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WES Head of School resigns
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Anonymous
| WES should do what St. Fran. Did--merge with another school. |
Anonymous
+1 Like all schools WES has positives and negatives. A huge positive is that Nancy Wright has agreed to be interim head. |
Anonymous
That's actually a very good, constructive point. I'm a former parent. I think the problem has been and always will be the parent-run board. After Scheussler left, the school just fell apart with two weak male headmasters. Instead of doing the hard work itself, the board tends to appoint or hire "professionals" whenever there is a complaint or concern and those "professionals" write up a $$ report (taking one off their computer and inserting WES's name instead of the school previously reviewed) that reports basically nothing. I read one that was embarrassingly stupid and was such a waste of time for the school and even the time of parents like us who were interviewed. Then the board follows the report and makes a bad decision. Then the board is unable to take corrective action because they are in too deep and don't want to make waves. So a contract comes up and "poof" another magical resignation and a new expensive search and a new nobody is put in place - someone who doesn't know the area, the other schools, the other headmasters, and doesn't know how to fundraise - simply because the board hired a search outfit who found someone in another state willing to move. A good headmaster is one who has a proven record at fundraiser, currently knows all the other high schools headmasters in the immediate area and is respected, and is willing to work hard and also have the guts to fire the old guard teachers. Also, the job of seeing that graduates get into the high school of their choice really should not be also part of the headmaster's role - which was the problem at Sheridan as well. If the same person hitting you up to work on the auction or for money is the same person who will be walking your child's application into Madeira, then something is amiss. That power must be separate at a good private. And a professional board should be in control above both the headmaster and the person in charge of placements and all teachers so they can fire when needed. WES has played the "we're all family" approach. It's not healthy and not a good environment for either parents, teachers or children. Necessary changes cannot be made because the problem kid in X grade is the son of the board president who is married to the 4th grade teacher, etc. All of the families I know that left (almost all of our class - I think four were left at the end to graduate), left angry, so I would expect multliple comments from lots of former parents and maybe even students. Actually, I can't think of one parent who left happy. Just go look at the list of where last year's "graduates" (those now in college - WES takes credit for that even though it is only a K-8) went to colege - last time I checked over half said "Please let us know!" meaning those parents are long gone, have no interest in the school, and certainly are not sending in any money. |
Anonymous
| Agreed, PP. I really believe WES needs to merge. For so many reasons. |
Anonymous
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20:36 It's really an intriguing idea. We left long ago but kept in touch with a few parents (kids hated the place and did not want to maintain friendships). I've never heard the merging idea mentioned before, but it makes a lot of sense. What is the land situation if you know? The school had bought up the industrial park to the southeast to create a high school but then nothing happened, insofar as I know.
Maybe St. Patrick's (hahaha). Bad joke. |
Anonymous
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They added --wait for it--a playing field on a portion of what was the industrial site. I think the rest was sold and will be developed by --wait for this one--a retirement home.
Anyway, WES has cash. Last I heard. |
Anonymous
| Ah, now I understand the jokes about the head's constant references to the playing field. I'm sure the field will be named after him like the library was named after Stu (oh brother!). But more classrooms, a top-notch science lab, a drama center and theater or a pool like Holton's would have been a better investment. Well, cash is good. I was just musing about merger options. WES has always been so peculiarly placed. |
Anonymous
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There really aren't any nearby Episcopal schools that would benefit from taking WES in. However, WES isn't a parish school, so they would be free to combine with, for instance,
Burke or Field. The question is--would the acquiring school benefit ? Not too sure about that. But, it is a possibility. |
Anonymous
| Holton or Landon could absorb the campus and make it the lower-level grounds. |
Anonymous
| I am a happy, current WES parent, so I thought it would be a good time to weigh in with my experience. We have been at the school over 5 years and my children are flourishing. This year has been a stand-out with homeroom teachers who have challenged, yet nurtured my children. Many of the faculty (even the ones who don't yet teach them) know my children's names and the school feels like a true community. The location is actually pretty perfect--yes, it is located in a section along River Road and Little Falls Parkway--but students travel to WES from Potomac, DC, Bethesda and other neighborhoods with ease because of its central location. I am at school in 15 minutes. As for the idea of merging? Not going to happen. WES was founded with an independent spirit and that remains the same. WES is not as old as other schools in the area, but I am confident that it will be around for generations to come. |
Anonymous
This is well said. I am also a current parent and could not agree more with the statements above. My kids are receiving an amazing education and the community is so very warm. I recently lost a family member and it felt like the entire WES community was there to support me and my children during that time. I will never forget that. |
Anonymous
I agree as well. These prior posts seem bizarre. The place is a gem and the people are great. |
Anonymous
| Lab School and WES would be a perfect combination. This might solve some of LS property issues and the WES campus is not too far from their main campus. Certainly, this might solve some of the WES ongoing issues? |
Anonymous
Landon and Holton both start in 3rd grade. Not sure that would benefit either school. They both have great campuses. |
Anonymous
| I think the suggestion was that Holton or Landon could move the lower school down to WES. And expand. Also, take over pre-K thru 3rd. The younger kids don't need the elaborate athletic facilities that the upper kids need. |