SSFS Will Stay Open

[Anonymous]

*kind of person

[Anonymous]

In 2 days we should at least get the answer about where enrollment is now.

And I agree with the posters about how unengaged the community has been these past years. We have kids at two other private schools and SSFS was meaningfully different (less). I always attributed it to location.

[Anonymous]

There is no denying the far reaching impact of the pandemic. PP, perhaps you aren’t depressed from it. But the mental/emotional/physical impacts on adults and children are well documented. No one wants to talk about it, because, capitalism. But it’s a widespread trauma.

It’s grief for all we lost as individuals, as families, as children, as a society. It’s the ongoing health crisis that many refuse to acknowledge. It’s the utter UGLINESS we saw from people, whether intentionally coughing/spitting on someone or the selfish demands for business as usual, without acknowledging high risk communities.

The world hasn’t been the same since 2020, and people continue to struggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no denying the far reaching impact of the pandemic. PP, perhaps you aren’t depressed from it. But the mental/emotional/physical impacts on adults and children are well documented. No one wants to talk about it, because, capitalism. But it’s a widespread trauma.

It’s grief for all we lost as individuals, as families, as children, as a society. It’s the ongoing health crisis that many refuse to acknowledge. It’s the utter UGLINESS we saw from people, whether intentionally coughing/spitting on someone or the selfish demands for business as usual, without acknowledging high risk communities.

The world hasn’t been the same since 2020, and people continue to struggle.

While you wax philosophical - yes the effect of the pandemic is felt by everyone but to say only ssfs lacked community re engagement until the brink of closure is what I thought was laughable. The speed at which ssfs’ problems are blamed on all kinds of things EXCEPT the school itself is what I find laughable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no denying the far reaching impact of the pandemic. PP, perhaps you aren’t depressed from it. But the mental/emotional/physical impacts on adults and children are well documented. No one wants to talk about it, because, capitalism. But it’s a widespread trauma.

It’s grief for all we lost as individuals, as families, as children, as a society. It’s the ongoing health crisis that many refuse to acknowledge. It’s the utter UGLINESS we saw from people, whether intentionally coughing/spitting on someone or the selfish demands for business as usual, without acknowledging high risk communities.

The world hasn’t been the same since 2020, and people continue to struggle.

While you wax philosophical - yes the effect of the pandemic is felt by everyone but to say only ssfs lacked community re engagement until the brink of closure is what I thought was laughable. The speed at which ssfs’ problems are blamed on all kinds of things EXCEPT the school itself is what I find laughable.

+1 Yes, because what nobody seems to want to face is the reality that no other private school (that is on par with SSFS) in the area closed and then re-opened. So what does that say about SSFS? Why didn't Burke announce they were closing? Bullis? Glenelg Country? St. Andrews? Something unique (and not in a good way) happened at SSFS over the last few years that did not happen at other schools. You can't explain this away by pointing to the pandemic of the state of the country. Otherwise it would have reached beyond SSFS into other schools. It did not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is no denying the far reaching impact of the pandemic. PP, perhaps you aren’t depressed from it. But the mental/emotional/physical impacts on adults and children are well documented. No one wants to talk about it, because, capitalism. But it’s a widespread trauma.

It’s grief for all we lost as individuals, as families, as children, as a society. It’s the ongoing health crisis that many refuse to acknowledge. It’s the utter UGLINESS we saw from people, whether intentionally coughing/spitting on someone or the selfish demands for business as usual, without acknowledging high risk communities.

The world hasn’t been the same since 2020, and people continue to struggle.

While you wax philosophical - yes the effect of the pandemic is felt by everyone but to say only ssfs lacked community re engagement until the brink of closure is what I thought was laughable. The speed at which ssfs’ problems are blamed on all kinds of things EXCEPT the school itself is what I find laughable.

More than fair.

Sounds like people want to blame everyone other than the board. When you join a board, your primary job is to make hard decisions for the good of the organization. That clearly was not the priority of the past or current boards.

The only way out of this:
* The bulk of the trustees should resign.

* A smaller number of qualified trustees should be brought on; they must have credible experience in fiscal responsibility and turning an organization around.

* They must be fully informed of the dire nature of this situation before they decide to join.

* Lastly, a sharp board chair must be elected with the primary focus of evaluating and changing the board norms and culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, the school should put a ticker with grade enrollment numbers on its website. End the he said/she said unsubstantiated nonsense.

It's not unsubstantiated. The grade levels my kids are in do have surveys and those numbers are public to the parents of those grades. But no, I'm not going to post them here but at least I'm telling you exactly where my information is coming from. The same can't be said for the poster who is claiming to be an "insider" with no other context.

Don't comment unless you're forthcoming, or the BOT updates info publicly. Allllll of it is speculative otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hear me out and please help. Is it just me or does anyone else feel annoyed by all the messages on Slack? I don't want to feel this way. I truly think what the coalition accomplished is extraordinary. BUT, I can't help but feel like - where was all this community spirit and pro-Quaker behavior over the last few years? Why now? I mean I get "why now" - because the school almost folded. I can't really put my finger on how I'm feeling other than to say I'm annoyed. I don't want people to *just* affirm how I'm feeling. I also want people to counter it. Like I said, I don't want to feel this way because I have kids who want to return. I don't want to return at this point because right now the community is annoying me. I'm just being brutually honest about myself more than throwing shade at the people on slack.

