SSFS Closing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Those of us who have been part of this wonderful community are saddened but the course of events that has led to SSFS closing. There is a lot of speculation and finger-pointing trying to assess blame. SSFS took a calculated risk to build an upper school to bring in more students and more tuition dollars - and it had its largest graduating class in 2023. By undertaking that risk, they could not have foreseen how COVID and RG leadership would impact the school so negatively. Taking risks involves navigating complex situations where a single factor rarely determines the outcome. In hindsight there are many things that could have been handled differently but as with so many things in life, I don't know that we will find an explanation or a scapegoat to blame.

At this point, our family has decided to focus on the positives that SSFS has given us and we are holding those who are directly impacted in the light. It does us no good to be angry about the outcome.

Many families went to privates with Covid. Not left.

The cost of COVID on schools from having to test, to clean, etc was unexpected and unplanned. So perhaps there was an uptick in tuition but there was also an uptick in expenses.

I think the main issue was losing so many boarders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question. Even if they can raise enough money to stay open for the next several years, what is the incentive for families and faculty to stay? If I am a teacher there, I'm not going to allow myself to potentially be left high and dry again. I have bills to pay. I would be out of there so fast.

I understand the impulse to try to save the school, but it seems like the trust has been broken at this point.

Several people have pointed that out. It is an emotional fantasy at this point. Not a practical reality.

Of course people - specially alumni with a long history with this school - are emotional right now and want to reverse course. But most people don’t have such an emotional connection and also have bills to pay.

People who are new in the market will never consider this school for many years. People who are in this school but not that long aren’t that vested either and will leave without that much thought. Teachers who have bills to pay can’t afford to edit and see if the emotional pledges actually yield a stable reality.

Also what is the real financial status? 14-16 million needed on top of securing full enrollment for each year? If full enrollment is 700, and we’re already 80-90 short (as of start of 24-25, now likely worse) the emotional coalition not only has to secure the money to get out of the debt hole but to close the guaranteed tuition gap of a student body of maybe 400 students? 500 even? Probably less next year when ppl have a chance to plan an exit.

No one is that tied to this school to put their child’s future or their income on the line if they have ANY alternate. Objective fact.

Now if the coalition can find a to fully fund the school even if enrollment drops to 200 kids, then sure they can keep it afloat! Good luck. I hope they can achieve it. No hate, I really hope they succeed. But I’m taking my life elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the Friends of SSFS Coalition’s latest email:
“The donor commitments over the past 48 hours have been remarkable. We have $9M+ in pledges, which has given our primary angel donor the confidence to guarantee the money up front to keep the school open for the next three years. Our long-term goal is to set up an endowment so that nothing like this can happen again.”

You can sign up at the link below (making any sort of pledge) to get further updates or contribute your time or talents.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGcMj7TwE0wjzHBO_FqiFLK58hy4Fz05u7R0TH9eOoftQWDA/viewform?pli=1

So -is SSFS staying open?

We’re working on it. Join us!

I understand your love for the school. I understand your dream to keep it open. But saying you “got pledges!” Without even having a full understanding of the schools finances sounds like you’re as naive as the ppl who “got pledges!” Built a high school and got us in the mess. How are you different? Can you even share the schools full financial hole with us now in order for us to trust you have a solid plan? Are you basing your solution based on the email and FAQ of a board that has clearly hidden key information and you think that makes a solid plan? That’s completely laughable. Hasn’t it occurred to you that if it was as simple as raising $16 million the board would have tried that? Or you think such a simple solution has occurred only to you?

Share the books. Then we talk. I’m not signing a pledge without a concrete balance sheet/990 to review. This is like the community is trying to do what the board did. Make empty promises!

Anyone in the community can join the coalition, and that is where information is being shared as it is discovered. It won’t be posted here. You absolutely do not need to make a pledge to join the coalition.

Don’t expect it here but why not openly share with the community? Why does anyone need to join a “secret club” to learn the truth?

You can email [e-mail] to be sent the form to sign up!

