Melissa Kim is leaving Deal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Big Surprise. Seriously, though, DCPS is going downhill when lousy leaders like Monica Aguirre of Oyster receive leadership awards for towing the line and leaders like Kim are left with no option but to leave because they are frustrated with the current system.

Back under the bridge troll.

I'm a DCPS parent of more than a decade. I find this "troll" accusation just stupid. It is completely relevant to consider that the somewhat muted applause for the "leadership awards" are a depressing contrast to the real leadership and transformation Kim has put into Deal. How were these "leadership awards" decided? Was Kim up for considerate? I don't for a second believe a talent and confident woman like Kim would stake her career on such trivialities, but "get under the bridge" is aligning yourself with parents who should never question DCPS. We should all question DCPS every single day. And yes, it's an insult that Aguirre would receive a leadership award and an incredible leader of record, as Kim is, is departing before the school year is even half way out. Something is wrong with the DCPS system.

[Anonymous]

Principal Kim has been great for Deal but more importantly inspirational for my family. Both of my boys were heavily influenced by her. She is a gem!

[Anonymous]

How old is her child that she wants to spend more time with?

[Anonymous]

Her don was born at the end of the school year 2010.

[Anonymous]

14:56 Believe me the noteriety of turning down a job would have it on all of the social media mechanisms. Quiet as it's kept by the time the washpo reported it, the news was old. Why is everyone surprised in the fact that DCPS staff is losing personnel. Many have nourished the idea if you're reaching forty you need to seek opportunities elsewhere. Remember you can't have it both ways as in saying we need to rid ourselves of the old and celebrate snniversary dates of arriving to DCPS

[Anonymous]

Moss stayed about 5-6 years too long. Kim inherited a school that was losing enrollment and lost the confidence of IB families. She was able to turn that around in 2 years! Yes, she ruffled some feathers along the way but she had a lot to do to make it the place it is now. I for one am impressed she was able to make all of those changes and cuts and still was able grow relationships with people along the way. Good luck to her!

[Anonymous]

I hope that the nation-wide search that found a new principal for Hardy also found other principal prospects that might still be in the pipeline.

[Anonymous]

what is an IB family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was horribly, horribly mean to the teachers that work at DEAL. Leadership through verbal (yes screaming and cursing) abuse and fear, rather than through genuine respect. Never seen anything like it. Shocking, especially since the parents loved her so much. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

I have to agree. I was invited to apply for a job there and declined to interview.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:what is an IB family?

in boundary
OOB = out of boundary

[Anonymous]

Deal has had a very high rate of teacher turn over during the Kim administration. Is that the mark of a good administrator? Why don't more stay if Deal is such a great place to work? Food for thought.

[Anonymous]

She was horribly, horribly mean to the teachers that work at DEAL. Leadership through verbal (yes screaming and cursing) abuse and fear, rather than through genuine respect. Never seen anything like it. Shocking, especially since the parents loved her so much. Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.


I have a very close friend that is a teacher at Deal and no this cannot be confirmed. I disagree with the post about the tears there was happiness in the hallway among the teachers. Some were afraid to express it publicly because she can be so vindictive to others. She was horrible to the staff. The turn over rate was high. Having high expectations for your staff and being abusive is not the same thing. Many excellent educators have left the school after being treated very harshly.
Look into the number of grievances and law suits. I suspect many of the parents singing her praises are the white parents whose children were not told they were dressed like a slut or screamed at in front of staff and peers. Just because you did not witness it doesn't mean it didn't happen. After the protest she became very smart about covering her tracks.

[Anonymous]

I wasn't that impressed w/the academic program. I remember the English teacher complaining that teachers weren't religiously following the dcps-adopted text. Is that as good as it gets? The DCPS-adopted text?

[Anonymous]

One more thread confirming why parents flee DCPS - even the "success stories" like Deal seem to be have lots of detractors. So glad we left and did not expose our DC to such an uneven system.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:One more thread confirming why parents flee DCPS - even the "success stories" like Deal seem to be have lots of detractors. So glad we left and did not expose our DC to such an uneven system.

It's an unfortunate fact of my life that I have to occasionally read threads in the Independent Schools forum, as well as the Maryland and Virginia Public Schools forums. Can you please point me to the system that has no detractors?