Shake Up at SSMA?

[Anonymous]

So unfortunate. But I don't knwo why people think boards will hold administrator's accountable. This is almost never the relationship between a charter school board and charter school administration. They work too closely together.

[Anonymous]

I thought SSMA parents were supposed to be laid back and crunchy?

[Anonymous]

Where is this letter? I got a different email letter with none of the above quotes or sentiments. Was this some kind of OTR letter?

[Anonymous]

The board sent a letter to the general parent community but then sent a separate nastygram to the community association leadership.

Watching this unfold is horrifying. We need an entirely new board and a new executive director.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The board sent a letter to the general parent community but then sent a separate nastygram to the community association leadership.

Watching this unfold is horrifying. We need an entirely new board and a new executive director.

You need to find a new school. The above isn't going to happen.

Sounds like you made a good faith attempt, but when you come at the king, you best not miss. The Board has chosen sides, and it is sticking with the ED.

[Anonymous]

Why on earth would the do that? They didn't think the second letter would circulate?

I heard that the community association is withholding some of its Spring fundraising after all of this; they should keep that up or find a way to deliver goods directly to the teachers if this is the way the board is going to treat the gentlest hint of push-back.

I think the board needs to reckon with what they want the school to be. If they feel like the school isn't pointed toward its chartered goals, the answer isn't to lash out at the community association. Its to make positive changing in recruiting and retention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board sent a letter to the general parent community but then sent a separate nastygram to the community association leadership.

Watching this unfold is horrifying. We need an entirely new board and a new executive director.

You need to find a new school. The above isn't going to happen.

Sounds like you made a good faith attempt, but when you come at the king, you best not miss. The Board has chosen sides, and it is sticking with the ED.

Obviously you play checkers-not chess! This is going to go on for a while and will get very ugly. You can't dispute facts and going against parents in regard to their kids education is a losing proposition.

Hopefully cooler heads will prevail but probably past that point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why on earth would the do that? They didn't think the second letter would circulate?

I heard that the community association is withholding some of its Spring fundraising after all of this; they should keep that up or find a way to deliver goods directly to the teachers if this is the way the board is going to treat the gentlest hint of push-back.

I think the board needs to reckon with what they want the school to be. If they feel like the school isn't pointed toward its chartered goals, the answer isn't to lash out at the community association. Its to make positive changing in recruiting and retention.

To the SSMACA Board:

As the Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS Board of Directors, we take the protection of the school as our highest priority. There is much involved in the “protection of the school” beyond the obvious. First and foremost it requires of us the insurance of a safe learning environment for the children entrusted to our care. It requires that we endeavor to provide education to these children in a manner and method consistent with our mission. It requires that we help guide the administration in the performance of their duties and oversee that performance. It requires that we engage the parents of our children in a collaborative endeavor in the education of their children.

We truly value the parental involvement in supporting our school. In any educational endeavor the active parent can provide the edge to high success that otherwise may be lacking. Parental involvement with the guides and administration is critical to positive development and growth, both for the children and the school.

Unfortunately, when a “parent support organization” demands a level of administrative involvement and direct oversight of the school, its administration, policy and practices as SSMACA demands in its recent letter to the Board; and threatens retaliation for non-compliance with those demands; when that parent support organization undertakes actions to actively undermine the school, its administration and staff; when the directors of the parent support organization actively harass, bully and demean guides, PAs, staff and administration to force a false narrative or justify their acts; then the compact between the SSMA and SSMACA is broken.

Over the next few weeks we will be open to conversation with the SSMACA board to discuss whether this covenant between us is irredeemably broken (in which case we decertify our relationship and form a Parent Teacher Association in the fall from the interested parents who feel SSMACA has moved past its mandate), or if the original compact is salvageable.

Committed, activist parents are a treasure to any school and it would be most unfortunate to lose those who are as committed as many of you have proven. That being said, SSMA is monitored by our authorizer to ensure we remain in compliance and only work in the best interest of our children. We as the Board of Directors of SSMA will not agree to what amounts to a self-imposed control board; it is not in the best interest of the children, our mission, or the school.

If you would like to schedule a time to discuss this, please respond to me at *****@***********.com by Tuesday, May 29, 2018.