Again if you have learned more than the board has shared why do I need to sign up to learn the truth? I don’t wsnt to share my info. School already has it. I should be given the truth without a sign up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question. Even if they can raise enough money to stay open for the next several years, what is the incentive for families and faculty to stay? If I am a teacher there, I'm not going to allow myself to potentially be left high and dry again. I have bills to pay. I would be out of there so fast.

I understand the impulse to try to save the school, but it seems like the trust has been broken at this point.

I think if you look at what's happening in the DMV at this particular moment in time, if you told a teacher who just found out on Monday that they're losing their job and then said that they have a 3-year reprieve, a lot of them might take it! Not trying to be unrealistic and I think the chances of this coalition saying the school are slim at best, I do think that the external circumstances in the country right now could mean that people might stay put, and allow a little cautious optimism.

So you’re saying desperate ppl might stick around? Okay …

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question. Even if they can raise enough money to stay open for the next several years, what is the incentive for families and faculty to stay? If I am a teacher there, I'm not going to allow myself to potentially be left high and dry again. I have bills to pay. I would be out of there so fast.

I understand the impulse to try to save the school, but it seems like the trust has been broken at this point.

I think if you look at what's happening in the DMV at this particular moment in time, if you told a teacher who just found out on Monday that they're losing their job and then said that they have a 3-year reprieve, a lot of them might take it! Not trying to be unrealistic and I think the chances of this coalition saying the school are slim at best, I do think that the external circumstances in the country right now could mean that people might stay put, and allow a little cautious optimism.

So you’re saying desperate ppl might stick around? Okay …

Many of the better teachers had moved on last year. More will do so now. So yeah if the school is left with the teachers that can’t get hired elsewhere (inspite of the shortage of good teachers elsewhere), I’m not sure I want the ones who can’t get jobs?

[Anonymous]

Do we know the appetite of the incoming head of school — moving from CA — to manage all of this, should funding materialize? This job would require a complete restructure with the financial operation and governance taking priority. One question SSFS might pose is whether it can grow into a healthy but leaner school with less facility. Plenty of strong 500-student pre-K to 12 schools out there to model after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the Friends of SSFS Coalition’s latest email:
“The donor commitments over the past 48 hours have been remarkable. We have $9M+ in pledges, which has given our primary angel donor the confidence to guarantee the money up front to keep the school open for the next three years. Our long-term goal is to set up an endowment so that nothing like this can happen again.”

You can sign up at the link below (making any sort of pledge) to get further updates or contribute your time or talents.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeGcMj7TwE0wjzHBO_FqiFLK58hy4Fz05u7R0TH9eOoftQWDA/viewform?pli=1

So -is SSFS staying open?

We’re working on it. Join us!

I understand your love for the school. I understand your dream to keep it open. But saying you “got pledges!” Without even having a full understanding of the schools finances sounds like you’re as naive as the ppl who “got pledges!” Built a high school and got us in the mess. How are you different? Can you even share the schools full financial hole with us now in order for us to trust you have a solid plan? Are you basing your solution based on the email and FAQ of a board that has clearly hidden key information and you think that makes a solid plan? That’s completely laughable. Hasn’t it occurred to you that if it was as simple as raising $16 million the board would have tried that? Or you think such a simple solution has occurred only to you?

Share the books. Then we talk. I’m not signing a pledge without a concrete balance sheet/990 to review. This is like the community is trying to do what the board did. Make empty promises!

Anyone in the community can join the coalition, and that is where information is being shared as it is discovered. It won’t be posted here. You absolutely do not need to make a pledge to join the coalition.

Don’t expect it here but why not openly share with the community? Why does anyone need to join a “secret club” to learn the truth?

You can email [e-mail] to be sent the form to sign up!

Again if you have learned more than the board has shared why do I need to sign up to learn the truth? I don’t wsnt to share my info. School already has it. I should be given the truth without a sign up.

The information is being shared freely and regularly to anyone who signs up to receive it. When you sign up to receive updates you can ask to remain anonymous and no one will know who you are. Create a throwaway email if you would like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Don’t expect it here but why not openly share with the community? Why does anyone need to join a “secret club” to learn the truth?
Again if you have learned more than the board has shared why do I need to sign up to learn the truth? I don’t wsnt to share my info. School already has it. I should be given the truth without a sign up.

