Wilson HS principal candidate rumor-Melissa Kim

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a very angry, militant teacher (who’s still at Hardy, by the way) who was the most vocal ringleader against Rhee’s reforms and was particularly hostile to the notion that Hardy should change to attract more IB students. That teacher would have lasted about a New York minute under Dr. Kim.

You again??? I guess the "bash Hardy" threads finally died out, so you're here on a Wilson/Melissa Kim thread because, I don't know...you're bored? It's weird how you have this fascination with this teacher at Hardy. My guess is that you haven't had a kid at Hardy for at least 5 years. My kid is there now and doing great. Do you have anything else to add to the conversation other than this tired fascination?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Word on the street is that she will replace Arne Duncan.

You must be thinking of Michelle Rhee. I'd take her back over Kaya in a heartbeat!

If Rhee's original plans to significantly change Hardy had been put into effect (as Kim's reforms at Deal were), Hardy would be a much stronger middle school today with a much higher IB participation rate. Instead, it's a distant also-ran compared with Deal.

Really, PP just couldn't resist that opportunity to take down Hardy. Seriously, there needs to be some donation to a charity when someone posts a trashy comment about Hardy. They do it during baseball games--when a player hits it out of the park or a player takes a walk, a donation is made to a charity.

"There's another comment trashing Hardy. Lexus will donate $60 to Girls on the Run..."

Virtually no one, given the choice of Deal or Hardy, would opt for Hardy. Even most families who live in bounds for Hardy and don't have the Deal option avoid Hardy like the plague. You are welcome call it "trashing." We call it reality.

It is a shame that Rhee couldn't swing her big broom and fully clean out the Hardy stables when she was here. Had she been able to do so, Hardy might be in a very different posture than it is today.

What a lucky boy or girl some kid is to have a bitch of a mother like you, honey.

Sticks and stones....

But no one has refuted the proposition that, had Hardy been significantly Rhee-formed, the school today would be far more attuned and responsive to its core community -- i.e., its boundary area. It would have a much higher IB enrollment and be a lot like Deal academically.

If Hardy had been "rhee-formed" a whole cadre of in-bound parents wouldn't feel so foolish for once thinking that Hardy would be transformed by a miracle in which they played a part led by a national hero, that when it didn't work they felt they had no choice but to deny their foolishness ad infinitum -- especially on DCUM. They would be embarrassed to do it IRL,because at some level, they know they are being ridiculous.

At some level, they are deeply embarrassed, but they can't acknowledge it, because the feeling of loss of that moment of glory is so much stronger.

[Anonymous]

The kids of the hardy ib parents that met with Rhee years back are now halfway done with high school, and the parents certainly dont regret avoiding the 4 principals in 5 years mess that was hardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a very angry, militant teacher (who’s still at Hardy, by the way) who was the most vocal ringleader against Rhee’s reforms and was particularly hostile to the notion that Hardy should change to attract more IB students. That teacher would have lasted about a New York minute under Dr. Kim.

You again??? I guess the "bash Hardy" threads finally died out, so you're here on a Wilson/Melissa Kim thread because, I don't know...you're bored? It's weird how you have this fascination with this teacher at Hardy. My guess is that you haven't had a kid at Hardy for at least 5 years. My kid is there now and doing great. Do you have anything else to add to the conversation other than this tired fascination?

Can someone explain why IB parents avoid Hardy like a pile of doggie doo-doo that has sat out in the hot July sun?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids of the hardy ib parents that met with Rhee years back are now halfway done with high school, and the parents certainly dont regret avoiding the 4 principals in 5 years mess that was hardy.

I didn't actually attend that fateful meeting but my kids were at an IB school at the time and are now in high school. I'm still mad as hell at the way Rhee bungled that whole situation, unnecessarily aggravated the situation, made a huge mess and then bolted town and left others to try and clean it up. The fact that I shelled out 100 grand for each of my kids to go private doesn't make me feel any better.

And by the way, it wasn't four principals in five years -- it was five principals in four years. Pope left at the end of June 2010. Between then and September 2013 we've had Nerenberger, the guy who replaced her mid-year, Stefanus and Pride.

[Anonymous]

I was informed over dinner tonight that an assistant principal from McKinley Tech was selected as a candidate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There was a very angry, militant teacher (who’s still at Hardy, by the way) who was the most vocal ringleader against Rhee’s reforms and was particularly hostile to the notion that Hardy should change to attract more IB students. That teacher would have lasted about a New York minute under Dr. Kim.

You again??? I guess the "bash Hardy" threads finally died out, so you're here on a Wilson/Melissa Kim thread because, I don't know...you're bored? It's weird how you have this fascination with this teacher at Hardy. My guess is that you haven't had a kid at Hardy for at least 5 years. My kid is there now and doing great. Do you have anything else to add to the conversation other than this tired fascination?

Can someone explain why IB parents avoid Hardy like a pile of doggie doo-doo that has sat out in the hot July sun?

As explained above. They are horribly embarrassed by the failure of their misplaced grab for glory with Michelle Rhee. Their only recourse is to diss Hardy until the end of time.

It's psychologically difficult to fall from the heights of self-perceived champions of neighborhood public schools led by a glorified national heroine to the depths of being perceived as petty self-interested parents, cruelly misled and abandoned by the now fallen heroine.

Denial is a much easier course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids of the hardy ib parents that met with Rhee years back are now halfway done with high school, and the parents certainly dont regret avoiding the 4 principals in 5 years mess that was hardy.

