Revolving Door at Holton

[Anonymous]

Lol, well they forced out a LS vet teacher, so you clearly don't know what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

It’s easy to urge others to take action, but it’s risky to be the faculty who rock the boat. Any individual speaking up can have his or her contract non-renewed. Even an attempt to unionize has risks. Sometimes people turn on someone urging collective action because they feel they can more easily curry individual favor by tattling and kissing up. Also, I’m not sure that a faculty movement will be more powerful than the HoS’s five-year contract. Teachers can be replaced, even when it’s difficult. The financial loss of paying out on that guaranteed contract cannot be recovered.

[Anonymous]

Staff and faculty have been told by the HOS that they are replaceable. They have also been reminded that she is the only one with a multi year contract.

All true.

But it still tells you a lot about the derision with which the HOS (and I suppose some other leaders who allow and support this sort of behavior) views faculty and staff. There is little respect for educators amongst some of these leaders. The idea that threats or expressions of concern from some vets would suddenly change the BoTs actions is incredibly naive. They have plenty of information about the damage Penny is doing. They continue to support and cover up for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t the President of the Board Penny’s biggest cheerleader? Didn’t she feel very strongly about drastic change at Holton which is why she didn’t enroll her own daughters there as soon as they were of age?

It doesn’t seem like she would be in favor of ousting the change that she championed.

I could have incorrect information, but lots of PPs say the the board should do something, but it might be that the board is pleased with these changes.

That's the point...if faculty were to meet and later air their grievances, they could do things that would awaken the Board to pay serious attention to their concerns. They could issue a public vote of "no confidence." They could vote to unionize (now THAT would get the Board's attention real fast).

And let's be honest, certain voices among the faculty will carry more weight. For example, if the AP Calculus, Advanced Analytical Chemistry, and Advanced Latin teachers were to insist upon change, the Board would likely listen, knowing those people are hard to replace. There are vets among the lower school whose voices carry a lot weight.

But until the teachers meet and agree to take action, the Board (and likely Penny) will cast aside the gripes on this thread as needless noise.

Unionize at a private school? Good luck with that!

Just move to another school with a perfect HOS. I am sure that there are plenty of schools like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Staff and faculty have been told by the HOS that they are replaceable. They have also been reminded that she is the only one with a multi year contract.

All true.

.

That is a super shitty thing to say to a group of teachers.

If true, it’s a disgusting thing to say, and counterproductive to say the least. But who knows whether it really happened the way it was reported out…

[Anonymous]

But it is true and the HOS is also replaceable.

[Anonymous]

The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

Your assessment doesn’t seem to be objective but based on how much teachers dislike penny. I couldn’t care less about your feelings or that there is HOS that you like. The bottom line is if my daughter is receiving a high quality education that is consistent with the amount of tuition I pay. So far that is the case so I am not so worried about a teacher complaining about penny anonymously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

Your assessment doesn’t seem to be objective but based on how much teachers dislike penny. I couldn’t care less about your feelings or that there is HOS that you like. The bottom line is if my daughter is receiving a high quality education that is consistent with the amount of tuition I pay. So far that is the case so I am not so worried about a teacher complaining about penny anonymously.

I'm sorry...who do you think is providing the high quality education you are paying for??? And if they all leave and are replaced by rookie teachers?? Dismissing the concerns of the teachers HAS led to a drop in quality of education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

Your assessment doesn’t seem to be objective but based on how much teachers dislike penny. I couldn’t care less about your feelings or that there is HOS that you like. The bottom line is if my daughter is receiving a high quality education that is consistent with the amount of tuition I pay. So far that is the case so I am not so worried about a teacher complaining about penny anonymously.

Of course your child is getting a great education! She's at Holton, with a long legacy of caring for, inspiring, and educating young women. Over the last two years that is happening inspite of Penny, not because of her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

Your assessment doesn’t seem to be objective but based on how much teachers dislike penny. I couldn’t care less about your feelings or that there is HOS that you like. The bottom line is if my daughter is receiving a high quality education that is consistent with the amount of tuition I pay. So far that is the case so I am not so worried about a teacher complaining about penny anonymously.

I'm sorry...who do you think is providing the high quality education you are paying for??? And if they all leave and are replaced by rookie teachers?? Dismissing the concerns of the teachers HAS led to a drop in quality of education.

I am sorry but all teachers are replaceable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

Your assessment doesn’t seem to be objective but based on how much teachers dislike penny. I couldn’t care less about your feelings or that there is HOS that you like. The bottom line is if my daughter is receiving a high quality education that is consistent with the amount of tuition I pay. So far that is the case so I am not so worried about a teacher complaining about penny anonymously.

Of course your child is getting a great education! She's at Holton, with a long legacy of caring for, inspiring, and educating young women. Over the last two years that is happening inspite of Penny, not because of her.

So to improve the education the teachers need to like the HOS? I think they are a bit spoiled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board selected the HOS to appeal to conservative donors and families, overlooking her lack of qualifications, poor people skills, and troubling professional history.

There must be a candidate that can share the board's values/vision, appeal to new families and donors, AND be an appropriate leader for the school that doesn't chase away valuable members of the community.

The board should really consider how they failed Holton. It's time to change course.

Your assessment doesn’t seem to be objective but based on how much teachers dislike penny. I couldn’t care less about your feelings or that there is HOS that you like. The bottom line is if my daughter is receiving a high quality education that is consistent with the amount of tuition I pay. So far that is the case so I am not so worried about a teacher complaining about penny anonymously.

Of course your child is getting a great education! She's at Holton, with a long legacy of caring for, inspiring, and educating young women. Over the last two years that is happening inspite of Penny, not because of her.

So to improve the education the teachers need to like the HOS? I think they are a bit spoiled.

Well, no one said that.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know what’s worse:
– seeing teachers leave without knowing whether it’s because of the Head of School or something else,
or
– witnessing this kind of behavior among parents in a school community we’re part of.

I’ve always worried that all-girls schools might foster a “mean girls, mean parents” culture—but I haven’t seen this level or frequency of drama at other all-girls schools.

Has the community at this school always been like this?

Every thread like this over the past two years eventually circles back to the HOS drama. Posters get mean, start calling names, and make accusations—then the thread gets removed by the moderator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know what’s worse:
– seeing teachers leave without knowing whether it’s because of the Head of School or something else,
or
– witnessing this kind of behavior among parents in a school community we’re part of.

I’ve always worried that all-girls schools might foster a “mean girls, mean parents” culture—but I haven’t seen this level or frequency of drama at other all-girls schools.

Has the community at this school always been like this?

Every thread like this over the past two years eventually circles back to the HOS drama. Posters get mean, start calling names, and make accusations—then the thread gets removed by the moderator.

My daughter graduated about ten years ago. Great college outcome: HYP, but we did encounter a lot of mean girls/ mean moms. This was well before this newer head, Penny. It sounds as though she has made things even worse.