New principals

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, exactly. I wish they hired from outside.

+100 I also wished MCPS would hire candidates outside of the MCPS training system. This has been one of the biggest flaws in MCPS for decades.

Hiring principals from outside MCPS would bring new perspective and a bigger slate of candidates. I think MCPS avoids doing this because of the culture of bullying by supervisors and non-compliance with civil rights laws, they want leadership that is skilled in covering problems to protect MCPS. From the top down, supervisors use the people under them to do their dirty work so if something goes south, that person is left holding the bag. Often the principal is the person in the crossfire when he/she is just following directions from Central Office.

The culture biases in MCPS will never improve if biases are supported through only hiring principals from within. Same for most Central Office positions that current principals are promoted to.

Even though the recent principals were all promoted from within, it's worth noting that two of the most recently hired directors (one level above the principals) were from outside MCPS (from other Maryland districts).

[Anonymous]

Principal Rand has moved on to a different school district from Sligo Creek ES. Stephanie Nesmith, who recently completed a principal internship at Julius West MS, was announced as the acting principal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, exactly. I wish they hired from outside.

+100 I also wished MCPS would hire candidates outside of the MCPS training system. This has been one of the biggest flaws in MCPS for decades.

Hiring principals from outside MCPS would bring new perspective and a bigger slate of candidates. I think MCPS avoids doing this because of the culture of bullying by supervisors and non-compliance with civil rights laws, they want leadership that is skilled in covering problems to protect MCPS. From the top down, supervisors use the people under them to do their dirty work so if something goes south, that person is left holding the bag. Often the principal is the person in the crossfire when he/she is just following directions from Central Office.

The culture biases in MCPS will never improve if biases are supported through only hiring principals from within. Same for most Central Office positions that current principals are promoted to.

Or like in any organization internal mobility is good for budget, morale, and retaining the best employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, exactly. I wish they hired from outside.

+100 I also wished MCPS would hire candidates outside of the MCPS training system. This has been one of the biggest flaws in MCPS for decades.

Hiring principals from outside MCPS would bring new perspective and a bigger slate of candidates. I think MCPS avoids doing this because of the culture of bullying by supervisors and non-compliance with civil rights laws, they want leadership that is skilled in covering problems to protect MCPS. From the top down, supervisors use the people under them to do their dirty work so if something goes south, that person is left holding the bag. Often the principal is the person in the crossfire when he/she is just following directions from Central Office.

The culture biases in MCPS will never improve if biases are supported through only hiring principals from within. Same for most Central Office positions that current principals are promoted to.

I was on an interview panel that included an external candidate. They were the worst/least qualified of all the interviewees. MCPS is also a unique and large school system that doesn't always translate in terms of skills and needs

[Anonymous]

Magruder just got an assistant principal from Howard County. Maybe that's where the "hire from outside" movement is....at the Assistant level.

[Anonymous]

Here’s my take as staff. Given changes in superintendents and movement between systems, more internal people are likely to have some awareness of external candidates. I think it’s sensible to bring them in at the AP level, or even the acting principal level, and give them a trial run. I don’t think everyone should be “home grown.” Too many principals in recent years are mouthpieces for central office. Whether that’s out of fear, or because they’re climbers and want to move up, or they don’t have a backbone, or lack vision, I don’t know, but central should want principals who raise questions about the status quo, and who also push back when central does something questionable like ask staff to do x/y/z dumb training (see: Franklin Covey The leader in me SEL training, and on the heels of a pandemic; did anyone question that choice???). I’ve heard that principals from the outside haven’t done well in the past, well ok, but I would ask if that’s because they were not ready or because MCPS is not doing a good job onboarding them when they get here.

[Anonymous]

Article about new RM Principal Deeny:

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2021/08/first-latina-high-school-principal-in-montgomery-county-prepares-for-new-school-year/

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

I'm not a fan of Deeny. I think she has a good heart, but I thought she was a terrible principal at TPMS. I know that isn't the majority opinion, but it's based on our experience with her, which was a train wreck.

I admit that... but what I want to talk about is this positioning of herself as the "first Latina." She has an Irish last name. She doesn't physically resemble the Latinx kids in this area. I've met with her more than a dozen times and I had no idea she was Latina until I read it in this article, where she is lauded for her "representation." (And let me add, she looks very tan in that picture, much moreso than I ever noticed she was in real life.)

Latinx is a hard category to define, being as it includes so many different and disparate countries and cultures. Alicia's phenotype isn't uncommon, and more power to her for her success. But really? How is she an example to girls from El Salvador--moreso than any other woman?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of Deeny. I think she has a good heart, but I thought she was a terrible principal at TPMS. I know that isn't the majority opinion, but it's based on our experience with her, which was a train wreck.

