Kaya Leaving; John Davis in as interim

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, who do people actually want? What would an ideal candidate be?

I know my suggestion won't be popular -- least of all with the person I'm suggesting -- but I think Abigail Smith should be considered. I can't defend her entire track record, but I think she has dealt with the system long enough to know what can and should be fixed.

Abigail Smith is a Charter person. Her kids go to a charter. she is the chair of the Haynes Board of Trustees. It would be a very tough sell for Bowser (or anyone) to name someone so heavily involved and invested in EL Haynes to the a top education position in the District, after naming Jennie Niles, founder of EL Haynes, as current DME.

I doubt that matters to those whose opinions are considered important to the decision-makers. Her connection to Gray is likely more problematic. Basically, the candidate will need to be acceptable to Catherine Bradley and the Washington Post editorial board. Both of them like E.L. Haynes.

[Anonymous]

I agree Abigail Smith would be a good choice. I think she understands the scope of the problems facing DCPS and would listen to parents and teachers. She really does care and doesn't seem arrogant.

[Anonymous]

I am reading about her now. NP here. It says she taught in the South Bronx- I am curious because I also teach in the Bronx. Anyone know where? A couple of bios don't say

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Majority school and city is black. I'm confused. I am black and I say bring on the most qualified regardless of race. I would like urban experience (and teaching) though.

ITA. Another black parent here. We need a real teacher's teacher, of any background, at the helm if we want DCPS neighborhood schools to be good long-term options.

My concern is how to get someone who can fill the role we need now.

The original chancellor's job was a high-level political appointee of the mayor, but Bowser demoted the role to report to the DME.
It will be a cold day in hell before a DCPS chancellor gets chartering authority, which hinders cooperation on things like buildings and boundaries.
EMOC, facilities (Ellington), Chartwells, special education, WTU contract are legal quagmires with no quick fixes.

I don't know a thing about Davis. But if most of his time is with principals, I don't see how that will help on the frontlines with teachers and parents.

Any urban education technocrats out there?

We don't need a teacher as chancellor - we need a leader/manager. Add to the PPs list negotiating a teachers contract.

Not a current teacher but someone that can at least relate to teachers. It's possible to have both. Why settle?

[Anonymous]

Bye, Kaya!

But why wait until October? Why not leave now? Transition Davis in this summer and let the District begin the new school year with the new interim Chancellor instead of another (avoidable) post-school start exit and transition--especially one that's so huge.

The only reason to wait until October would be to give Bowser the time to conduct her national search and find a new replacement. Otherwise, you're just creating more turmoil.

Leave now.

No one will miss you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring back Rhee. Time to swing a bigger, faster broom through DCPS!

The broom can sweep people out, but people can also use their feet and walk out. I have no issue with high expectations and if needed consequences for teachers, but the foundation coming from downtown should be partnership and support - just as we implement in our classrooms to encourage the best in our students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree Abigail Smith would be a good choice. I think she understands the scope of the problems facing DCPS and would listen to parents and teachers. She really does care and doesn't seem arrogant.

If you recall, several years ago, she wanted to do away with elementary school boundaries in favor of a system like Boston's, where parents are only guaranteed a spot at one of several schools in a local cluster. Our local cluster would have included a school with a DC-CAS proficiency pass rate of 80% and two in the 30s. Parents buying million dollar houses so their children could attend school #1 were really shaken up. She was the architect of the madness. Parents rose up in protest all over the city, and not just in upscale neighborhoods like Upper NW and Cap Hill. She squandered far too much political capital in the process to make an effective chancellor. The woman clearly lacks common sense in a big way. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Do you all think PARCC results came in? Last year's scores were really, really low.

[Anonymous]

There are two things to keep in mind: Identifying and finding a dynamic, innovative fearless education leader and finding someone who wants the job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bye, Kaya!

But why wait until October? Why not leave now? Transition Davis in this summer and let the District begin the new school year with the new interim Chancellor instead of another (avoidable) post-school start exit and transition--especially one that's so huge.

The only reason to wait until October would be to give Bowser the time to conduct her national search and find a new replacement. Otherwise, you're just creating more turmoil.

