What is going on at Sidwell - LOTS AND LOTS OF TURNOVER - Upper School Head leaving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not want an internal candidate to run the US at Sidwell. I want someone who doesn't have allegiances and can look at the school with fresh eyes. Nothing against anyone at US now, I just think hiring a new person is an opportunity to bring in a fresh new perspective at a senior level.

Guess what? It is not up to you to make hiring decisions. You are a parent.

What an idiotic response to a perfectly reasonable comment.

Agree; this was a very harsh response -- and I'm the person that the PP was disagreeing with!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So Tom was lying?

http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/local-news/the-head-of-sidwell-friends-suddenly-announces-his-resignation.php

The plot thickens. Why did Tom lie?

No doubt it has something to do with Benghazi and the IRS missing emails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth"

LOL

Translation: We suggested that she might want to join Tom Farquhar in pursuing a career as an organic vegetable grower.

As you attempt to perpetuate a lie. Tom Farquhar will be heading an international school in Dubai. Translation: shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about.

Evidently Tom Farquhar didn't know what he was talking about when he told staff and parents he wanted to pursue a career as an organic vegetable grower.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sasha-malia-obama-headmaster-resigning-vegetable-grower-article-1.1399988

One thing is certain: the sex scandal referenced in the above article had NOTHING to do with his departure. Nothing at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth"

LOL

Translation: We suggested that she might want to join Tom Farquhar in pursuing a career as an organic vegetable grower.

As you attempt to perpetuate a lie. Tom Farquhar will be heading an international school in Dubai. Translation: shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about.

Evidently Tom Farquhar didn't know what he was talking about when he told staff and parents he wanted to pursue a career as an organic vegetable grower.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sasha-malia-obama-headmaster-resigning-vegetable-grower-article-1.1399988

One thing is certain: the sex scandal referenced in the above article had NOTHING to do with his departure. Nothing at all.

When I changed jobs, I told people I would take time to fulfill a dream seeking to perfect my playing of my musical instrument I started in high school. Reality set in. Pretty sure Mr. Farquhar experienced the same thing. And even if he decided to grow veggies, so what?

Different strokes for different folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth"

LOL

Translation: We suggested that she might want to join Tom Farquhar in pursuing a career as an organic vegetable grower.

As you attempt to perpetuate a lie. Tom Farquhar will be heading an international school in Dubai. Translation: shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about.

Evidently Tom Farquhar didn't know what he was talking about when he told staff and parents he wanted to pursue a career as an organic vegetable grower.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sasha-malia-obama-headmaster-resigning-vegetable-grower-article-1.1399988

One thing is certain: the sex scandal referenced in the above article had NOTHING to do with his departure. Nothing at all.

When I changed jobs, I told people I would take time to fulfill a dream seeking to perfect my playing of my musical instrument I started in high school. Reality set in. Pretty sure Mr. Farquhar experienced the same thing. And even if he decided to grow veggies, so what?

Different strokes for different folks.

PP seems a bit confused by the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth"

LOL

Translation: We suggested that she might want to join Tom Farquhar in pursuing a career as an organic vegetable grower.

As you attempt to perpetuate a lie. Tom Farquhar will be heading an international school in Dubai. Translation: shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about.

Evidently Tom Farquhar didn't know what he was talking about when he told staff and parents he wanted to pursue a career as an organic vegetable grower.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/sasha-malia-obama-headmaster-resigning-vegetable-grower-article-1.1399988

One thing is certain: the sex scandal referenced in the above article had NOTHING to do with his departure. Nothing at all.

When I changed jobs, I told people I would take time to fulfill a dream seeking to perfect my playing of my musical instrument I started in high school. Reality set in. Pretty sure Mr. Farquhar experienced the same thing. And even if he decided to grow veggies, so what?

Different strokes for different folks.

PP seems a bit confused by the thread.

I hardly think PP is confused but expressing another point of view just as you have. Lighten up.

[Anonymous]

The original reference to growing the organic vegetables was mean-spirited.

Re: the outgoing Head of School, originally he was going to retire after two years (thus the organic vegetable reference) -- he's always had a place out in Frederick County MD, I think. Some months into the first year of his pre-retirement final two years, he got offered the Dubai job and he is leaving at the end of this year to take it. It sounds pretty cool and I can see why it would be fun/rejuvenating to head up a new international school. The head of King's Academy in Jordan came from some big American boarding school -- Deerfield, maybe? Good luck to him, and to the US principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The original reference to growing the organic vegetables was mean-spirited.

