SSFS HOS leaving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Glasgow said Sandy Springs was like a plantation. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised.

The man was always playing the race card. Ssfs was a wonderful place before he came. He destroyed the school.

I seriously doubt you are an ssfs parent to use language like that. However, I do agree that the school is worse after Rodney’s tenure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The board played a big role in this emperors new clothes situation. The degree they hyped Rodney was over the top, as if the school community was lucky to be graced by his presence rather than as co-stakeholders. I do hope they got some sense and fired him but to be honest I have little confidence in the board either. I hope there is at least recognition between them that they also made some missteps.

What was the board thinking? Any prospective HOS with this type of side business raises warning signs.

[Anonymous]

There are so many wonderful staff and faculty who have been holding ssfs together. People who have been afraid of losing their jobs who have managed to weather these years. I for one am looking forward to these voices being part of the majority once again. There have been many many casualties as a result of Rodney's tenure, but the way that country rallies is line morning I've ever seen before. I'm proud this day has finally come and deeply saddened at the same time.

[Anonymous]

I really like and respect Rodney. He is a gifted educator who inspires young people. But it was always such a crazy thing to do to allow a senior administrator run a side business. These school leadership jobs are ALL consuming. Rodney demonstrates a huge sense of entitlement about his right to focus elsewhere, as if the world should just be grateful to him for making it a better place. Choose one. Or, I guess, have it chosen for you as the board seems to have done.

[Anonymous]

How long has Rodney been at SSFS? He had his business while he was at SAES and his tenure there seemed to have been successful, but he was head of middle school there.

[Anonymous]

He has been there four years - and the work he did on this side hustle would have had to been covered in his contract with the school (aka the board would have blessed it). The head before him also kept up engagement with his prior life of fund investments in Africa - but no one cared about that because it wasn't as visible as Rodney's gig which involved working with schools in the area on diversity (i.e. the work that oddly brought him to SSFS in the first place as the board hired him to do the diversity audit). It will be interesting to see how the Board and the Community handles the coming months - several listening sessions will be needed as someone noted above. The school is blessed with countless incredible teachers - they are what makes the place worth the money. They just need a new Board and a strong new head, and to rally behind the team left in place till they get back to a steady-state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has been there four years - and the work he did on this side hustle would have had to been covered in his contract with the school (aka the board would have blessed it). The head before him also kept up engagement with his prior life of fund investments in Africa - but no one cared about that because it wasn't as visible as Rodney's gig which involved working with schools in the area on diversity (i.e. the work that oddly brought him to SSFS in the first place as the board hired him to do the diversity audit). It will be interesting to see how the Board and the Community handles the coming months - several listening sessions will be needed as someone noted above. The school is blessed with countless incredible teachers - they are what makes the place worth the money. They just need a new Board and a strong new head, and to rally behind the team left in place till they get back to a steady-state.

The former head shouldn't have been allowed to do that either. I work in a DC private. My colleagues and I give it our all every day. I expect the head of school to do no less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How long has Rodney been at SSFS? He had his business while he was at SAES and his tenure there seemed to have been successful, but he was head of middle school there.

Oh, there were people at SAES who resented it. He was a strong moral guide for the school and was appreciated. But it would have been nice if it could have been without all the ego. It flared up if you accepted only 98% of what he was preaching instead of 100%.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like him and SSFS was not a good fit. It his first tenure as HOS; being head of middle school is a totally different ballgame to HOS. I wish all involved well, I can imagine the anxiety in the school community.

[Anonymous]

The clerk of the board also resigned recently. It seems to me that where there is smoke there is fire AND that SSFS families will never really be told the full story. Rodney seemed so disengaged with the community that I agree with others, his departure won't likely impact our children's experience. It's the teachers that hold the culture of the school. Hopefully they will have the fortitude to carry on in these rocky times.

[Anonymous]

If anyone can

[Anonymous]

Current SSFS parent. My kid is having a really good experience there despite the turnover, they've made some really good friends and taken some excellent classes.

I was always mixed on Rodney. I will say the one time I had a very serious issue with something it got pushed up the chain to him and he contacted me almost immediately. I didn't agree with his reasoning but respected and was grateful for his response.

But yes it was always "the Rodney show" and for the most part I thought he was way too MIA (never saw him at a sporting event that I went to, rare at other events) for a head of school. But overall he seemed insincere clearly this was a stepping stone for him and I don't think he cared much about the school other than how it could reflect well on him.

The fact that the board let him keep his consulting business is mind-boggling and heads should roll for that decision!

We have no intention of changing schools and again overall I have a very positive feeling about SSFS, but this is probably a change for the better!

[Anonymous]

I hope that the new families who have enrolled for fall have faith that the true heart of the school will still be in place. So many excellent teachers with the very best interests of students have stayed. We appreciate the SSFS teachers very much.

[Anonymous]

New family here and we are sticking with it!

[Anonymous]

To the new families, welcome. And as someone noted above, the crown jewel of this school is the teachers. We have been there through both heads now and have had a great experience because of the teachers. If you are a new parent with time and relevant acumen, consider joining the board. The school needs and deserves a completely new board to really harness the full potential of SSFS.