What is happening at Hearst?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a current family with younger kids and had no idea there were any issues.We were shocked to see the news and all the parents are asking each other what is wrong with the school. The principal won't give us anymore information and we haven't heard anything from DCPS or other school leaders. Have no ideea what is going on and worried that more teachers will leave.

As a long-time Hearst parent (one alum, one still there), I would take all of this with a grain of salt. If your kid is having a good experience, that's what matters. This thread could very well be a few disgruntled parents stirring the pot - easy to do anonymously. I've seen this cycle of beloved staff leaving before. There's a lot of emotions and panic initially, then new teachers come in and almost always work out, and everyone settles down. That's not always the case, but it's been my experience in 10 years at the school.

I think this is a good point. Haven't you been at organizations where the leader hamstrings you but your team is still able to do good work? Yes, it's sad that some good teachers are leaving, but the new hire my DC had last year was great. And I agree with another, the focus should be on repairing relationships, if possible. The PA seems robust, so what can people do?

-From a newish Hearst parent who has come to this thread a few times because I think it's a great school and SO much better than so many alternatives

[Anonymous]

I don't get it -- if people didn;t like the principal, why are they leaving now that she is resigning?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't get it -- if people didn;t like the principal, why are they leaving now that she is resigning?

It was not announced until late April (I think) that she’d be leaving, so many had already secured new positions by then. However, once it was announced the AP would be interviewing for the position it sounds like a bigger second wave of departures came in.

[Anonymous]

The current principal has traditionally held all departure announcements to one of her last updates of the year. She always waits to tell us until they’ve finishing hiring, I think to soften the blow. Although usually the departures and hires all come in one update, and this year’s only had the departures. Maybe no one has been hired? I jest. Personally I think it causes more anxiety for the community to hear all at once, especially with these numbers, but I get the intent.

All of that to say, I think the timing of when these people got new jobs is totally up in the air. I do know that DCPS hiring starts early spring, maybe even immediately after the budgets are released? Even Hearst starts interviewing that early. I know they require teachers who are leaving DCPS altogether to submit the paperwork in early April. So I think it’s logical to assume that many departures were decided before the principal announced. I’m sure there was a second wave but I don’t think we have enough information to know which wave was larger. Not sure it matters, or changes things. They’re all going and I wish them well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All this and no one has really said what decisions the principal has made that they don't like. I know some parents who were bent out of shape by prioritizing the economically neediest in returning to the building during the pandemic. Sure, that was inconvenient for me, but that's what educators should do. I wish that instead of just stirring up meanness, people would provide information that would allow others to make informed decisions about the school.

Also, as a former teacher, I'll say that there were plenty of years that lots of staff left that had nothing to do with the school itself. I'm sure some folks are leaving Hearst because they want what they think is a better environment and some, as a PP said, are leaving for various life reasons. Schools can have small staffs, and remember, there's one main season of departure for teachers. It may not be worth reading into this all too much.

The principal spends weeks giving death glares to staff and then cries in meetings bc ppl think she's cold. The AP is her handpicked successor. That's all you need to know

NP. You sound like a child. Someone looked at you in a way you don't like? That's the best you can muster in terms of reasons people are leaving?

You might think it's normal for the leader of an elementary school to be unresponsive to good mornings, unable to interact in positive ways with children and adults and then cry when people call her on it. I call it emotionally manipulative. The building has breathed easier this year with her extended absences

[Anonymous]

Why did DCPS go with the principal’s “hand-picked successor” (the current AP) given how bad things sound like they are? Does central
office think things are going well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did DCPS go with the principal’s “hand-picked successor” (the current AP) given how bad things sound like they are? Does central
office think things are going well?

That seems to be the million dollar question no one has the answer to. The parents I spoke with who sat on the panel were very disappointed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did DCPS go with the principal’s “hand-picked successor” (the current AP) given how bad things sound like they are? Does central
office think things are going well?

That seems to be the million dollar question no one has the answer to. The parents I spoke with who sat on the panel were very disappointed.

None of us know whether the principal is the main reason these teachers are leaving the school. Most likely it is one big reason, but I would be interested in knowing if teachers have other issues that can be fixed. No one is talking to the teachers or parents. It’s a communications black hole.

[Anonymous]

It’s so funny to come back to this thread a few months on. The new principal has been amazing and engaged and everyone saying the sky was falling at Hearst sounds absolutely insane.

[Anonymous]

It has been a rather calm and pleasant year so far. Has anyone talked to the teachers to see how they are feeling?

[Anonymous]

Hard to believe that there is so much vitriol regarding change at Hearst. Times change everywhere. Am relieved my kids went to Hearst when that community was more easygoing.

[Anonymous]

Cardozo’s principal has quietly pushed out several great teachers in the past few years. As parents, we feel your pain.

[Anonymous]

We lost a large portion of the staff. Many were wonderful veteran teachers and we have felt their absence this year. It doesn’t seem like the principal has much of a presence, positive or negative, which isn’t awful as she transitions into her new role I guess. She didn’t have much of one as AP either though. The new AP is absolutely fantastic. She would make an excellent principal, so I hope we don’t lose her! Our family has been pretty pleased so far this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s so funny to come back to this thread a few months on. The new principal has been amazing and engaged and everyone saying the sky was falling at Hearst sounds absolutely insane.

It was a such a low bar to make families happy. Just give ALL the kids a shot at attending in person without discriminating primarily on race. Problem solved!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so funny to come back to this thread a few months on. The new principal has been amazing and engaged and everyone saying the sky was falling at Hearst sounds absolutely insane.

It was a such a low bar to make families happy. Just give ALL the kids a shot at attending in person without discriminating primarily on race. Problem solved!

I can't believe this person is still on here. I taught an almost all white class in the spring of 2021 at Hearst during the covid reopening phase so let's put this nonsense to bed.