What is going on at Sidwell - LOTS AND LOTS OF TURNOVER - Upper School Head leaving
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
Not sure what your point is. If you are trying to point out that there was once a longterm head of school at Sidwell, you do realize that 1997 was nearly 20 years ago. I've check several school websites to see their leadership record and have listed facts below. I cannot find any information regarding the timeline Sidwell's Head of school. I may just not be looking in the right place so please direct if it is it there. If it is not on their website, that would make Sidwell the only school in the area to not list this information. A few examples of what consist long term school leadership looks like: 1) Holton Arms - founded in 1901 - has had six heads of school. 2) St. Alban's founded in 1901 has had seven headmasters. The current headmaster is entering his 15th year. The school which was founded in 1909 has had three headmasters serve for 20+ years (the longest tenure being 33 years). 3) Founded in 1933, each of Beauvoir's first four heads of school led for 20+ years. The fifth just began her tenure this past year. 4) Present NCS Head of School began her tenure in 2003, previous hos tenure was from 1989-2003. 5) The current Head of GDS was instated in 2010. All previous GDS head of school tenures have been at minimum fifteen years. I could go on, but suffice it to say that no school in the area (except for WES?) has had leadership turnover even close to Sidwell's recent activity. With that said, it is commonly known that Sidwell has an outstanding faculty many of whom have served the community for decades. Let's hope the new head is able to take control. |
Anonymous
Here's where you lose me.... Sidwell HOS 1978-1997 (19 yrs) Sidwell HOS 1997-2009 (12 yrs) Sidwell HOS 2010-2014 (4 yrs) You try to make it sound as if Sidwell has had some history of churning. In fact, all that happened was that the last person left after a relatively brief period. I sense you are not an unbiased observer. |
Anonymous
There was an interim head of school between Bruce Stewart & Farquhar which is not the norm in that position. Usually the Head of School gives a year's notice, so the school can conduct a search and avoid this scenario. But, Mr. Stewart vacated his position in January 2009 and there was an interim head of school. A January exit is not standard procedure for this position. Interesting side note: Bruce Stewart is the currently the Chairman of the GEMS Americas Advisory Board, the same for profit organization of schools which has hired Mr. Farquhar to run their new school in Dubai. Clearly not a coincidence. The men must have great respect for one another. Feel free to read the following articles which support the above. http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/11192008/nortnew203221_32477.shtml http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR2009092001805.html GEMS Schools: http://www.gemseducation.com/MENASA/parents/contents.php?pageid=4792&submenuid=11&parentid=1&expandable=1 http://www.gemseducation.com/MENASA/finalparents/news-details.php?newsid=847 |
Anonymous
| You need a life. |
Anonymous
Can you please explain where the Trilateral Commission and the Masons fit in to this, as well? |
Anonymous
I'm not a regular on this board, but based on the way people take shots at one another and have no regard for the facts... I know enough that it is vital to provide more than hearsay when having a dialogue and there is a question about concrete facts. It took one google search and all of 3-5 minutes to put together the facts I posted in my previous post. I don't have a dog in this race and just provided a timeline. I also happened upon a connection which I think shows that the recent Sidwell head of schools hold each other in high regard. It's amazing how this is such a snarky board that when facts and their legitimate sources are presented, instead of people appreciating or at least acknowledging them (or saying nothing), they feel they have to personally attack the person who provided the credible sources. There are some seriously angry, bitter & disturbed posters on this board and I see the futility in attempting to even have a discussion based upon cold hard facts. I guess I should have known better as the board is anonymous. With that said, I do appreciate DCUM's providing the platform for communication and will excuse myself from this thread moving forward. |
Anonymous
I'm the first poster in the string above, but not the "Masons" poster. I find your final post suspect for several reasons. 1. You say you're not a regular to this board, and you claim to have "no dog in this fight," but you started this discussion about HOS tenure, you analyzed the past 80-90 years of tenure of the heads at several local schools, and you've advanced several arguments about what is normal and proper for private schools. You repeatedly suggested some turmoil at Sidwell, even though an examination of the facts proved that false. 2. You now want to start a discussion about resignation in January 2009, and tell us how abnormal that is (even though you're a newcomer to these issues, right?). But while you focus on that one Gazette article that mentions a January departure, you ignore the dozen or more articles (including the WaPo article you link) which say it wasn't a January departure at all, but rather a normal end-of-year departure. I can link a few of these many posts, if your Google skills are suddenly now! 3. You want to highlight the interim HOS, as if that suggests something problematic and sudden. In fact, my quick Google quickly revealed posts (from DCUM even) which make clear the reason for that interim situation what that the incoming HOS was fulfilling his contract to Bullis, and so could not arrive as soon as the Sidwell post became vacant. 3. Now that your argument about tenure length seems to be flagging, you try to shift the discussion to some innuendo about a connection to GEMS, which you're certain to point out is "for profit" and "not a coincidence." Perhaps in future posts you'll try to expand on the innuendo. It seems clear to me you're not some newcomer who is just objectively looking into the facts of the situation, but rather someone who is trying to advance a particular line of attack. |
Anonymous
| People hate Sidwell. In part, based on my reading of this board, the animosity towards Sidwell is motivated by politics. The school is a bastion of high-powered Democratic Party parents. But people have animosity towards every school ever mentioned on this site including Landon, NCS, St. Albans, GDS, Holton, Visi, Potomac etc. Mostly for dumb reasons. |
Anonymous
| Any grown up who spends this much time researching their kids schools administrative history and then lists it on this site for her own satisfaction really, really needs a life. The info on these school threads has become so worthless to those of us seeking helpful facts/opinions. |
Anonymous
+1 It's sad that folks can't just stick to positive information or constructive criticism on these school threads. If your kids were spending all this time hurling grenades, what would you tell them? |