon the Board to declare publicly their complete support for Penny. Show your cards, and do so affirmatively and unconditionally. Afford my DD's teachers, afford my family, and afford my DD's friends and classmates the chance to make a decision about where this ship is headed. And if the Board cannot--or will not--pledge their faith in Penny's leadership, then I'm prepared to look elsewhere.

Have you sent this to the board with your name attached and posted it to any Holton SM? Have any parents?

+1. It’s hard to believe that people who actually care about a school and don’t simply have an axe to grind find DCUM to be the appropriate forum for this.

Maybe because all of what is mentioned is not that serious.

[Anonymous]

+1