SWW Principal Removed - Reason Unknown

[Anonymous]

Not a Walls parent but the stupidity of DCPS never fails to astound me. Could they have picked a worse time to fire the principal of a well functioning school? We are surrounded by complete and utter chaos on all fronts and this is what DCPS decides to spend time on? Wow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a Walls parent but the stupidity of DCPS never fails to astound me. Could they have picked a worse time to fire the principal of a well functioning school? We are surrounded by complete and utter chaos on all fronts and this is what DCPS decides to spend time on? Wow!

I agree. Disastrous unforced error.

Which just draws more attention to the question as to whether DCPS is prioritizing public health in reopening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a Walls parent but the stupidity of DCPS never fails to astound me. Could they have picked a worse time to fire the principal of a well functioning school? We are surrounded by complete and utter chaos on all fronts and this is what DCPS decides to spend time on? Wow!

I agree. Disastrous unforced error.

Which just draws more attention to the question as to whether DCPS is prioritizing public health in reopening.

This is optics for the Mayor.

[Anonymous]

People. Read the letter. It says Shawn Stover is the interim interim!! They will appoint an interim soon. The APs found out when everyone else did. Dcps was being thoughtful not making them step up and lead these tough questions. The APs need some space too. The vitriol for our public school system is astounding.

[Anonymous]

The principal was fired now because he spoke up against reopening.

DCPS and the mayor have an incentive to spread other BS (as does the local Fox affiliate, which yes does have some ideology).

Listen to the Post reporter. And the principal’s organization, quoted in the Post story.

If DCPS or the mayor wants to put forth a different story, they can. They can choose to comment on personnel issues anytime they want to, they just choose to have a no comment policy because it’s better for them.

[Anonymous]

Students and parents and teachers all are protesting the firing.

[Anonymous]

As always, it comes down to communication. There may be valid reasons the public is not aware of. There may be other issues at play. This may be well intentioned. But time and time again DCPS fails at communicating things to their staff, to their students, to their parents, and to the community. Whether the fault be in the timing and/or the content. They need a major overhaul of their communications staff. Because if this was how they were advised to roll this out, they got terrible advice. And given their track record at communications failures... I think it is clear that they have no clue when/how/why/where etc, to communicate with their stakeholders.

[Anonymous]

Who is the "DCPS official"?

[Anonymous]

Now DCPS says its because of an "enrollment anomaly"???? Wonder what that means??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a long time parent at the high school. I have mixed feelings. He did not really know the students. That is true. The other administrators don't really know the students either. They don't know the parents unless you are very active in the school. However, right now is not the best time to make such a big change. The students are very stressed with their course loads and lack of socialization. Throw in college applications for seniors, the stress of what is happening in the world. On top of that, now they will have a temporary principal who doesn't know the school? Unless he did something harmful to the children, this could have waited. I think that he cares about the school and advocates for it. I don't believe he let someone "jump ahead" in admissions. Wouldn't that have occurred in the spring? Why was he fired now. I also never liked him leading two schools because he can't be completely there for both schools. But who agreed to that? That is not his fault. The mayor and chancellor need to consult parents and (high school students) more. Meanwhile there are some lazy principals who lead poorly run schools who are still there.

Not sure what to make of all these comments saying he didn’t know the students. I have 3 kids at Wilson. One actually just graduated so two there presently. Kim Martin doesn’t know any of my kids or their friends. They joke about whether they have a principal because they never see her. She doesn’t know our family even though I try to volunteer sometimes

Not exactly a valid comparison. Wilson has 1800 students, SWW has 600 students. Completely different situations in terms of staff to student interactions. I think SWW talks up the close connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now DCPS says its because of an "enrollment anomaly"???? Wonder what that means??

It has to be something they could chalk up to malice/malfeasance rather than an honest error.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As always, it comes down to communication. There may be valid reasons the public is not aware of. There may be other issues at play. This may be well intentioned. But time and time again DCPS fails at communicating things to their staff, to their students, to their parents, and to the community. Whether the fault be in the timing and/or the content. They need a major overhaul of their communications staff. Because if this was how they were advised to roll this out, they got terrible advice. And given their track record at communications failures... I think it is clear that they have no clue when/how/why/where etc, to communicate with their stakeholders.

This comes from the top. Communications staff do not decide what to communicate. They advise--and are often ignored, and then they are left to do the best they can within the scope permitted. This is classic Bowser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As always, it comes down to communication. There may be valid reasons the public is not aware of. There may be other issues at play. This may be well intentioned. But time and time again DCPS fails at communicating things to their staff, to their students, to their parents, and to the community. Whether the fault be in the timing and/or the content. They need a major overhaul of their communications staff. Because if this was how they were advised to roll this out, they got terrible advice. And given their track record at communications failures... I think it is clear that they have no clue when/how/why/where etc, to communicate with their stakeholders.

This comes from the top. Communications staff do not decide what to communicate. They advise--and are often ignored, and then they are left to do the best they can within the scope permitted. This is classic Bowser.

When you vote think about what council members you want there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now DCPS says its because of an "enrollment anomaly"???? Wonder what that means??

It has to be something they could chalk up to malice/malfeasance rather than an honest error.

If they were going to tell the real reason eventually, why not just tell it from the get-go? So incompetent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now DCPS says its because of an "enrollment anomaly"???? Wonder what that means??

It has to be something they could chalk up to malice/malfeasance rather than an honest error.

If they were going to tell the real reason eventually, why not just tell it from the get-go? So incompetent.

Because they are clearly fudging the real reason. It has to be him speaking up about health concerns. He did not want to bring the Frances Stevens students back. He did not believe DCPS was ensuring a safe return. The other principals are chilled into silence by this outcome. Classic Bowser - ruthless + stupid