The Sycamore School in Arlington???

Anonymous
I haven’t posted before, and my kid isn’t there. But we’ve been considering it and I’m wondering where the folks who are leaving are sending their kids. There just seems like a real need for this sort of school.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I haven’t posted before, and my kid isn’t there. But we’ve been considering it and I’m wondering where the folks who are leaving are sending their kids. There just seems like a real need for this sort of school.


I"m the imperfect poster Jeff mentioned (so true). I'm not going to tell you where my kid is going but if my first choice doesn't work out I"m looking at two schools that specialize in a certain type of learner. All the kids at TSS are different so your learner profile matters in recommendations.
Anonymous
[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I haven’t posted before, and my kid isn’t there. But we’ve been considering it and I’m wondering where the folks who are leaving are sending their kids. There just seems like a real need for this sort of school.[/quote]

I"m the imperfect poster Jeff mentioned (so true). I'm not going to tell you where my kid is going but if my first choice doesn't work out I"m looking at two schools that specialize in a certain type of learner. All the kids at TSS are different so your learner profile matters in recommendations. [/quote]

RP HERE,

We are looking at specialized programs in APS and are going to be touring The New School.
Anonymous
jsteele wrote:I keep getting reports about this thread and removed several posts in which posters were accusing each other of sock puppeting. Let me just speak to that. Since this thread was revived, there are only about 5 or 6 unique posters. Only one of those has made any effort to identify herself as a repeat poster and even she hasn't been perfect. The others have not exactly sock puppeted, but they have not made clear that they are a previous poster which gives the impression that they are a new poster. That is why there is surprise at the apparent number of posters in this thread. There really aren't that many.


Almost as if a small knot of people decided to dredge up an old, inactive thread and hammer it with dozens of posts all of a sudden.

Sad.
Anonymous
^^ give it a rest
Anonymous
The head of school is sad
Anonymous
Another parent who posted earlier let me know of this group. My family and I will also be leaving TSS after this school year ends.

The Sycamore School falls short on several fronts. Firstly, the lack of structure leaves students wandering aimlessly through their academic journey, with no clear path or guidance. Teachers seem disengaged, failing to inspire or support students effectively. Additionally, administrative support is virtually nonexistent, leaving both students and faculty feeling abandoned and unsupported. Overall, a disappointing experience lacking the necessary framework for success.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Another parent who posted earlier let me know of this group. My family and I will also be leaving TSS after this school year ends.

The Sycamore School falls short on several fronts. Firstly, the lack of structure leaves students wandering aimlessly through their academic journey, with no clear path or guidance. Teachers seem disengaged, failing to inspire or support students effectively. Additionally, administrative support is virtually nonexistent, leaving both students and faculty feeling abandoned and unsupported. Overall, a disappointing experience lacking the necessary framework for success.


My child applied and had a visit day. She immediately noticed the lack of structure and guidance and decided that she needed a more traditional structure. I assumed Sycamore's independence model was a feature, not a bug (for the right student).
Anonymous
As a first-year parent at Sycamore School, I must express my disappointment in the recent turn of events. It has come to my attention that over ten students, including my own, will not be reenrolling next year. This significant exodus raises serious concerns about the school's direction and quality of education.

When I reached out to the administration to address my worries, I was met with hostility rather than understanding. Instead of addressing the issues constructively, they seemed defensive and dismissive. This lack of transparency and receptiveness only adds to my apprehension about the school's ability to address parental concerns and maintain a positive learning environment.

Overall, while The Sycamore School may have its merits, the apparent lack of responsiveness to parental concerns and the high number of departing students and staff raise red flags for any prospective parents considering enrolling their children here.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:As a first-year parent at Sycamore School, I must express my disappointment in the recent turn of events. It has come to my attention that over ten students, including my own, will not be reenrolling next year. This significant exodus raises serious concerns about the school's direction and quality of education.

When I reached out to the administration to address my worries, I was met with hostility rather than understanding. Instead of addressing the issues constructively, they seemed defensive and dismissive. This lack of transparency and receptiveness only adds to my apprehension about the school's ability to address parental concerns and maintain a positive learning environment.

Overall, while The Sycamore School may have its merits, the apparent lack of responsiveness to parental concerns and the high number of departing students and staff raise red flags for any prospective parents considering enrolling their children here.


