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SSFS HOS leaving
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Anonymous
Not sure why people are defending this - if you see a young person wearing a college sweatshirt, would you walk up to them and tell them all the terrible things you've heard about that college? Probably not, and if you do, you're the a-hole. So why would you say those things to someone about their high school? |
Anonymous
| Agree. Leave the kids out of it unless it is your own kid. |
Anonymous
Is that what happened? The original poster said that in a listening session parents were being cautioned not to talk bad about the school. Seemed like there was no way/reason to police how families talk about the school with children. If this is referring to a complete stranger walking up to a SSFS student and then complaining about it, then that is obviously strange, but why that is relevant for the school families that it needs to be cautioned against in a listening session is confusing. While anyone can agree that seems rather rude to walk up to a kid to complain about their school, the school still has no control over it one way or other. |
Anonymous
Yes, that is what happened - a person's child was approached by a stranger who proceeded to say negative things about the school. Whether that stranger was a parent or not, I don't know, but if they were, then they need to hear that it's a really crappy thing to do. Sure, the school has no control over it, but presumably, the parents have control over their own behavior, and if it was a parent, then they should be called out for it. If it's just some random DCUM poster, then of course there's no way to stop that. |
Anonymous
That’s weird, but that doesn’t seem like something a parent another student would say. Anything is possible but I don’t see a logical reason why a parent of the school would go out of their way just to talk to someone else’s child. There must be more to it than that. |
Anonymous
|
He is and was a fraud. He destroyed many exceptional schools, not to mention destroyed the careers of admin and teachers across the country. Countless children were irrevocably damaged by his race baiting, hyperbolic, self absorbed, unprofessional behavior. Doc Glasgow laughed all the way to the bank and likely will continue to get six figure consulting gigs facilitated by impotent boards of trustees and National Association of Independent Schools.
Get every Glasgow Group consultant out of your schools. (Same as Glenn Singleton and his poisonous Courageous Conversation (Trademark).) Do your homework. These people hate you and your children but love your money. |
Anonymous
Strong words but definitely true. But I think this post will probably get deleted. |
Anonymous
Can you please share the farewell email here. Would love to read it. He is such a narcissist. |
Anonymous
| This whole thing makes me sad. "Race baiting"? |
Anonymous
This is why some parents at SSFS are uneasy about Rodney’s departure. You are not helping SSFS. |
Anonymous
July 9, 2024 Dear Friends - I hope that this letter finds you well. Summer offers us a time to slow down a bit, to reflect and recharge as we plan for the school year ahead. Having had some time to do that myself, I announce that after a period of deep discernment, I am resigning from my role as Head of School at Sandy Spring Friends School. This decision was not easily made. It has been an incredible 4 years of leading and learning in this community. My tenure began in the height of the pandemic, and I found a community whose remarkable care for and commitment to one another were felt even through Zoom. That first year we zoomed in on the finest details of operations as we navigated virtual and hybrid modes of schooling, responsive to changing local, national, and institutional priorities. In the midst of that, we saw the brilliance of our faculty and staff, the resilience of our students, the innovative leadership of our administration, the trust and support of our parents and guardians, and the careful stewardship of our trustees. Moving into a post-pandemic reality, we continued to practice student-centered decision-making that matched the needs of the moment with a long-term view. I am so proud of what we have accomplished together for SSFS. Those accomplishments include a 5 year strategic plan created through an inclusive process based on Quaker principles and practices. The strategic plan states clearly, “SSFS sets the standard for transformative Quaker education.” We redesigned professional development to focus on internal opportunities for growth through our Professional Development Pathways program where each employee engages in explorations of five major priorities: Quakerism, Social Emotional Learning, Teaching and Learning, Belonging, and Leadership. We cultivated a stronger culture of philanthropy which led to our most successful auction, ever, in support of financial aid. We strengthened our curriculum through the implementation of cross-divisional department chairs and a school-wide Curriculum Committee charged with scope and sequence PK3-12th Grade. We deepened our commitment to creating a culture of equity, justice, and belonging through the creation of the Office of Institutional Equity, Justice, and Belonging, which supported student and parent affinity groups and redesigned key institutional policies and practices. We recommitted to the school’s beloved traditions while ensuring everyone knew the history and purpose of Community Day, Our People Our Planet Day, the Strawberry Cowbake. We nuanced our understanding of the SSFS tradition of graduating in bare feet, and led by the Class of 2023, we began a new tradition of having our graduates sing the George Fox Song as they walk in the Light with their new diplomas to change the world. Along the way, we promoted some excellent internal leaders and brought in some incredible new voices. As we accomplished all those things, we also laughed together, grew together, learned together, and challenged each other in ways that helped each other and our school. None of these things would have been possible without the hard work of committed faculty, staff, and administration who give their hearts and hands to SSFS each day. Their excellent work is elevated by our dedicated parent body, whose care for the school is clear and consistent. And, of course, our students are the inspiration for it all. At SSFS, we have a student body who uses individual and collective voice to make each day one that amplifies the Light in the world while besting any obstacle with tenacity, integrity, and the sheer joy and true love they have for this place. I am confident in the strength and spirit of this community and its leaders, and I look forward to hearing how you let your lives speak into the future. Five years ago while walking on the SSFS campus as an educational consultant for the school, I was contemplating next steps in my own journey when a wind blew that stopped me in my tracks and spoke a spiritual assignment. Within a year of that, I was named Head of School. It has been a true and distinct honor and privilege to serve as Head of School at Sandy Spring Friends School. I am now being called to explore new ways of letting my life speak at this critical time in our country and in the world of education, grounded in my commitment to the principles of love and justice. Beyonce speaks my mind when she said, “I was here. I lived. I loved. I was here.” Being here with you is something I will always hold dear. I leave parts of myself here, including the Dr. Rodney Glasgow Endowed Fund for Equity, Justice, and Belonging, established this Spring on my 45th birthday including gifts from my friends and family, dedicated to directly supporting students of color, LGBTQ+ students, and initiatives that foster a sense of belonging for these students at SSFS. The kid in me who benefited so much from independent schools, and the adult in me who gained so much from SSFS, is happy to pay it forward. I am thankful for the Friends here at SSFS, and I remain a friend of the school, always. Peace. |
Anonymous
What do you mean? My experience is that RGs departure is seen as a net positive for the school. The school has no race problems that RG didn’t create. It’s been a welcoming place to all before RG and will go back to that now that he’s gone. |
Anonymous
The wind and beyonce, his biggest influences! Just what you need as the head of a private independent school. |
Anonymous
| Well now I’m curious why they graduate in bare feet and how exactly the school “nuanced its understanding” of that tradition. |
Anonymous
| I’m trying to find major issues with his departure letter and…. Can’t? This board is whacky |