I admit that... but what I want to talk about is this positioning of herself as the "first Latina." She has an Irish last name. She doesn't physically resemble the Latinx kids in this area. I've met with her more than a dozen times and I had no idea she was Latina until I read it in this article, where she is lauded for her "representation." (And let me add, she looks very tan in that picture, much moreso than I ever noticed she was in real life.)

Latinx is a hard category to define, being as it includes so many different and disparate countries and cultures. Alicia's phenotype isn't uncommon, and more power to her for her success. But really? How is she an example to girls from El Salvador--moreso than any other woman?

As a light-skinned Latina I would ask that you fixate on something other than her ethnicity. I have no doubt she is well aware of her privilege, but that does not mean she can't celebrate her heritage, and share with others her pride in it as an example to the community. I personally have British ancestry and relatives with British last names but that doesn't make me any less Latina.

For what it is worth, it is ALWAYS the anglo White people who like to remind me that I am White (thanks, not needed), while the POC tell me "you're not really White, you are one of us". There is a long, ugly history of trying to divide Latinos so we can't advocate for ourselves - don't participate in that.

[Anonymous]

Also, while I don't face the discrimination that Latinos with darker skin do, what I often hear implied is that I've unfairly benefited from my ethnicity, given that I'm White but can say I am Latina (BECAUSE I AM). I understand where people are coming from, but the bottom line is that those individuals are making a lot of assumptions, that come down to assuming I am less qualified purely because of my ethnicity. EVERYONE who is White (including me) have benefited unfairly from their race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of Deeny. I think she has a good heart, but I thought she was a terrible principal at TPMS. I know that isn't the majority opinion, but it's based on our experience with her, which was a train wreck.

I admit that... but what I want to talk about is this positioning of herself as the "first Latina." She has an Irish last name. She doesn't physically resemble the Latinx kids in this area. I've met with her more than a dozen times and I had no idea she was Latina until I read it in this article, where she is lauded for her "representation." (And let me add, she looks very tan in that picture, much moreso than I ever noticed she was in real life.)

Latinx is a hard category to define, being as it includes so many different and disparate countries and cultures. Alicia's phenotype isn't uncommon, and more power to her for her success. But really? How is she an example to girls from El Salvador--moreso than any other woman?

At the risk of feeding the troll... where is this information about her being an example to girls from El Salvador? You must be reading a different article than I am. Link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of Deeny. I think she has a good heart, but I thought she was a terrible principal at TPMS. I know that isn't the majority opinion, but it's based on our experience with her, which was a train wreck.

I admit that... but what I want to talk about is this positioning of herself as the "first Latina." She has an Irish last name. She doesn't physically resemble the Latinx kids in this area. I've met with her more than a dozen times and I had no idea she was Latina until I read it in this article, where she is lauded for her "representation." (And let me add, she looks very tan in that picture, much moreso than I ever noticed she was in real life.)

Latinx is a hard category to define, being as it includes so many different and disparate countries and cultures. Alicia's phenotype isn't uncommon, and more power to her for her success. But really? How is she an example to girls from El Salvador--moreso than any other woman?

PP, this is icky. I hear you sort of, but for all the "harm" this does LatinX kids, it goes 2 other kids good to hear and celebrate the idea of a LatinX leader. I mean...come on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a fan of Deeny. I think she has a good heart, but I thought she was a terrible principal at TPMS. I know that isn't the majority opinion, but it's based on our experience with her, which was a train wreck.

I admit that... but what I want to talk about is this positioning of herself as the "first Latina." She has an Irish last name. She doesn't physically resemble the Latinx kids in this area. I've met with her more than a dozen times and I had no idea she was Latina until I read it in this article, where she is lauded for her "representation." (And let me add, she looks very tan in that picture, much moreso than I ever noticed she was in real life.)

Latinx is a hard category to define, being as it includes so many different and disparate countries and cultures. Alicia's phenotype isn't uncommon, and more power to her for her success. But really? How is she an example to girls from El Salvador--moreso than any other woman?

PP, this is icky. I hear you sort of, but for all the "harm" this does LatinX kids, it goes 2 other kids good to hear and celebrate the idea of a LatinX leader. I mean...come on.

"Icky" is putting it lightly. This is racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, while I don't face the discrimination that Latinos with darker skin do, what I often hear implied is that I've unfairly benefited from my ethnicity, given that I'm White but can say I am Latina (BECAUSE I AM). I understand where people are coming from, but the bottom line is that those individuals are making a lot of assumptions, that come down to assuming I am less qualified purely because of my ethnicity. EVERYONE who is White (including me) have benefited unfairly from their race.

And this is why ethnicity should not be a factor in hiring. Because then people unfairly believe that ethnicity and not merit had something to do with the achievement.