Leave now.

No one will miss you.

Maybe their fiscal year starts Oct. 1 live the fed gov? In any event, I'm sure he's shadowing her now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree Abigail Smith would be a good choice. I think she understands the scope of the problems facing DCPS and would listen to parents and teachers. She really does care and doesn't seem arrogant.

none of those are qualities needed to make a good administrator! they may be necessary for a politician. ps "arrogant" is a loaded term when applied to a woman - hard to imagine men being dinged for "arrogance".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did she see the 2016 PARCC scores and decide to leave?

I thought that at first; then it occurred to me that maybe the scores were level, or somewhat better, and maybe the chancellor decided to leave on a relative high note.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree Abigail Smith would be a good choice. I think she understands the scope of the problems facing DCPS and would listen to parents and teachers. She really does care and doesn't seem arrogant.

If you recall, several years ago, she wanted to do away with elementary school boundaries in favor of a system like Boston's, where parents are only guaranteed a spot at one of several schools in a local cluster. Our local cluster would have included a school with a DC-CAS proficiency pass rate of 80% and two in the 30s. Parents buying million dollar houses so their children could attend school #1 were really shaken up. She was the architect of the madness. Parents rose up in protest all over the city, and not just in upscale neighborhoods like Upper NW and Cap Hill. She squandered far too much political capital in the process to make an effective chancellor. The woman clearly lacks common sense in a big way. No thanks.

To be equally as fair in presentation, most of those community meetings used DC CAS scores as coded race discussions. I'm not a charter fan and agree that was the wrong approach, but let's keep in mind that at some point DC will have to address its growing classist and re-segregating schools.

Personally I feel it needs to be an outside candidate, hopefully with Fortune 500 experience. I want a buisness woman, not an DC politico.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree Abigail Smith would be a good choice. I think she understands the scope of the problems facing DCPS and would listen to parents and teachers. She really does care and doesn't seem arrogant.

If you recall, several years ago, she wanted to do away with elementary school boundaries in favor of a system like Boston's, where parents are only guaranteed a spot at one of several schools in a local cluster. Our local cluster would have included a school with a DC-CAS proficiency pass rate of 80% and two in the 30s. Parents buying million dollar houses so their children could attend school #1 were really shaken up. She was the architect of the madness. Parents rose up in protest all over the city, and not just in upscale neighborhoods like Upper NW and Cap Hill. She squandered far too much political capital in the process to make an effective chancellor. The woman clearly lacks common sense in a big way. No thanks.

Are you discussing something different than the new boundary process? Because, my memory of that is that three tentative proposals were released -- one of which contained choice sets for elementary schools such as you describe. Then, based on community feedback, that proposal was eliminated. Smith's willingness to present a range of options and then respond to community preferences is one of the things I appreciated about her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree Abigail Smith would be a good choice. I think she understands the scope of the problems facing DCPS and would listen to parents and teachers. She really does care and doesn't seem arrogant.

If you recall, several years ago, she wanted to do away with elementary school boundaries in favor of a system like Boston's, where parents are only guaranteed a spot at one of several schools in a local cluster. Our local cluster would have included a school with a DC-CAS proficiency pass rate of 80% and two in the 30s. Parents buying million dollar houses so their children could attend school #1 were really shaken up. She was the architect of the madness. Parents rose up in protest all over the city, and not just in upscale neighborhoods like Upper NW and Cap Hill. She squandered far too much political capital in the process to make an effective chancellor. The woman clearly lacks common sense in a big way. No thanks.

To be equally as fair in presentation, most of those community meetings used DC CAS scores as coded race discussions. I'm not a charter fan and agree that was the wrong approach, but let's keep in mind that at some point DC will have to address its growing classist and re-segregating schools.

Personally I feel it needs to be an outside candidate, hopefully with Fortune 500 experience. I want a buisness woman, not an DC politico.

We are black. We bought in Shepherd Park to attend the school. Shepherd is 80% black. We were mortified with that proposal as we paid a premium to go to Shepherd. Shepherd's CAS scores were significantly higher than cluster schools. My friends that bought near Burroughs felt the same. Also some clusters were 2+ miles away.