Lowell School Delaying Employee Contracts

[Anonymous]

Most of those are like GS-13/14 salaries. Seems reasonable for school serving folks able to pay $60K for Kindergarten, no?

[Anonymous]

Those salaries seem entirely reasonable and actually less than I would have expected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those salaries seem entirely reasonable and actually less than I would have expected.

Right. There are just too many administrative positions for a school of this size. There's definitely fat to be cut. The key question here is: if these salaries are so reasonable, isn't that even more reason to question why the school can't operate normally? Not only should faculty have been secure in knowing their jobs were safe for next year at least a month ago, they should not have to be strung along each year while they wait for "offer letters" that may not come. This is NOT how teachers should be treated, and I don't care if "everyone else is doing it" or "that's just the way things are." Ok, well they shouldn't be that way. Teachers should be the priority at any functional school, and the fact that they aren't at this point is a very, very bad sign.

Any school worth it's salt should be able to attract new students and endear itself to existing ones through word of mouth. This one doesn't seem to be able to. It isn't a demographic cliff or Covid bump or whatever amorphous force driving declining enrollment. That's just deflection. It stems from ineffective, reactionary, and, in many cases, mean-spirited leadership that has cut the heart out of what used to endear people to Lowell. Legendary faculty who had been there for years? Cut out at the knees. Innovative curriculum that could have inspired WaPo articles or institutes devoted to progressive educational models? In the garbage can. Long-term families who could have acted as generational ambassadors and inspire generational giving? Antagonized and pushed out. Lowell has a choice now. It can continue on its current trajectory or it could take all of this as a flashing red warning, clean house, and bring in new leaders that actually know what a school's priorities should be.

[Anonymous]

Our child exited Lowell some years ago. We had serious reservations at the time about some institutional aspects of the school. Our worry was without swift course correction the dysfunction we observed would permeate down into the faculty and student body - perhaps not immediately, maybe not even in the medium term but eventually it would happen if things were just allowed to fester. Slow-moving as it may be, we could see a crisis approaching from a million miles away. Unfortunately, no sign of a course correction was forthcoming. Instead, if you cared to look early fissures began to show between top admin and the faculty. We didn’t want to stick around to take the risk even though our child was thriving and still very happy at the school.

At the core of it, we felt the HOS, board, and weird parent groupies of the HOS were living in a different reality to us. When we tried sounding out our concerns to a parent lead committee member we were gaslit, and made to feel as though we’re the ones off on another planet. That’s when we knew we could not stay.

While the merry lot of them were seemingly off communing in their sunny echo chamber, out in the grim real world things still bubbled along only because the faculty pulled out all the stops to hold the school together. Even under tremendous strain, and lack of clear direction from the woeful top the teachers kept showing up for the kids in the classrooms, continuing to do their best in a terrible situation. This enabled the facade of sunshine and butterflies to persist.

Reading this thread makes us truly sad because we loved Lowell, and continue to want it to succeed. We never stopped hoping our instincts were wrong even after all these years. If Lowell is indeed failing, it’s devastating that those who will be hurt the most will be the very people who staved off this slow-burning disaster from happening much sooner: the faculty.

[Anonymous]

"The task of determining what is necessary vs. nice for the coming school year is taking longer than expected, which is causing the delay."

Yikes. HOS actually send this out to staff?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are Lowell’s greatest asset. My child and I have been waiting to have a particular teacher, so the idea that teachers are “nice” instead of “necessary” is disappointing. It’s a wonder folks are jumping ship and enrollment is down.

This HoS has treated Lowell teachers like trash since the second she walked in the door. She is mean, incompetent, and has been driving the school into the ground for years. Many, MANY incredibly talented teachers have been bullied out by this person who has no business being within 500 miles of a school. Her definition of “necessary” is to keep the people who will lick her boots and preserve her control while ditching the best ones whom she sees as a risk to her power.

I don't know anything about the HoS except this letter, but the tone is condescending and just... unbelievable. Just "nice to have"? And she's serving an incredibly important civic duty, so she won't be able to answer any emails or calls?

[Anonymous]

April Fools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize that private school teachers had a new employment contract each years, seems stressful. I knew they were at-will, I just figured they were let go if there were problems or a school shut down. I never thought about the idea of laying off some teachers. Though I could see schools laying off admin staff if needed sometimes.

Yes, private school teachers are extremely vulnerable to administrations that are abusive or incompetent. I wish boards and parents listened more careful to teacher concerns about leadership.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well there is the demographic cliff thing. I imagine they are not the only elementary school struggling.

This is real. I now live in another state, but we are in a similar position. Birth rates have been falling since 2015. Enrollment is challenging everywhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone on this board know an answer to this question that even the Lowell employees don’t know?

because someone might

[Anonymous]

Any updates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize that private school teachers had a new employment contract each years, seems stressful. I knew they were at-will, I just figured they were let go if there were problems or a school shut down. I never thought about the idea of laying off some teachers. Though I could see schools laying off admin staff if needed sometimes.

Yes, private school teachers are extremely vulnerable to administrations that are abusive or incompetent. I wish boards and parents listened more careful to teacher concerns about leadership.

This right here. It is imperative that boards have a system in place to check in with faculty on an annual basis. Switch out Lowell for a handful of other DMV schools and the same issues exist: institutions being held together by their incredibly talented and overworked faculty while mediocre leadership circles the drain until someone breaks. It’s happening every day and parents are funding it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I didn't realize that private school teachers had a new employment contract each years, seems stressful. I knew they were at-will, I just figured they were let go if there were problems or a school shut down. I never thought about the idea of laying off some teachers. Though I could see schools laying off admin staff if needed sometimes.

Yes, private school teachers are extremely vulnerable to administrations that are abusive or incompetent. I wish boards and parents listened more careful to teacher concerns about leadership.

This right here. It is imperative that boards have a system in place to check in with faculty on an annual basis. Switch out Lowell for a handful of other DMV schools and the same issues exist: institutions being held together by their incredibly talented and overworked faculty while mediocre leadership circles the drain until someone breaks. It’s happening every day and parents are funding it.

+1
and most HOS use smoke and mirrors with the Board to make it seem like they have access to everyone but in reality any faculty interaction with the Board is highly curated and limited. The system you suggest is not present at most schools, though it would be extremely helpful.

[Anonymous]

Any updates from Lowell? Sending teachers a lot of love and support.

[Anonymous]

My kid is going to Lowell for summer camp this year and I went to the camp open house. I wasn't expecting a full court press on Lowell admissions, but I got one.