YES! I feel the same. I over the whole thing and want to leave the community entirely, but my child doesn't take transitions well and I need to think of their mental health too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hear me out and please help. Is it just me or does anyone else feel annoyed by all the messages on Slack? I don't want to feel this way. I truly think what the coalition accomplished is extraordinary. BUT, I can't help but feel like - where was all this community spirit and pro-Quaker behavior over the last few years? Why now? I mean I get "why now" - because the school almost folded. I can't really put my finger on how I'm feeling other than to say I'm annoyed. I don't want people to *just* affirm how I'm feeling. I also want people to counter it. Like I said, I don't want to feel this way because I have kids who want to return. I don't want to return at this point because right now the community is annoying me. I'm just being brutually honest about myself more than throwing shade at the people on slack.

YES! I feel the same. I over the whole thing and want to leave the community entirely, but my child doesn't take transitions well and I need to think of their mental health too.

I really feel for you. I hope you find a solution that works for both of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, the school should put a ticker with grade enrollment numbers on its website. End the he said/she said unsubstantiated nonsense.

It's not unsubstantiated. The grade levels my kids are in do have surveys and those numbers are public to the parents of those grades. But no, I'm not going to post them here but at least I'm telling you exactly where my information is coming from. The same can't be said for the poster who is claiming to be an "insider" with no other context.

Don't comment unless you're forthcoming, or the BOT updates info publicly. Allllll of it is speculative otherwise.

More than one poster has refuted the OP's speculative number by simply explaining that our grade level poll numbers give a different number. And if we feel the need to comment on that again, we will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, the school should put a ticker with grade enrollment numbers on its website. End the he said/she said unsubstantiated nonsense.

It's not unsubstantiated. The grade levels my kids are in do have surveys and those numbers are public to the parents of those grades. But no, I'm not going to post them here but at least I'm telling you exactly where my information is coming from. The same can't be said for the poster who is claiming to be an "insider" with no other context.

Don't comment unless you're forthcoming, or the BOT updates info publicly. Allllll of it is speculative otherwise.

More than one poster has refuted the OP's speculative number by simply explaining that our grade level poll numbers give a different number. And if we feel the need to comment on that again, we will.

This comment thread is what happens when schools are not forthcoming with information and transparency. Let's see what Monday brings and if SSFS will even get to 275.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This comment thread is what happens when schools are not forthcoming with information and transparency. Let's see what Monday brings and if SSFS will even get to 275.

100%. It does not bode well that they have shared so little, one week out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This comment thread is what happens when schools are not forthcoming with information and transparency. Let's see what Monday brings and if SSFS will even get to 275.

100%. It does not bode well that they have shared so little, one week out.

The school was NOT transparent leading up to the closure and I mean even in the years leading up to it.
Many of us (myself included) are on edge about what the final numbers will look like and how that will impact next year and thereafter.
However, we also must acknowledge that no private school gives out enrollment numbers during enrollment season. If you can set aside all that has happened just for a moment I think you can recognize that giving those numbers out during the enrollment process is not strategic for any school.
BUT, I am hopeful that because of the circumstances, the BOT WILL provide numbers tomorrow as well as layout their plans for remaining open regardless of the numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This comment thread is what happens when schools are not forthcoming with information and transparency. Let's see what Monday brings and if SSFS will even get to 275.

100%. It does not bode well that they have shared so little, one week out.

The school was NOT transparent leading up to the closure and I mean even in the years leading up to it.
Many of us (myself included) are on edge about what the final numbers will look like and how that will impact next year and thereafter.
However, we also must acknowledge that no private school gives out enrollment numbers during enrollment season. If you can set aside all that has happened just for a moment I think you can recognize that giving those numbers out during the enrollment process is not strategic for any school.
BUT, I am hopeful that because of the circumstances, the BOT WILL provide numbers tomorrow as well as layout their plans for remaining open regardless of the numbers.

+1 I would also add that many may share our families thought process which is this - we have deliberately withheld our re-enrollment contract as a way of pushing the board to face the public and answer questions. We are leaning towards re-enrolling but have refused to do so until that happens. So, if there are others like me then it is likely those numbers will increase after Monday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
This comment thread is what happens when schools are not forthcoming with information and transparency. Let's see what Monday brings and if SSFS will even get to 275.

100%. It does not bode well that they have shared so little, one week out.

The school was NOT transparent leading up to the closure and I mean even in the years leading up to it.
Many of us (myself included) are on edge about what the final numbers will look like and how that will impact next year and thereafter.
However, we also must acknowledge that no private school gives out enrollment numbers during enrollment season. If you can set aside all that has happened just for a moment I think you can recognize that giving those numbers out during the enrollment process is not strategic for any school.
BUT, I am hopeful that because of the circumstances, the BOT WILL provide numbers tomorrow as well as layout their plans for remaining open regardless of the numbers.

I think this has been pointed out before. What schools do in a normal circumstance and what a school NEEDS to do in an unprecedented crisis cannot be the SAME.

When the school seemed to be operating business as usual were parents asking for numbers? No. But right now they can ask and they most certainly have a right to numbers, financial balance sheets and everything else they need to see before committing to this school. Not because of what other schools do or don’t do but because THIS school is in crisis mode.