Whittle

[Anonymous]

The issue isn't about anyone getting spots at Maret. That's a bit absurd.

If you have privileged info on how deep the debts go---- but go along with the " money's just around the corner can you Venmo a teacher their salary for me in the meantime" story, you are party to significant misrepresentation. Allowing parents in the know, to publicly shake down other parents in order to clean up Chris Whittle's mess was a misguided perhaps well intended misstep by some. Choosing to be on the special " crisis committee"... in the private meetings...getting document access, hearing pitches to investors--who knows what, when a family member is actively interviewing to run a competing school is beyond comprehension. This "parent committee" is a small bad chapter in a much bigger fraud story.

[Anonymous]

Here is a direct quote from the WBJ article about one step that she took as a member of the parent capital strategy committee:

"On March 18, according to a screenshot obtained by the Business Journal, Bisgaard contacted a group of parents through Signal, an app for sending secure, encrypted messages: 'I no longer have shame,' she wrote, adding that the director of dining and another school official were 'down to their last penny for boarder meals. Please chip in $5-$10 if you can today.'"

Not a great look for the wife of a head of school. And her assertion that she has personal knowledge about the school's financial status ("down to their last penny") in connection with asking parents for money is a bold and risky step.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WBJ article outlines and names the parent committee and the NDA they signed in order to access confidential sensitive financial and (likely )enrollment information --If I was sitting on the board of Whittle I'd be REALLY pissed off that I unknowingly shared negative confidential info with someone married to a candidate actively interviewing for a head of school job with a direct competitor...and likely other schools as well.....but that is what went down among other things..major league bad judgement.

I'm confused. Are you saying re the former head who went to Maret-- his spouse was in the parent group that coughed up the funds to get through last year?

Yes - his wife (an administrator at the school) sat on the Parent Capital committee

Interesting.

Whoa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: That's a DCUM classic move. If a conversation is too critical, try to shut it down with ad hominem attacks like "unhinged" to shift the debate from the facts or merits to a personal attack. That's when the facts and merits crowd knows when it has hit a nerve - emotional reactions and diversions.

This

[Anonymous]

Incredible that a comment which seemed factual about the current administrator Bisgaard (not the new head of Maret, but as I understood, his wife) and what happened during the recent times and Whittle was deleted overnight.

Call me suspicious, but now it seems to me this is all terribly fishy as if there really is something happening here that’s worth investigating.

If I were investigating, I’d look hard at the administration and the parent committee who had special access; it sounds like they should all be advised to retain their Signal messages and other records and I would also keep an eye on Maret admissions.

[Anonymous]

Not only that but a published paragraph referencing the Signal messages from Bisgaard was also deleted. Why? That was referenced?

[Anonymous]

It was a WBJ article paragraph about the Bisgaard Signal messages to select parents. The other reference was about her involvement in Whittle as a parent and staff representative to the parents investment committee or something like that. I for one would like to know more.

Bisgaard per the current public sources:
“…She currently serves on the advisory board at Whittle School & Studios, where she was a member of the inaugural team.
…
her husband, Dennis Bisgaard, is well known as an independent school head and leader in K-12 teacherdevelopment…”

[Anonymous]

The WBJ paragraph is still above. It was the insider information that was deleted

[Anonymous]

The way I read it was that she allegedly played a dual parent and staff rep role on the parent investment committee and when the staff asked to have an independent representative, the request was shut down. No idea if true, that’s what I think I recall reading here. But sure would love to know more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Wow? How deep does this go? Did this well connected group help boost the Maret selection in exchange for the spots to transfer to Maret?

Someone should do a full background on the parent committee, money flows, culpability. Lawsuits to follow.

Only if any Whittle kids transferred in to Maret. It's such a small school (though larger than Whittle of course), that couldn't fly under the radar. The coincidence of the new head and student both arriving from Whittle would be glaring. Of course, it's a private school, it can do what it wants.

This

After the Operation Varsity Blues, no excuses

[Anonymous]

Again, what are the links between the current Whittle parents and beneficiaries and Maret HOS selection? I’d love to see the network mapping.

[Anonymous]

Enough of the Maret drama..its a ridiculous assertion and a sideshow..but this is not:
How does someone take in over $70 million in cash personally on their property from Pure East ( $50.5M in 2017, from their wife's trust $11.2M 2014, 2017, from Golden Eagle, another $17M---  read the docs filed in Suffolk County)...combine it with an apparent $390 million more in investment according to Washington Business Journal......and not be able to buy the pizza when Ridgewells balks at a $170k lunch bill. ..One would hope the investment committee asked this simple question before getting nickels and dimes from honorable customers. 

[Anonymous]

I just think it’s remarkable that with a two-year window and all the resources in the world, Maret managed to hire a new HOS who’s neck-deep in the Whittle quagmire. Well done everyone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just think it’s remarkable that with a two-year window and all the resources in the world, Maret managed to hire a new HOS who’s neck-deep in the Whittle quagmire. Well done everyone!

Shocking. Can they reconsider? If not, really scrutinize every single Whittle admission

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just think it’s remarkable that with a two-year window and all the resources in the world, Maret managed to hire a new HOS who’s neck-deep in the Whittle quagmire. Well done everyone!

Shocking. Can they reconsider? If not, really scrutinize every single Whittle admission

I really don't think this is that big a deal. As HOS he quit after 2 years, but she stayed on in an advisory role. Not sure how this is terrible.