It's a small niche school that serves a particular purpose. Students leave every year to go to bigger schools with more students and more facilities or sports programs. An equal number of new students enroll precisely because students who struggled elsewhere find a safe space to learn and thrive.

Since you don't provide a comparison to any other school - all of which lose students and faculties every year - this is just part of the drip, drip, drip campaign with very similar rhetoric in each "complaint" and a known history on this thread now of a few disgruntled folks posing as many.

Anyone considering enrolling their kids there can go meet with the HOS, staff, and students themselves instead of relying on the proven dubious input that has been dumped here out of the blue the last couple of days.

Amazing how all these people woke up at once, huh?

Yeah, right.
Anonymous
New poster:

Our journey with The Sycamore School has been marked by both moments of excellence and challenges, ultimately leading to our forthcoming departure, mirroring the concerns of other parents. While the school boasts exceptional educators who have deeply impacted our children's lives, the frequent turnover of these dedicated teachers can be attributed to the aggregate and unkindness of the Head of School (HOA).

The heart of any school lies in its educators, and The Sycamore School is no exception. Through their unwavering dedication, these teachers have not only imparted knowledge but have also fostered a love for learning in our children. However, the transient nature of their tenure underscores a systemic issue within the institution: the leadership of the Head of School.

Despite the best intentions of the faculty and staff, the leadership provided by the HOA has created an environment fraught with challenges. Their management style, characterized by rigidity and a lack of empathy, has contributed to a culture of instability and discontent. As a result, the turnover rate among teachers has remained high, disrupting the continuity and quality of education provided to students.

While our decision to leave The Sycamore School is tinged with sadness, it is also a reflection of our commitment to advocating for positive change within the institution. We implore the HOA to reconsider its approach and prioritize the well-being of both faculty and students. Only through collaborative efforts can The Sycamore School fulfill its potential as a nurturing and supportive educational environment for all.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:New poster:

Our journey with The Sycamore School has been marked by both moments of excellence and challenges, ultimately leading to our forthcoming departure, mirroring the concerns of other parents. While the school boasts exceptional educators who have deeply impacted our children's lives, the frequent turnover of these dedicated teachers can be attributed to the aggregate and unkindness of the Head of School (HOA).

The heart of any school lies in its educators, and The Sycamore School is no exception. Through their unwavering dedication, these teachers have not only imparted knowledge but have also fostered a love for learning in our children. However, the transient nature of their tenure underscores a systemic issue within the institution: the leadership of the Head of School.

Despite the best intentions of the faculty and staff, the leadership provided by the HOA has created an environment fraught with challenges. Their management style, characterized by rigidity and a lack of empathy, has contributed to a culture of instability and discontent. As a result, the turnover rate among teachers has remained high, disrupting the continuity and quality of education provided to students.

While our decision to leave The Sycamore School is tinged with sadness, it is also a reflection of our commitment to advocating for positive change within the institution. We implore the HOA to reconsider its approach and prioritize the well-being of both faculty and students. Only through collaborative efforts can The Sycamore School fulfill its potential as a nurturing and supportive educational environment for all.


The retention rate for faculty compared to the start of the school year will be 85% next fall. That undercuts a lot of the melodramatic rhetoric.

That includes every new staffer/teacher on the payroll since the start of the 2023-2024 school year. Sounds like the vast majority of staff who will work there again next year are satisfied.

The few who left under varying circumstances are not. Again, anyone who has been around multiple schools knows that's the norm.

If you find a school with 98% teacher and student retention rate, by all means go apply today. Best of luck.
Anonymous
So, are TSS parents telling each other to come here and post? This is just a bizarre sudden flurry of activity.
Anonymous
These are not true statements and a bad argument. All new staff? This implies that all the teachers currently there have worked at TSS less than one school year… that’s not of the norm. Adding percentages doesn’t make it sound better. TSS employees leave because administrators. The varying circumstances stem from the negative work environment. The HOS fails to acknowledge her part in that. So, it’s great every new staff stayed.. for now.. but it says something that TSS doesn’t retain teachers beyond 1-3 years and that’s a generous number.
Anonymous
^^^ This is how me and another parent were notified of this group.

“Disgruntled” people still have the right to air out there valid grievances.
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