7 Math teachers are leaving Richard Montgomerry HS

[Anonymous]

Just heard from other MCPS parents that seven math teachers are leaving RM after some really unpleasant drama with the administration. Mrs. Goetz is being pushed out of the resource teacher position. Mr. Chase, Mr and Mrs McDonald, and Mrs Gaffney are all leaving. This sounds very unusual. What on earth is going on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Just heard from other MCPS parents that seven math teachers are leaving RM after some really unpleasant drama with the administration. Mrs. Goetz is being pushed out of the resource teacher position. Mr. Chase, Mr and Mrs McDonald, and Mrs Gaffney are all leaving. This sounds very unusual. What on earth is going on?

The same happened in the SS Dept at Kennedy back in 2011 or 2012. Six teachers departed over conflicts with the then-RT and then-principal over grading and inequitable practices. All were AP teachers. Took a long time for the AP program to recover.

[Anonymous]

Oh crap. My dd is entering RMIB this fall. I don't know the teachers who are leaving (or any of the teachers yet), but just looking at the staff directory it seems like this is going to be a really big loss for AP/IB students.

[Anonymous]

We're not in RM, but we are at a school with a ridiculous amount of turnover.

MCPS is a very large school system that doesn't value teachers as much as it values administrators. That many teachers do not leave unless it is a toxic work environment. And, many MCPS schools have become a toxic work environment.

[Anonymous]

I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

[Anonymous]

Who are the other 2?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

I seem to remember a popular, energetic and effective Magnet coordinator (Jennifer Hoover) getting pushed out after RM got a new Principal in 2015

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

7 teachers in a big school is not really a big deal. 7 teachers in 1 department is a huge deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Just heard from other MCPS parents that seven math teachers are leaving RM after some really unpleasant drama with the administration. Mrs. Goetz is being pushed out of the resource teacher position. Mr. Chase, Mr and Mrs McDonald, and Mrs Gaffney are all leaving. This sounds very unusual. What on earth is going on?

The same happened in the SS Dept at Kennedy back in 2011 or 2012. Six teachers departed over conflicts with the then-RT and then-principal over grading and inequitable practices. All were AP teachers. Took a long time for the AP program to recover.

What "inequitable practices"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

I seem to remember a popular, energetic and effective Magnet coordinator (Jennifer Hoover) getting pushed out after RM got a new Principal in 2015

Was she all that? Some parents are upset about a magnet program teacher getting pushed out at the magnet program my child attends, but I personally have not been favorably impressed by this teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

I seem to remember a popular, energetic and effective Magnet coordinator (Jennifer Hoover) getting pushed out after RM got a new Principal in 2015

Was she all that? Some parents are upset about a magnet program teacher getting pushed out at the magnet program my child attends, but I personally have not been favorably impressed by this teacher.

She had a vocal support group but others (myself included) were less impressed. It had a lot to do with dissatisfaction with the principal by some magnet parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

After something like this, you also have to be pretty desperate to take a job there in this department. Nobody with other options would do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

After something like this, you also have to be pretty desperate to take a job there in this department. Nobody with other options would do this.

New grads will take it. They are both desperate and ignorant of what 5, 6, 7 openings in a single department signals. They will also be afraid to speak up so the same conditions that prompted the mass exodus will continue for another 5-8 year cycle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think "outsiders" realize what it takes for one, let alone seven, teachers to leave a school. The administration has to be beyond toxic...most likely abusive. Its a major major major red flag and it will take at least 5 years (if not more) for the program to recover. Ive been a teacher and an admin and I've seen these things from multiple angles and its just negative all around.

After something like this, you also have to be pretty desperate to take a job there in this department. Nobody with other options would do this.

New grads will take it. They are both desperate and ignorant of what 5, 6, 7 openings in a single department signals. They will also be afraid to speak up so the same conditions that prompted the mass exodus will continue for another 5-8 year cycle.

This is a pretty huge deal and sad that it will repeat.

[Anonymous]

OK - spill. What the heck is going on? Will it ever come out? Keep this thread updated.