That Takoma Principal Part 2

[Anonymous]

If the principal protects an abusive teacher over students, he is complicit. He is failing the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So did the principal's boss (instructional superintendent) have to get involved following this incident with the PTO meeting? And also, has anyone here elaborated on what the perceived issue with the fourth grade is at Takoma?

The superintendent is resigning in June. I don't have the strength in me to talk about all the horrible things this teacher has done since arriving to takoma. All I'll say for now is multiple great educators have left, including mid year, rather than working with her. And Clayton excuses it all behind the scenes. And Robinson doesn't see any issue with her, excuses others of bias and does whatever he can to protect her

Whoever is stepping up in Larkin’s place is going to have a lot of work to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think leadership have something to do with the widening gap between Takoma and Whittier in terms of test scores? Whittier has improved drastically over the past few years, while Takoma has pretty much stagnated. Demographics are pretty similar.

Yes. Whittier’s principal is a strong leader.

Principal Johnson is definitely a difference maker and is not DCPS yes person.

I know it's also a big topic on this forum but our experience is that Whittier absolutely tracks, especially in ELA. Select fifth graders are also taking 6th grade math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think leadership have something to do with the widening gap between Takoma and Whittier in terms of test scores? Whittier has improved drastically over the past few years, while Takoma has pretty much stagnated. Demographics are pretty similar.

Yes. Whittier’s principal is a strong leader.

Principal Johnson is definitely a difference maker and is not DCPS yes person.

I know it's also a big topic on this forum but our experience is that Whittier absolutely tracks, especially in ELA. Select fifth graders are also taking 6th grade math.

As they should! The only way they keep a cohort of high achieving kids is by pushing them academically. Otherwise families, such as mine, will leave the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone think leadership have something to do with the widening gap between Takoma and Whittier in terms of test scores? Whittier has improved drastically over the past few years, while Takoma has pretty much stagnated. Demographics are pretty similar.

Yes. Whittier’s principal is a strong leader.

Principal Johnson is definitely a difference maker and is not DCPS yes person.

I know it's also a big topic on this forum but our experience is that Whittier absolutely tracks, especially in ELA. Select fifth graders are also taking 6th grade math.

As they should! The only way they keep a cohort of high achieving kids is by pushing them academically. Otherwise families, such as mine, will leave the school.

Wow, a school with tracking? Are there other elementary schools that do this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clayton is a nice guy. Don’t believe these stories.

Are you saying it didn't happen? Did he say that or did he not?

DP. He absolutely did say it. And also, in some ways, he really is a nice guy. I truly believe he cares deeply about each and every kid at Takoma - he has a heart for them and it's a warm environment in that regard. But he's not a good manager or administrator, he has a tendency to be extremely defensive and prickly and he gives out favors to friends vs nurturing talent wherever it is found. He treats teachers like his pawns instead of colleagues. And he is -- I cannot stress this enough -- an abysmal communicator. He rambles, he digresses, he backtracks, he alludes, he repeats, and in the end: he has conveyed no information.

He's a human person, not a monster or a saint. But I don't think his personality is right for a principal position and I don't think he's doing a good job.

+1

As a teacher at Takoma, he is not leader material. He does not know how to lead his staff and says things that are really unhinged and unprofessional.
Him being ‘nice’ doesn’t matter, he is not a good leader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So did the principal's boss (instructional superintendent) have to get involved following this incident with the PTO meeting? And also, has anyone here elaborated on what the perceived issue with the fourth grade is at Takoma?

The superintendent is resigning in June. I don't have the strength in me to talk about all the horrible things this teacher has done since arriving to takoma. All I'll say for now is multiple great educators have left, including mid year, rather than working with her. And Clayton excuses it all behind the scenes. And Robinson doesn't see any issue with her, excuses others of bias and does whatever he can to protect her

Whoever is stepping up in Larkin’s place is going to have a lot of work to do.

Why just her when Caruthers double dipped with her job, makes teachers do lessons from a SCRIPT, no differentiation, etc.

She is by far the worst superintendent in the district. Parents need to be worried if their children attend a school she ‘manages.’

[Anonymous]

Is Clayton the loser in the bow tie who was featured at a dcps PD? That man is a walking red flag and represents many problematic principals in this city.

- a dcps teacher but not at Takoma

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So did the principal's boss (instructional superintendent) have to get involved following this incident with the PTO meeting? And also, has anyone here elaborated on what the perceived issue with the fourth grade is at Takoma?

The superintendent is resigning in June. I don't have the strength in me to talk about all the horrible things this teacher has done since arriving to takoma. All I'll say for now is multiple great educators have left, including mid year, rather than working with her. And Clayton excuses it all behind the scenes. And Robinson doesn't see any issue with her, excuses others of bias and does whatever he can to protect her

Whoever is stepping up in Larkin’s place is going to have a lot of work to do.

Why just her when Caruthers double dipped with her job, makes teachers do lessons from a SCRIPT, no differentiation, etc.

She is by far the worst superintendent in the district. Parents need to be worried if their children attend a school she ‘manages.’

Parents rarely understand the impact the IS has on a school. They really need to start asking questions about their role in schools and what policies are DCPS vs IS driven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is Clayton the loser in the bow tie who was featured at a dcps PD? That man is a walking red flag and represents many problematic principals in this city.

- a dcps teacher but not at Takoma

I am a DCPS teacher and know exactly who you are talking about. That PD would have made me run for the hills from that school.

[Anonymous]

Xxx

[Anonymous]

Why are we airing our dirty laundry? The educational professional community is beginning to take note of schools who have toxic parent communities in DC. If you think we will attract/keep a quality school leader doing this you are sadly mistaken. And as a black parent, I am wondering if we have some cultural insensitivity surfacing amongst our parental community. Not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are we airing our dirty laundry? The educational professional community is beginning to take note of schools who have toxic parent communities in DC. If you think we will attract/keep a quality school leader doing this you are sadly mistaken. And as a black parent, I am wondering if we have some cultural insensitivity surfacing amongst our parental community. Not good.

Brandon, put your phone down

[Anonymous]

PrinciPAL, this is not going away. You are unhinged and should be ashamed.
I remember when rumors were you were inappropriate with horrible staff you were covering for, in a meeting you told all of the staff you would never cheat on your rich white lawyer wife.

Why do you always bring up she is a high paid lawyer? Seems like there is some insecurity there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PrinciPAL, this is not going away. You are unhinged and should be ashamed.
I remember when rumors were you were inappropriate with horrible staff you were covering for, in a meeting you told all of the staff you would never cheat on your rich white lawyer wife.

Why do you always bring up she is a high paid lawyer? Seems like there is some insecurity there.

As a Takoma parent, far and away the craziest thing I have learned in this thread is that Clayton is straight.