Ah - a glimmer of recognition that Hardy's perceived deficiencies are administration caused and not caused by the teachers or students.

Or is it just another form of denial -- parents saying it's not their own foolish attitudes and actions that prevent them from ending their kids to Hary, it's the administrative turnover. You can bet it will always be something with a certain group of people who can't bear to look inward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids of the hardy ib parents that met with Rhee years back are now halfway done with high school, and the parents certainly dont regret avoiding the 4 principals in 5 years mess that was hardy.

Ah - a glimmer of recognition that Hardy's perceived deficiencies are administration caused and not caused by the teachers or students.

Or is it just another form of denial -- parents saying it's not their own foolish attitudes and actions that prevent them from Sending their kids to HarDy, it's the administrative turnover. You can bet it will always be something with a certain group of people who can't bear to look inward.

edit: sending their kids to Hardy

[Anonymous]

Hardy is a "hidden gem" that has gotten better and better over the recent years. Hardy has a solid, dedicated principal with a strong vision to push the school forward as well as strong connections to folks downtown to help provide her with what she needs. The location and small school size are all attractions for those who may not want to go half-way across the city for an education, or pay $35k a year, or have their child attend a school with 1,300+ students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Word on the street is that she will replace Arne Duncan.

You must be thinking of Michelle Rhee. I'd take her back over Kaya in a heartbeat!

If Rhee's original plans to significantly change Hardy had been put into effect (as Kim's reforms at Deal were), Hardy would be a much stronger middle school today with a much higher IB participation rate. Instead, it's a distant also-ran compared with Deal.

Really, PP just couldn't resist that opportunity to take down Hardy. Seriously, there needs to be some donation to a charity when someone posts a trashy comment about Hardy. They do it during baseball games--when a player hits it out of the park or a player takes a walk, a donation is made to a charity.

"There's another comment trashing Hardy. Lexus will donate $60 to Girls on the Run..."

Virtually no one, given the choice of Deal or Hardy, would opt for Hardy. Even most families who live in bounds for Hardy and don't have the Deal option avoid Hardy like the plague. You are welcome call it "trashing." We call it reality.

It is a shame that Rhee couldn't swing her big broom and fully clean out the Hardy stables when she was here. Had she been able to do so, Hardy might be in a very different posture than it is today.

What a lucky boy or girl some kid is to have a bitch of a mother like you, honey.

NP here and not IB for Hardy, so I don't have a dog in this fight, but you may want to consider how lucky your kids might be to have as parent a person 1) who is unable to conduct a discussion countering somebody else's opinion with arguments without resorting to name calling; 2) reacts in such an aggressive and rude manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was informed over dinner tonight that an assistant principal from McKinley Tech was selected as a candidate.

Is s/he diverse? I had heard that having a principal of color at Wilson was a very important criterion this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is a "hidden gem" that has gotten better and better over the recent years. Hardy has a solid, dedicated principal with a strong vision to push the school forward as well as strong connections to folks downtown to help provide her with what she needs. The location and small school size are all attractions for those who may not want to go half-way across the city for an education, or pay $35k a year, or have their child attend a school with 1,300+ students.

Hardy is certainly not "hidden." It's right there on Wisconsin Ave. The problem isn't that IB parents don't know it exists, it's that most know enough to want to stay away. To them, Hardy's no gem. That's one of Hardy's fundamental challenges.

[Anonymous]

Let me help you here. The decision to cover-up criminal behavior at schools comes from above. It was not Pete's decision. I've taught in MOCO and DC and it's the same in both places. Kid brings a gun to school? If the administration can sweep it under the rug they will. As a matter of fact it occurs all over the US. Moreover, if the kid is black it's even more so. Just look at the issues with suspensions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Word on the street is that she will replace Arne Duncan.

You must be thinking of Michelle Rhee. I'd take her back over Kaya in a heartbeat!

If Rhee's original plans to significantly change Hardy had been put into effect (as Kim's reforms at Deal were), Hardy would be a much stronger middle school today with a much higher IB participation rate. Instead, it's a distant also-ran compared with Deal.

Really, PP just couldn't resist that opportunity to take down Hardy. Seriously, there needs to be some donation to a charity when someone posts a trashy comment about Hardy. They do it during baseball games--when a player hits it out of the park or a player takes a walk, a donation is made to a charity.

"There's another comment trashing Hardy. Lexus will donate $60 to Girls on the Run..."

Virtually no one, given the choice of Deal or Hardy, would opt for Hardy. Even most families who live in bounds for Hardy and don't have the Deal option avoid Hardy like the plague. You are welcome call it "trashing." We call it reality.

It is a shame that Rhee couldn't swing her big broom and fully clean out the Hardy stables when she was here. Had she been able to do so, Hardy might be in a very different posture than it is today.

What a lucky boy or girl some kid is to have a bitch of a mother like you, honey.

NP here and not IB for Hardy, so I don't have a dog in this fight, but you may want to consider how lucky your kids might be to have as parent a person 1) who is unable to conduct a discussion countering somebody else's opinion with arguments without resorting to name calling; 2) reacts in such an aggressive and rude manner.

This has been an issue for Hardy, where proposals for change and any criticism are generally met with defensiveness, invective and personal attacks by folks who like Hardy just the way it is. Loyalty to a school is admirable, but it's hard to create a climate for change when aggressive name calling is usually the result.