SSFS Will Stay Open

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Umm…. The school going out of business due to huge debt? According to math, if no fin aid was given out the last few years and 100% of the students paid full tuition, then the deficit would have at least been lower. That’s just straight up math. While I’m not saying that should have happened, if the school is $20 million in debt clearly they couldn’t afford to give tuition off to 40% (or whatever they’ve brag about) of the students, some that I know got 20K off.

We all know funds were mismanaged over the past ~20 years that led here. Are you suggesting they should have not given financial aid and run a school at half capacity only for those who could afford it? Isn't a tiny student body what everyone is so worried about at this very moment?

When the Board said the school needed $14 to 16 million to stay open for 3 years, I'm sure they factored financial aid into that number. If you're such a math expert then you should offer your services to the Coalition. Everyone here claims they don't want the school to fail, so why not share your wisdom about "the math" on Slack for all to see.

I literally said “ While I’m not saying that should have happened,”

Cause no I don’t think they should have gone with 0 fin aid. But did they give more than they could afford? Absolutely.

Again, you could argue that everything they paid for over the last few years was "more than they could afford". You're barking up the wrong tree. I personally have all sorts of concerns about how the finances were mismanaged, giving out "too much" (if that is even true) financial aid is the least of my concerns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the school needs to give out what they afford. If auction or fundraising specifically for fin aid is given out that’s fine but the other aid that comes out of angel donors or anyone else whose generous funding should go toward repairs and other operational costs should not be used for fin aid. School has to do what they afford. Not create a magical place by living above their means.

Where have you seen evidence that the school is giving away money they can't afford? I've seen these phrases thrown around on this forum occasionally - "living within your means" "spending money they don't have" etc. with no evidence. The coalition has been clear that the $15m pledge is meant to stabilize the school, deal with the immediate debt, and keep things running for the next three or so years. When did they say pledges or angel donations will be going to financial aid?

“Where have you seen evidence that the school is giving away money they can't afford?”

Umm…. The school going out of business due to huge debt? According to math, if no fin aid was given out the last few years and 100% of the students paid full tuition, then the deficit would have at least been lower. That’s just straight up math. While I’m not saying that should have happened, if the school is $20 million in debt clearly they couldn’t afford to give tuition off to 40% (or whatever they’ve brag about) of the students, some that I know got 20K off.

This is so misguided. Are you even part of the community? Did you tune into the meeting last night? The "pot" so to speak for financial aid doesn't come from tuition dollars. It comes from fund-raising such as the auction. You could argue all sorts of things shouldn't have been "paid" for while the school was in debt. Nobody comes to SSFS for free. Everyone contributes some amount of tuition. If no financial aid was given out then enrollment would be down and that has a ripple effect in other ways that eventually translates into a loss of money as well.

Auction raised around $100K last year. You’re saying about 10 people got $10K in aid?

Obviously no one “gives” aid. Ie the money doesn’t physically go to families. But it’s a write of the bottom line. The school used to say they give around 40% of the families some aid. I forget the exact number but also some million was touted as the aid given. That wasn’t from auction.

And yes I am not only part of the community I got aid for years. I loved it. I left last year because even with aid the hike in tuition wasn’t working for me. The new school I went to offered no aid. Hmmm. My income didn’t change. Clearly they decided they couldn’t afford to give me any aid where ssfs had not only given me aid but it went up during my last two years. I was grateful of course but I knew they likely couldn’t afford it. I know families who received aid far above what I was getting like 50% of the tuition. Yeah we all loved it. But if I’m being honest I can imagine it at least contributed to the hole they’re in.

The school I’m in now I pay full. But I’m willing to manage cause at least the school is still in business!

[Anonymous]

I will never understand why people who no longer go to SSFS stalk any SSFS forum and post. It's strange. There's good shows on Netflix! If you need a recommendation, I just rewatched Ginny & Georgia in anticipation of Season 3 dropping next month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand why people who no longer go to SSFS stalk any SSFS forum and post. It's strange. There's good shows on Netflix! If you need a recommendation, I just rewatched Ginny & Georgia in anticipation of Season 3 dropping next month.

I’m not stalking. I invested a lot of time and money and my life in this school. I still care about my friends - students and teachers - who are still here. I am concerned about how things got the way they did that forced me out when I would have wanted to say. I got no answers then. But I still want to understand what happened. I still hope the school turns itself around. I signed up to be part of the coalition and I want to see how things turn out in the end. It doesn’t mean I am a mindless cheerleader. I can care for the school and criticize it at the same time. The mess affected my kids a lot too. Just because we saw the writing on the wall before a shutdown doesn’t mean we weren’t affected by it.

If people without any kids in the school should show no interest in what goes on here .. maybe I should let the donors without current kids here know they’re not welcome to ask questions either? Maybe you don’t need their money also? Seems only fair.

For a current parent - which I’m assuming is what you are - you sure aren’t going to be a welcoming influence on others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know emotions are running high, but policing others thought processes is not helpful.

I already made our family's decision but I personally know a few families who are on DCUM reading along while they struggle with theirs. Those of you who want to control the narrative aren't helping matters. You may be pushing more people away. And you need all of them. One of them pays full tuition too.

