Bullis concerns
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Anonymous
The previous explanation was deleted. So that there is no confusion about whether this post is factual, the below is extracted directly from an October 12, 2018 letter to Bullis parents from the BOT chair. "I write to report on an incident and its aftermath, which have caused needless confusion, frustration and worry for Bullis faculty and staff. Our spring budget projected higher enrollment than we realized this fall. This year, an unexpected number of our Bullis families moved away from the DC area and took their tuition dollars with them. So while enrollment has otherwise remained stable, projected growth did not occur, and we needed to adjust our budget this fall. At an assembly on September 24, Dr. Boarman approached the assembled faculty and staff with an uncomfortable question: Would they support a voluntary 3% across the board pay cut to prevent the layoffs of approximately nine non-faculty colleagues? The question, while well-intentioned, should not have been put forward to faculty and staff, and it undermined the security and sense of well-being of the employees who make Bullis what it is. The finances of the school are the business of the Board of Trustees and the Head of School, not faculty and staff. The question was withdrawn two days later, and the Administration found other, better budget solutions, but damage to morale was done." |
Anonymous
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The headmaster needs to go now.
Bullis BOT is truly showing how incompetent they are by keeping him around. |
Anonymous
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This thread is AMAZING. I hope anyone considering Bullis is now 500% aware of how insane and insecure the parents are.
Here's the email begging for applicants - DIRECT from Bullis. Factual, of course. Will it be deleted? If so, why? Doesn't make for a very honest account of the school on what's generally a good site for advice... Dear Families, Could the tired, happy child at your dinner table each night benefit from a year-round Bullis education? As your children try new things, learn, grow, and make friends this summer, we are delighted to be spending time with them through Bullis Summer Programs. If you think Bullis might make a good academic home for your child, we’d love to talk it over with you. We serve girls and boys from Kindergarten through high school, and we spend every day creating a challenging, caring school community for students. We will accept late applications for review at select grade levels where space is available for the 2018-2019 school year. Contact us at admission@bullis.org or 301-983-5724. Our admission office is always available. Our parent ambassadors are always eager to share about their Bullis experience. And we would be delighted give you a tour or discuss how Bullis could offer your child opportunities to grow, learn and make friends year-round. We invite you to stop by the admission office, email us at admission@bullis.org, or call 301-983-5724. We look forward to sharing our ideas about how to provide your child with the best possible education and opportunities at Bullis. Sincerely, The Bullis Admissions Team |
Anonymous
Nothing wrong with this letter, I think it is good marketing. Take a look at Bullis and give it a fair consideration seems to be the message. |
Anonymous
| And the school thinks it's the kids that need psych evaluations. Sheesh! |
Anonymous
| Agreed that it is a well-written and appropriate letter soliciting applicants. That it was sent in July or August foreshadows some of the financial problems the school was having that resulted in the request for teacher pay cuts that resulted in the teacher morale issues last Fall. I’d certainly want to know if a school was in financial trouble because ultimately the full-pay parents will have to pick up the slack in higher tuition going forward. |
Anonymous
Yea... didn't they just start K-2? |
Anonymous
Agree. They are merely trying to drum up business. Nothing different than any business that chases work. A number of schools do not need to do this, but that doesn't mean it is wrong to try to fill classroom seats by doing it. |
Anonymous
| Absolutely. And it would definitely have been better if this drumming up business had been successful instead of trying to solve the tuition gap through teacher paychecks two months later. |
Anonymous
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Side note: It appears that the below thread is the appropriate place to discuss the massive deletions that have occurred in this discussion as mentioning deletions is one of the causes of deletion.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/811653.page |
Anonymous
Can you imagine Prep, Landon or StA being desperate enough to have to resort to sending out letters soliciting applications? How about Gonzaga, Holton, Stone Ridge or NCS? Those schools' reputations sell themselves. All of them have far more applicants than spots open. What's next for Bullis? Putting an add on Craig's list? Don't try to defend this as 'good marketing'. This reeks of desperation. What kind of admission standards can they possibly have? Giving athletes full rides and then opening the door to anybody else who can pay in full. When that fails, cut teacher salaries. Unless you are making a 24 month pitstop to play lax, just send your kids to Churchill or Whitman already and be done with it. You'll get a much better education from a far more reputable public school that you don't pay for. |
Anonymous
Yes, as a matter of fact I can, because it does happen. My DC attended a summer camp last year at one of the so-called esteemed schools that you name above, PP, and I am STILL receiving marketing emails about how I should consider the school for our family. So get off your high horse. All of the schools are sharpening up their marketing and admissions strategies. I'm not a huge fan of Bullis, but this is very unfair criticism. They are smart to use the summer programs to expose new families to the school. |
Anonymous
As I said before you need psychiatric help and after that go back to school to learn reading and comprehension skills. What and inbecile |
Anonymous
| I think the criticism is not of the marketing method of soliciting applications among campers, but rather that it was done in late summer and just prior to asking teachers to take a paycut due to low enrollment, suggesting some serious admissions and financial issues at the school. |
Anonymous
Except that it probably doesn't suggest anything of the sort, because other schools definitely do it as well. |