Sincerely,

******* ****
Acting Chair
The Shining Stars Montessori Academy PCS Board

[Anonymous]

If you are going to post their response, it only seems appropriate to post the letter from the parents to the Board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board sent a letter to the general parent community but then sent a separate nastygram to the community association leadership.

Watching this unfold is horrifying. We need an entirely new board and a new executive director.

You need to find a new school. The above isn't going to happen.

Sounds like you made a good faith attempt, but when you come at the king, you best not miss. The Board has chosen sides, and it is sticking with the ED.

You can't just find a new school. You can lottery, but that could take 3 or 4 years. You could go to your neighborhood school but won't till instruction quality or safety issues fall below levels at the neighborhood school. Voting with yoru feet isn't an option unless you have enough money to move to a good school district.

But abosuetly, the CA should raise tons of money and lavish it where they see fit. Or stop raising money and parents stop donating. voting with your wallet is more doable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board sent a letter to the general parent community but then sent a separate nastygram to the community association leadership.

Watching this unfold is horrifying. We need an entirely new board and a new executive director.

You need to find a new school. The above isn't going to happen.

Sounds like you made a good faith attempt, but when you come at the king, you best not miss. The Board has chosen sides, and it is sticking with the ED.

You can't just find a new school. You can lottery, but that could take 3 or 4 years. You could go to your neighborhood school but won't till instruction quality or safety issues fall below levels at the neighborhood school. Voting with yoru feet isn't an option unless you have enough money to move to a good school district.

But abosuetly, the CA should raise tons of money and lavish it where they see fit. Or stop raising money and parents stop donating. voting with your wallet is more doable.

What do the CA bylaws say? The school may have a point that the CA has exceeded its legal mandate, and the school can essentially de-certify them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The board sent a letter to the general parent community but then sent a separate nastygram to the community association leadership.

Watching this unfold is horrifying. We need an entirely new board and a new executive director.

You need to find a new school. The above isn't going to happen.

Sounds like you made a good faith attempt, but when you come at the king, you best not miss. The Board has chosen sides, and it is sticking with the ED.

You can't just find a new school. You can lottery, but that could take 3 or 4 years. You could go to your neighborhood school but won't till instruction quality or safety issues fall below levels at the neighborhood school. Voting with yoru feet isn't an option unless you have enough money to move to a good school district.

But abosuetly, the CA should raise tons of money and lavish it where they see fit. Or stop raising money and parents stop donating. voting with your wallet is more doable.

What do the CA bylaws say? The school may have a point that the CA has exceeded its legal mandate, and the school can essentially de-certify them.

De-certify the only arm that has raised money and resources? That would be in line with their thought process. This is about the Board trying to protect their friend. They don't care about the kids and all the issues raised. They have indicated they will even grace us with their presence at the stepping up ceremony this year.

[Anonymous]

I would take up the opportunity to meet with the baord. Reiterate that you are raising valid concerns and that some things aren't working. A new ED isn't in the cards, so now get what you can get in terms of changes that can improve what is wrong. Parents can't just leave, so suck it up and do whatever you can do to get some changes that will improve things. Yes, a new ED might be the thing you really need, but that isn't happening, so short of that get what you can get.

The offer to talk is positive even if it came after a slam. But we are adults and can ignore slams when we need to.

[Anonymous]

Not sure airing SSMA dirty laundry in public helps the school. I think it’s clear now that the ED and the board will only put up with limited input from parents, staff or even the principal. They are essentially saying you need to trust them and trust their approach to running the school. And while they appreciate committed parents, they run the school. Period.

If you don’t trust their judgement, then you have decide if the education at SSMA is good enough to stay. If you do stay, help the new principal make a positive impact. She probably doesn’t know what she is getting herself into.

Good luck to all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure airing SSMA dirty laundry in public helps the school. I think it’s clear now that the ED and the board will only put up with limited input from parents, staff or even the principal. They are essentially saying you need to trust them and trust their approach to running the school. And while they appreciate committed parents, they run the school. Period.

If you don’t trust their judgement, then you have decide if the education at SSMA is good enough to stay. If you do stay, help the new principal make a positive impact. She probably doesn’t know what she is getting herself into.

Good luck to all.

Transparency helps the school in the long run even if it is hard in the present. And it helps those of us on the waitlist make good decisions. So thank you to those who are willing to share information and let the chips fall.