I'm way more put off by the Pollyannas than the Cassandras. It's going to be so much harder to save SSFS if people refuse to see the problems accurately.

100% agree with this.

FWIW, I think you're making a lot of unfair assumptions about people who are deciding to stay. Not everyone who has decided to stay is a "Pollyanna". We arent actually dumb. And many of us are lawyers and financial advisors and auditors and the like and yes we see the problems clearly and yes we want the answers and yes we also want to stay. That's okay right? You get to make your choice and we get to make ours. Calling us names or making us seem clueless is not fair. If you are unsatisfied with the answers you have been given and do not trust in the process then don't send your kid back. It's as easy as that. Ultimately my hope is that everyone lands where they should, the dust can settle, and those that stay can help rebuild. One of my favorite stories about Sandy Spring is that when they first decided to create the school the high schoolers physically built the first building, brick by brick. This will be a similar process.

The high school building that is half-empty and that you couldn't afford in the first place? Awesome.

Yes it's fine if you want to stay. Go for it. I just don't see how the math works out.

They’re talking about the original not the new $14 million well gold luxury unit.

However the romanticizing of the current crisis “we will build it back brick by brick” is why we are leaving. That doesn’t show us that we have logical practical thinkers studying the problem.

Good luck to you too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand why people who no longer go to SSFS stalk any SSFS forum and post. It's strange. There's good shows on Netflix! If you need a recommendation, I just rewatched Ginny & Georgia in anticipation of Season 3 dropping next month.

So the only people who can care about and post in this thread are current SSFS students? Not alumni? Not potential families that you will need in the future?

Enough of the access policing. You're not making the case for SSFS any better.

[Anonymous]

Class of 1969 here. We never heard that Moore Hall (?) had been built by students.

I’m not “stalking.” I’m concerned.

[Anonymous]

^^^ By the way, I'm a current parent and do not stand with OP. Everyone invested in SSFS is processing what happened in their own way and I welcome all opinions as I make my final decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand why people who no longer go to SSFS stalk any SSFS forum and post. It's strange. There's good shows on Netflix! If you need a recommendation, I just rewatched Ginny & Georgia in anticipation of Season 3 dropping next month.

Should we let the coalition know only current families should be involved with anything about the school? I don’t think they had that clause when they were asking people to donate money. Or do you mean it’s ok to give money just keep our mouths shut?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ By the way, I'm a current parent and do not stand with OP. Everyone invested in SSFS is processing what happened in their own way and I welcome all opinions as I make my final decision.

At least you’re reasonable. According to the other poster if you’re not one of the 232 keep your mouth shut (which should include keep your checkbook to yourself)

[Anonymous]

I think there is a group of concerned parents/alumni/whoever that have ties to the school and their criticism and questions are welcome. But there is another group of posters who just want to start drama and have no idea the actual issues at hand. Obviously everyone is anonymous so we can't tell who is who. But those asking the same questions over and over, trying to make the Coalition and remaining families look stupid, are probably in the latter group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will never understand why people who no longer go to SSFS stalk any SSFS forum and post. It's strange. There's good shows on Netflix! If you need a recommendation, I just rewatched Ginny & Georgia in anticipation of Season 3 dropping next month.

This made me laugh. I'm excited for season 3!

[Anonymous]

The coalition posted today offering to meet with unsure families to answer questions. Why in the world is the coalition who is offering to talk to parents? Do you know who has the answers and responsibility (legal and moral) to strengthen the school? The Board! That offer was I’m sure made in good faith my coalition leaders but again showing the massive dysfunction of this system.

Somewhat relatedly, I don’t think there is anything magical, pardon the pun, about May 15th. It’s not like they won’t accept your kids back if you decide in June or July. Everyone should take their time and explore all the options they need to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The coalition posted today offering to meet with unsure families to answer questions. Why in the world is the coalition who is offering to talk to parents? Do you know who has the answers and responsibility (legal and moral) to strengthen the school? The Board! That offer was I’m sure made in good faith my coalition leaders but again showing the massive dysfunction of this system.

Somewhat relatedly, I don’t think there is anything magical, pardon the pun, about May 15th. It’s not like they won’t accept your kids back if you decide in June or July. Everyone should take their time and explore all the options they need to.

At first I felt this way too about taking my time and ignoring the may 15th deadline but had a change of heart because of the teachers. I want the teachers to get their contracts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coalition posted today offering to meet with unsure families to answer questions. Why in the world is the coalition who is offering to talk to parents? Do you know who has the answers and responsibility (legal and moral) to strengthen the school? The Board! That offer was I’m sure made in good faith my coalition leaders but again showing the massive dysfunction of this system.

Somewhat relatedly, I don’t think there is anything magical, pardon the pun, about May 15th. It’s not like they won’t accept your kids back if you decide in June or July. Everyone should take their time and explore all the options they need to.

At first I felt this way too about taking my time and ignoring the may 15th deadline but had a change of heart because of the teachers. I want the teachers to get their contracts.

Ditto. Plus, the other schools we were admitted to had gave us deadlines to enroll so we had to make our decision by the end of this week either way.