Principal appointments 2023

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a dealine by when principals are supposed to let MCPS know their intent to retire?

No. The fiscal year ends June 30, but principals are human beings who can announce retirements at any time, including mid-year.

Not without penalties but thanks for being condescending while also being wrong.

I am not wrong. Principals absolutely can retire mid year and are not breaking contracts when they do so. It is different than resignations.

Last year, our principal said she had to decide whether to retire by spring because otherwise she would leave money on the table.

There is a date incentive for early notification with regard to cashing out unused sick leave. I wouldn’t call that a penalty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a dealine by when principals are supposed to let MCPS know their intent to retire?

No. The fiscal year ends June 30, but principals are human beings who can announce retirements at any time, including mid-year.

Not without penalties but thanks for being condescending while also being wrong.

I am not wrong. Principals absolutely can retire mid year and are not breaking contracts when they do so. It is different than resignations.

Last year, our principal said she had to decide whether to retire by spring because otherwise she would leave money on the table.

There is a date incentive for early notification with regard to cashing out unused sick leave. I wouldn’t call that a penalty.

Incentives and penalties are two sides of the same coin. Call it what you want

[Anonymous]

Maybe a little off topic but do principals matter that much?
Maybe it's just my experience but every time there is a major issue, the central office drafts the communication for the principal to sign. Every time we've ever asked anything important of the principal, we are told it's not their decision. If this is true, I fear we are asking too much of them but I also do not know what their role really is.

[Anonymous]

Brown Station ES principal job is posted (they have an acting principal now).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Somerset principal was just appointed: Travis Wiebe, formerly principal at Wyngate.

Formerly central office too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a little off topic but do principals matter that much?
Maybe it's just my experience but every time there is a major issue, the central office drafts the communication for the principal to sign. Every time we've ever asked anything important of the principal, we are told it's not their decision. If this is true, I fear we are asking too much of them but I also do not know what their role really is.

Principals can do whatever they want in MCPS. It’s a system of schools, not a school system. Principal makes a huge difference. For example, they can absorb all fundraising funds into the general budget without penalty. As in music kids raise $10k one year and then it’s used by the principal to buy new furniture for the lobby or something completely unrelated. Principals also make huge decisions about how to use their teacher and leader allocations from CO. They decide whether to make one class 50 kids so another can be just 15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe a little off topic but do principals matter that much?
Maybe it's just my experience but every time there is a major issue, the central office drafts the communication for the principal to sign. Every time we've ever asked anything important of the principal, we are told it's not their decision. If this is true, I fear we are asking too much of them but I also do not know what their role really is.

Principals can do whatever they want in MCPS. It’s a system of schools, not a school system. Principal makes a huge difference. For example, they can absorb all fundraising funds into the general budget without penalty. As in music kids raise $10k one year and then it’s used by the principal to buy new furniture for the lobby or something completely unrelated. Principals also make huge decisions about how to use their teacher and leader allocations from CO. They decide whether to make one class 50 kids so another can be just 15.

They can do this, but the good ones do not. I sponsored a fundraiser where more than enough of the goal was reached. The principal of the school did not take the money, but helped us use to for the best interests of the program. It's a shame when some principals have unethical standards.

[Anonymous]

Principals hire and supervise teachers. They make a huge difference, whether a good or bad difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Kennedy HS now needs a new principal as their current principal was appointed as a director in central office.

Sam Levine is a current AP there who served as principal intern last year, so he has the inside track. A job like Kennedy can be very stressful, and I don’t know if they’re going to have a robust applicant pool.

With Watkins Mill and Kennedy getting new principals, that's two of the three regional IB schools.

Those two positions are now posted.

[Anonymous]

Anybody know of candidates for Watkins Mill? I think Kennedy has their choice locked up (yes, it’s early, but you’d be surprised how these processes move behind the scenes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also Kennedy HS now needs a new principal as their current principal was appointed as a director in central office.

Sam Levine is a current AP there who served as principal intern last year, so he has the inside track. A job like Kennedy can be very stressful, and I don’t know if they’re going to have a robust applicant pool.

With Watkins Mill and Kennedy getting new principals, that's two of the three regional IB schools.

Those two positions are now posted.

Why is the Kennedy position posting open for 11 days and Watkins Mill only 5?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anybody know of candidates for Watkins Mill? I think Kennedy has their choice locked up (yes, it’s early, but you’d be surprised how these processes move behind the scenes).

Kennedy parent here, who do you think the choice is? I hope the search is genuine and not performative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anybody know of candidates for Watkins Mill? I think Kennedy has their choice locked up (yes, it’s early, but you’d be surprised how these processes move behind the scenes).

Kennedy parent here, who do you think the choice is? I hope the search is genuine and not performative.

Has to be James Allrich at Argyle. Kids feed into that school, he’s familiar with the high school level, and he’s won award after award. Usually, they try to get. a cluster MS principal to move into that position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anybody know of candidates for Watkins Mill? I think Kennedy has their choice locked up (yes, it’s early, but you’d be surprised how these processes move behind the scenes).

Kennedy parent here, who do you think the choice is? I hope the search is genuine and not performative.

Has to be James Allrich at Argyle. Kids feed into that school, he’s familiar with the high school level, and he’s won award after award. Usually, they try to get. a cluster MS principal to move into that position.

Ah yes, I saw his name thrown out. I guess we'll have to see! Didn't know of the preference for cluster MS principals, though that totally makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anybody know of candidates for Watkins Mill? I think Kennedy has their choice locked up (yes, it’s early, but you’d be surprised how these processes move behind the scenes).

Kennedy parent here, who do you think the choice is? I hope the search is genuine and not performative.

Has to be James Allrich at Argyle. Kids feed into that school, he’s familiar with the high school level, and he’s won award after award. Usually, they try to get. a cluster MS principal to move into that position.

Ah yes, I saw his name thrown out. I guess we'll have to see! Didn't know of the preference for cluster MS principals, though that totally makes sense.

Yes, because Sam Levine was the principal intern last year and while he’s skilled (I’ve worked with him), it’d be better for him to get a middle school assignment especially since he’s a novice principal.