Re: the outgoing Head of School, originally he was going to retire after two years (thus the organic vegetable reference) -- he's always had a place out in Frederick County MD, I think. Some months into the first year of his pre-retirement final two years, he got offered the Dubai job and he is leaving at the end of this year to take it. It sounds pretty cool and I can see why it would be fun/rejuvenating to head up a new international school. The head of King's Academy in Jordan came from some big American boarding school -- Deerfield, maybe? Good luck to him, and to the US principal.

+1. Thank you for the clarification. Wish I had a wonderful opportunity like that. I'd jump all over it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth"

LOL

Translation: We suggested that she might want to join Tom Farquhar in pursuing a career as an organic vegetable grower.

As you attempt to perpetuate a lie. Tom Farquhar will be heading an international school in Dubai. Translation: shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about.

Just curious - what was the "lie" that PP thought the earlier PP was trying to "perpetuate?" That Tom Farquhar had said he was leaving Sidwell to pursue a career as an organic vegetable grower? We KNOW that WAS true, don't we? And while we're it, does this sound a tad bit "mean spirited" to you: "shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about"

Yes, not only is it mean spirited it, it turns out the PP did know what she was talking about.

Why is it that the snarkiest posters get so outraged when they have a taste of their own medicine?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"she plans to take time now to pursue new challenges and new opportunities for professional growth"

LOL

Translation: We suggested that she might want to join Tom Farquhar in pursuing a career as an organic vegetable grower.

As you attempt to perpetuate a lie. Tom Farquhar will be heading an international school in Dubai. Translation: shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about.

Just curious - what was the "lie" that PP thought the earlier PP was trying to "perpetuate?" That Tom Farquhar had said he was leaving Sidwell to pursue a career as an organic vegetable grower? We KNOW that WAS true, don't we? And while we're it, does this sound a tad bit "mean spirited" to you: "shut up if you don' t know what you're talking about"

Yes, not only is it mean spirited it, it turns out the PP did know what she was talking about.

Why is it that the snarkiest posters get so outraged when they have a taste of their own medicine?I think the PP lucked out that it turned out to be true but was definitely being facetious about the organic vegetables. No question.

[Anonymous]

^^I'll try this again. I think the PP lucked out that it turned out to be true about the gardening but was definitely being facetious about the whole organic vegetables thing. No doubt about it.

[Anonymous]

With all the turnover, I wonder if the Obamas are concerned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, just putting this topic out here on DCUM is a dangerous thing when there are so many haters who are just looking to criticize a school. There are people who love a fight and will just come on to knock a school if their child did not make the cut or if they are at a school that they feel is a competitor. I am just saying I have seen a lot of petty comments towards private schools on a lot of threads and usually the posters do not even know the real school culture. Just a warning.

As I stated earlier, out-of-control & entitled parents calling the shots. I really hope the new head can bring some semblance of balance to this outstanding school's community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People change jobs. Why does this cause everyone such stress?

Name one other school with administration turnover even close to SFS. St. Alban's, NCS, Maret, GDS, Beauvoir, Potomac, Holton? None of these schools have had multiple turnover of heads of school, upper school and admissions within five year as Sidwell has had. This is NOT normal. It is an excellent school and will get through this time and continue to provide an outstanding education to the student body... but something is not right right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The original reference to growing the organic vegetables was mean-spirited.

Re: the outgoing Head of School, originally he was going to retire after two years (thus the organic vegetable reference) -- he's always had a place out in Frederick County MD, I think. Some months into the first year of his pre-retirement final two years, he got offered the Dubai job and he is leaving at the end of this year to take it. It sounds pretty cool and I can see why it would be fun/rejuvenating to head up a new international school. The head of King's Academy in Jordan came from some big American boarding school -- Deerfield, maybe? Good luck to him, and to the US principal.

+1. Thank you for the clarification. Wish I had a wonderful opportunity like that. I'd jump all over it.

King Abdullah II of Jordan attended Eaglebrook then Deerfield. His step-mother Queen Noor of Jordan went to NCS and her sons (who are younger half siblings of Abdullah II) boarded at St. Alban's.