I don't have anything to do with the leadership of this coalition but all I see is a group of dedicated unpaid alum and parent volunteers trying to streamline communications. It is not a club and I have no idea how they would somehow have access to the school's databases. If you even checked out the link, you'd know there is even a way to stay anonymous. Create a throw-away email if you're so worried about two people having access to your name and email address. Unless you only use a VPN and have never purchased anything online or posted on social media, you've already shared way more of your personal data with faceless corporations.

I get why you are angry about the upheaval at the school, but could you be taking your frustrations out on the wrong people? You may disagree with this group's aims or methods, but they certainly didn't get SSFS into this mess and they aren't the ones withholding "the truth" from you.

[Anonymous]

One of my questions about this attempt to restart the school is how it will impact people who choose to leave anyway.

Are they going to try to hold onto tuition deposits? Are staff going to work as hard on helping kids find placements?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Don’t expect it here but why not openly share with the community? Why does anyone need to join a “secret club” to learn the truth?
Again if you have learned more than the board has shared why do I need to sign up to learn the truth? I don’t wsnt to share my info. School already has it. I should be given the truth without a sign up.

I don't have anything to do with the leadership of this coalition but all I see is a group of dedicated unpaid alum and parent volunteers trying to streamline communications. It is not a club and I have no idea how they would somehow have access to the school's databases. If you even checked out the link, you'd know there is even a way to stay anonymous. Create a throw-away email if you're so worried about two people having access to your name and email address. Unless you only use a VPN and have never purchased anything online or posted on social media, you've already shared way more of your personal data with faceless corporations.

I get why you are angry about the upheaval at the school, but could you be taking your frustrations out on the wrong people? You may disagree with this group's aims or methods, but they certainly didn't get SSFS into this mess and they aren't the ones withholding "the truth" from you.

Well said! Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we know the appetite of the incoming head of school — moving from CA — to manage all of this, should funding materialize? This job would require a complete restructure with the financial operation and governance taking priority. One question SSFS might pose is whether it can grow into a healthy but leaner school with less facility. Plenty of strong 500-student pre-K to 12 schools out there to model after.

You don't really believe he would want to have anything to do with this school at this point. Also how can anyone suggest they even ask the poor guy? He doesnt owe anyone here anything. We should be helping him move back and get a job....elsewhere.

Plenty of strong 500 student K-12 schools with an unnecessary $14 million Well Gold building? I didnt realize that.

[Anonymous]

The coalition just announced that they’ve raised $15 million, every penny needed to keep the school open for the next three years. Sweeping governance changes will be required in order to receive the money.

I know current parents are wary and tired and skeptical - I am one, I get it - and I think if you want to take your child elsewhere you will go with all of our blessing and understanding. But I must say in this moment in time, this political environment, I am inspired by a group of people fiercely standing up for something they love. Cracked my cranky cynical heart right open and let in a little light. Regardless what eventually happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The coalition just announced that they’ve raised $15 million, every penny needed to keep the school open for the next three years. Sweeping governance changes will be required in order to receive the money.

I know current parents are wary and tired and skeptical - I am one, I get it - and I think if you want to take your child elsewhere you will go with all of our blessing and understanding. But I must say in this moment in time, this political environment, I am inspired by a group of people fiercely standing up for something they love. Cracked my cranky cynical heart right open and let in a little light. Regardless what eventually happens.

Beautifully said.

[Anonymous]

I agree. It's so beautiful seeing so many alums and community members doing what Sandy Spring taught them to do -- Letting their lives speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The coalition just announced that they’ve raised $15 million, every penny needed to keep the school open for the next three years. Sweeping governance changes will be required in order to receive the money.

I know current parents are wary and tired and skeptical - I am one, I get it - and I think if you want to take your child elsewhere you will go with all of our blessing and understanding. But I must say in this moment in time, this political environment, I am inspired by a group of people fiercely standing up for something they love. Cracked my cranky cynical heart right open and let in a little light. Regardless what eventually happens.

Well said. This movement cracked my cranky cynical heart open too. I'm proud to be a member of the SSFS community!