SSFS Closing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As I call other schools and visit websites and interact with schools, I realize how hard a transition it will be for all of us. Even though there are some fabulous schools out there, SSFS was a beautiful little community with amazing teachers and it will be hard to replicate and find. And the learning support (for the kids who needed it) was built into the system. This saddens me even more as I continue the search for schools. Just so mad and heartbroken.

I feel your pain. I lost an organization I loved in a similar fashion. I’m honestly still not over the grief and pain of that loss. It was so central to my life, and it’s where I had made my best friends. I have never found something to replace it. BUT—I now have found something similar. It took time. I was not open to it for a while, bc my heart was still broken. And, being in the new space has helped to piece together those broken parts. I’m finding joy, fulfillment, and friendship in this new community also.

Keep in mind, this is a tragic loss on multiple levels. You will need to grieve, and it will come in waves. It also hits super hard because it’s also you KID. And it’s so damn unfair. Be gentle with yourselves as you consider new spaces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just cannot understand why they didn’t do a Hail Mary solicitation for donations before taking this step so abruptly.

14-16M is simply not something you can crowdsource.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just cannot understand why they didn’t do a Hail Mary solicitation for donations before taking this step so abruptly.

14-16M is simply not something you can crowdsource.

That was the projection over the next several years, assuming continuing current operation expenses. I think keeping the doors open another year allowing a reasonable transition may have been possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just cannot understand why they didn’t do a Hail Mary solicitation for donations before taking this step so abruptly.

14-16M is simply not something you can crowdsource.

That was the projection over the next several years, assuming continuing current operation expenses. I think keeping the doors open another year allowing a reasonable transition may have been possible.

I have served on different boards as a trustee. I find it hard to imagine choosing to close an organization if there were any viable financial path to remain operational.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just cannot understand why they didn’t do a Hail Mary solicitation for donations before taking this step so abruptly.

14-16M is simply not something you can crowdsource.

That was the projection over the next several years, assuming continuing current operation expenses. I think keeping the doors open another year allowing a reasonable transition may have been possible.

Exactly. And it is the fact that it was done so secretly that is so appalling. If this situation had been more widely known a year or even six months ago, there would have been a chance for others to offer even temporary solutions.

[Anonymous]

You may be right but this board’s decisions can only be described as erratic over the last few years and so it’s hard to have confidence in this decision either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you 6:59. Parent of current junior. Selfishly there isn't much I wouldn't do for a one-year reprieve so our child can finish at the school they've grown to love. But other than junior parents, I have a hard time seeing who will take that risk with us?

We'd need in very short order an ENTIRELY new Board of Trustees (since the current batch is a big part of why we're here!), a HOS and who knows how many teachers since it's entirely unclear who would stay.

Again as a parent of a junior I'd leap at the chance to give our kid that last year. If I were a parent of a 7th grader, or a 10th grader, I'm sorry but there's no chance I'd stay, just not enough faith!

Some current 7th grade parents would prefer to stay too, finish 8th grade, and make HS decisions more deliberately. As for teachers, some of them may manage to secure something over the summer, sure. But for so many, teaching at SSFS is their vocation, and they have long-standing ties to the area. If their salary were guaranteed through the end of the 2026 school year (it can be done, like we do with administrators), I think many would agree to stay.

It's smart to be skeptical and make other plans, but there are cases where this sort of action has worked. Best case study is the campaign to save Sweet Briar, which faced a 12.5 million shortfall. Alumni were able to sue to stop the closure, fundraise, and then with some clever legal maneuvering, tap the school's endowment to cover the costs of the following year, and then use that year to get finances in order. The college is thriving now. Until others get access to the books, its not clear what might be possible at SSFS.

[Anonymous]

I am not surprised they are closing. I was there for a tour in January on one of the coldest days of the winter and there was no heat in the gym. I know this because the children were wearing their winter coats inside during PE (which seemed odd), so I asked why, and was told there was an HVAC issue and they weren't sure when they would be able to fix it. There was also no heat in a dormitory (not sure if there's more than one). That was a huge red flag to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you 6:59. Parent of current junior. Selfishly there isn't much I wouldn't do for a one-year reprieve so our child can finish at the school they've grown to love. But other than junior parents, I have a hard time seeing who will take that risk with us?

We'd need in very short order an ENTIRELY new Board of Trustees (since the current batch is a big part of why we're here!), a HOS and who knows how many teachers since it's entirely unclear who would stay.

Again as a parent of a junior I'd leap at the chance to give our kid that last year. If I were a parent of a 7th grader, or a 10th grader, I'm sorry but there's no chance I'd stay, just not enough faith!

Some current 7th grade parents would prefer to stay too, finish 8th grade, and make HS decisions more deliberately. As for teachers, some of them may manage to secure something over the summer, sure. But for so many, teaching at SSFS is their vocation, and they have long-standing ties to the area. If their salary were guaranteed through the end of the 2026 school year (it can be done, like we do with administrators), I think many would agree to stay.

It's smart to be skeptical and make other plans, but there are cases where this sort of action has worked. Best case study is the campaign to save Sweet Briar, which faced a 12.5 million shortfall. Alumni were able to sue to stop the closure, fundraise, and then with some clever legal maneuvering, tap the school's endowment to cover the costs of the following year, and then use that year to get finances in order. The college is thriving now. Until others get access to the books, its not clear what might be possible at SSFS.

Yea I just picked 7th/10th randomly, didn't mean to imply that there weren't other grades who REALLY want this to work. I know that this coalition is meeting with the BOT, which seems kinda pointless since they're a huge part of the problem. I have all my fingers crossed that something works out, I genuinely love the place, but just have a hard time seeing it.

[Anonymous]

Parent here of 7 years. It is a loss to students and faculty the most. But it is also a loss to the greater DC community. It provided an education not offered at other private (or public) schools and an anchor philosophically and spiritually to many in the county as a whole. I think some of those in charge wanted the school to be more "competitive" (and their egos reflected that) but I also think new parents wanted it shiny as well. It is a loss for everyone.

[Anonymous]

This has to be mainly about whoever holds the debt. The FAQ said the property is mortgaged. I think the land must be the big driver.

[Anonymous]

They should provide more details about the finances. As in, are they just unable to meet obligations going forward? Do they anticipate declaring bankruptcy (as Feynman did)? Will the land be forfeited to the mortgage holder, or is it possible to restructure the debt?

I can’t imagine it’s feasible for the school to continue another year but it makes sense that some parents are asking for answers and more details.

[Anonymous]

So who “ owns” the property now? Is it the bank that hold the mortgage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just cannot understand why they didn’t do a Hail Mary solicitation for donations before taking this step so abruptly.

I agree with you. Maybe they did behind the scenes, they would know which alumni have the potential to make donations. Instead of announcing closure, they could have made a more public “SOS” call for donations first. They had a donor give 500,000 to renovate the lower school late last year maybe more would have given over the next few years.

It also wouldn’t have been such a dramatic shock to the community if they then later announced they were closing.

[Anonymous]

Maybe they asked people who had donated in the 100k + range but they didn’t ask people who had donated in the 10k + range and that seems strange-why not try?