The McLean School in Potomac

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry no one has answered the question about the middle school head. I don't think I've heard, but its possible I just wasn't paying attention. I assume they are still hiring (or promoting) someone by the end of this year. They generally take division heads from within. I think most schools do that. Though I do vaguely remember something about a nation-wide search.

I have a middle schooler and I haven't seen any problems at all with the current, acting head.

http://www.mcleanschool.org/profile/13/3588/

Apparently you weren't paying attention since this is posted on the Mclean web site.

First of all, no need for snark. I said i wasn't sure but someone kept asking, so i thought someone should respond.

Second, you've posted the link to the original notice. I think teh question was whether things changed since they hired a new head. So, yeah, Iw as paying attention when this went out ages ago. Thats not the question.

[Anonymous]

http://aims.associationcareernetwork.com/JobSeeker/JobDetail.aspx?abbr=AIMS&jobid=25f61754-3326-4959-b335-b23f0e17da73&stats=y

The position was posted on the AIMS website on January 22, 2013.

The new head was hired in the fall. So the search is still going on after the new head has been hired. Sounds like they are looking outside of Mclean for candidates.

[Anonymous]

In case anyone was really wondering, the middle school is a horror. They are looking, mercifully, to replace the current "heads" of middle. Hard to imagine anyone new could be any worse, so hopefully it can be salvaged in the years to come.

[Anonymous]

Parent of current McLean middle schooler here. A horror? Really? I must have missed the memo. Do tell. My DC (mild ADHD FWIW) has wonderful, caring teachers--am just looking at a kind email from one of them reminding us about a missing homework assignment and suggesting ways to make DC's time management better. Grandma was enchanted by the winter concert. DC is getting to grips with some of the harder math skills. Sorry, what do you mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In case anyone was really wondering, the middle school is a horror. They are looking, mercifully, to replace the current "heads" of middle. Hard to imagine anyone new could be any worse, so hopefully it can be salvaged in the years to come.

Another parent of a McLean middle schooler who is thrilled with the school. Far, far from a horror. I have a child at another school and my sense is that middle school is a challenge to every school. but somehow McLean makes it work. Like PP, I have gotten an email when my DS has hit a roadblock in one of his classes. Otherwise, he's working independently, developing great work habits, is getting a lot of attention, and is happy. No complaints whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

I thought the PP was referring to the middle school heads and a need to replace them, not the teaching staff. As a prospective parent, it would be nice to hear comments on the middle school administrators. It seems obvious that a search for a replacement of the middle school head is underway so there must be a legitimate reason for that. Any thoughts from current parents on that would be helpful.

[Anonymous]

Another prospective parent here. Also, why did McLean move the former admissions official over to head the Lower School? I heard he had a real commitment to diversity recruitment and represented McLean on independent school panels about diversity recruitment. Does that signal a lack of commitment on McLean's part in that area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another prospective parent here. Also, why did McLean move the former admissions official over to head the Lower School? I heard he had a real commitment to diversity recruitment and represented McLean on independent school panels about diversity recruitment. Does that signal a lack of commitment on McLean's part in that area?

Quite the opposite, they really liked him and they gave him a promotion. He wasn't the head of admissions, so this is a big step up for him and he's doing well in that position. Being head of the lower school is a significant responsibility. I'm not sure why you think its a bad thing that he got this job. And by the way, he applied for it, and wanted it.

[Anonymous]

The Middle School head is and always was meant to be an interim head. I think the school wanted to focus on the Head of School search for a year (which it has finished) and now they can turn their attention to the MS head position.

[Anonymous]

18:31, thank you. I was not implying that the new lower school head took a step down, but rather was asking about McLean's contained commitment to diversity since the lower school head, from what I was told, seemed to be touted as a leading expert on diversity recruitment for independent schools. He was often a panelist on the subject and served in that role at his former school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another prospective parent here. Also, why did McLean move the former admissions official over to head the Lower School? I heard he had a real commitment to diversity recruitment and represented McLean on independent school panels about diversity recruitment. Does that signal a lack of commitment on McLean's part in that area?

Quite the opposite, they really liked him and they gave him a promotion. He wasn't the head of admissions, so this is a big step up for him and he's doing well in that position. Being head of the lower school is a significant responsibility. I'm not sure why you think its a bad thing that he got this job. And by the way, he applied for it, and wanted it.

Current lower school parent here. He happens to be doing an amazing job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:18:31, thank you. I was not implying that the new lower school head took a step down, but rather was asking about McLean's contained commitment to diversity since the lower school head, from what I was told, seemed to be touted as a leading expert on diversity recruitment for independent schools. He was often a panelist on the subject and served in that role at his former school.

Yeah, but your post made it seemed like they moved him away from admissions because they were no longer committed to diversity when the move up was a reward for this work and reenforces their commitment.

[Anonymous]

I meant commitment to diversity in the student population.

[Anonymous]

Updates on the MS Head search?

[Anonymous]

We have had a good experience there