New W-L Principal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Strong disagree. “equity focused” educational trends have resulted in compromising education for the kids that need it most - for example getting rid of homework, getting rid of accelerated classes, making teachers actually, you know, teaching content, into a bad thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Strong disagree. “equity focused” educational trends have resulted in compromising education for the kids that need it most - for example getting rid of homework, getting rid of accelerated classes, making teachers actually, you know, teaching content, into a bad thing.

Just say that you just don't want poor kids snatching up resources that your child could hoard. I'd have more respect for you otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
People from Alexandria City High School don't have good things to say about him. I think APS just made a big mistake. At this point, every hire is someone from Alexandria City. They apparently can't look further than that for candidates.

To be fair people are super weird about ACHS, they like to pretend everything is great even when it is not. Being vocal about issues is discouraged. I have no idea if he is not well liked for a legitimate reason or if he has been trying stuff to right the ship that people don't like

Isn't ACPS HS a disaster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Equity should be assumed, and they should emphasize instead challenging and growing students and preparing them for the real world — which won’t be equitable.

Equity is what has gotten rid of homework, test retakes, diversity of curriculum which often brings in lower quality material, mixed classrooms which necessitate teachers to focus on the struggle students exclusively.

The curriculum is SO BAD in MS … the only hope is getting into tracked and AP or IB classes in HS. I’m not sure the horrific state of curriculum and teaching methods is entirely driven by “equity” but whatever it is, it needs to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would Wilmer stay on? He’s already been a principal at Wakefield. His job at Syphax was a promotion.

But his position was either going away or being merged with another position in the budget process

It seems like he’s in the merged role as of July 1- Administrator of Gunston/Kenmore

What does this mean? Link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Strong disagree. “equity focused” educational trends have resulted in compromising education for the kids that need it most - for example getting rid of homework, getting rid of accelerated classes, making teachers actually, you know, teaching content, into a bad thing.

Just say that you just don't want poor kids snatching up resources that your child could hoard. I'd have more respect for you otherwise.

Just say it - you don’t believe poor kids can actually learn facts or study for tests and you believe they should be coddled in the name of equity.

It’s not “resource hoarding” to want your child to get an appropriate level of instruction. And when you insist that college bound kids have no right to appropriate instructions, then what you get is even more intense segregation as parents vote with their feet. Trust, I see this in DCPS.

W-L is actually a uniquely diverse school (not dissimilar to J-R in DC). But accusing parents of “resource hoarding” and acting like their kids have no right to an appropriate education is a great way to generate segregation out of diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone watch the school board meeting? I have been trying to but Vimeo is messing up on me.

How were his comments? Does he have plans to help boost college admissions rates and academic rigor? Why were teachers there — isn’t that their new boss?? Clearly no one spoke out against him, right??

His speech was super weird. Very defensive IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Strong disagree. “equity focused” educational trends have resulted in compromising education for the kids that need it most - for example getting rid of homework, getting rid of accelerated classes, making teachers actually, you know, teaching content, into a bad thing.

Just say that you just don't want poor kids snatching up resources that your child could hoard. I'd have more respect for you otherwise.

Please drill down for me and be specific. what is “resource hoarding”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Strong disagree. “equity focused” educational trends have resulted in compromising education for the kids that need it most - for example getting rid of homework, getting rid of accelerated classes, making teachers actually, you know, teaching content, into a bad thing.

Just say that you just don't want poor kids snatching up resources that your child could hoard. I'd have more respect for you otherwise.

Not poor kids. Kids who don’t belong in that class. Some of the best kids in my DS class are poor kids from Ehtiopia and they are absolute whizzes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised the PTA wasn’t consulted. The PTA used to play a huge role in the interview process for principals in APS.

Lol. No it didn’t. Never did.

+1, not in my experience either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Wasn't there a principal selection committee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did anyone watch the school board meeting? I have been trying to but Vimeo is messing up on me.

How were his comments? Does he have plans to help boost college admissions rates and academic rigor? Why were teachers there — isn’t that their new boss?? Clearly no one spoke out against him, right??

His speech was super weird. Very defensive IMO.

I mean when he started talking, wasn’t he HECKLED?? What exactly is going on here??

[Anonymous]

ArlNow article incoming: https://www.arlnow.com/2025/06/13/school-board-selects-new-w-l-principal-despite-criticism-from-school-staff/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh this is too bad. I was really considering moving to Ballston to enroll my DC kid in W-L. I’m that annoying white lady who considers diversity a strength. But I know very, very well from my time in DCPS that the principal makes all the difference in a school. My other option was Yorktown (because there is also a small pocket of apartments I can afford zoned for that school) … so I guess my plan is changing.

Yorktown principals background:

https://yorktownsentry.com/8137/headlines/dr-kevin-clark-takes-office/

I especially liked the doctorate in education from UVA and that he taught BC calculus for nearly a decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His introduction by SB:

“Brings a proven track record of of instructional leadership, school transformation, and a deep commitment to equity and student success”

Is instructional leadership saying he will bring rigor and accountability to academic performance?

Why are we still emphasizing equity as a primary driver. Just say student success for all students, why do we have these trigger words?

School transformation — is WL having problems, does it NEED a TRANSFORMATION??

There's nothing wrong with an equity focus. It strives to make sure that those at the bottom have the same opportunities to succeed as those who don't have the same struggles or better resources.

I feel like that APS could have been more transparent with the principal selection process and brought more stakeholders into it. I don't know anything about Duncan, but Wiltmore is quite popular even with his short tenure there. Whoever made the final decision (Duran?) should explain more why he chose one over the other, just for parents and staff sake.

Wasn't there a principal selection committee?

Yes. I know two people who served on it. Both are exceptional and I was impressed that they were considered. I don't know if they were tasked with making that final call though.