Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any thoughts on the impact this choice will have on the upcoming boundary redrawing?

They're building two new high schools. MCPS has to redraw the boundaries no matter what. How would this supe build two new high schools without redrawing the boundaries?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Josh Starr weighs in:

LOL. Starr's idea of being able to do his job is to do not much of anything. He didn't do much at MCPS, and afterwards, at PDK, International, where he stayed just long enough to empty the organization of its cash reserves. Josh, you needed to fund-raise at PDK, but that's the hard work and it's not your thing.

Starr moved to The Center for Model Schools, formerly the International Center for Leadership in Education, operated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. That didn't work out either because that is a sales job for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Not sure what he is doing these days, other than posting to social media.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Josh Starr weighs in:

LOL. Starr's idea of being able to do his job is to do not much of anything. He didn't do much at MCPS, and afterwards, at PDK, International, where he stayed just long enough to empty the organization of its cash reserves. Josh, you needed to fund-raise at PDK, but that's the hard work and it's not your thing.

Starr moved to The Center for Model Schools, formerly the International Center for Leadership in Education, operated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. That didn't work out either because that is a sales job for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Not sure what he is doing these days, other than posting to social media.

He's still living rent-free in all y'all's minds!

Anonymous wrote:
From the comments, section in the Washington Post article:...
Ummm…this guy ]gutted Stafford’s central school district’s office devolving so much work back on to school buildings and teachers that SCPS has been hemorrhaging teachers for the past three years.

I'm OK with cuts to central office where there's bloat - and there's plenty of it. But not ok with more work for teachers.

At our school, our SpEd teachers have to do recess/ lunch coverage all the time because there aren't enough paraeducators to cover safely. If one is out, MCPS doesn't provide a sub. If a classroom teacher is out, the school has to split the classes among the other grade-level teachers because there are no subs. Penny-wise and pound-foolish to have expensive, expert Special Ed teachers monitoring recess instead of paying for a paraeducator's sub.

I wonder, how much money could MoCo save if we cut down on the standardized testing? The firms that make the testing have to be raking it in. In Vermont, they say, "You don't fatten a lamb by weighing it." We already know how much instructional time we lose to testing, but has anyone ever calculated the costs? Pulling all the specialists, instructional coaches, etc to cover accommodated small groups.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another confident mediocre white man.

Mediocre would be a step up from what we've had recently. I'm ready for dull, functional, and uninspiring. MCPS needs to master the basics again without becoming embroiled in continuous scandals and constantly chasing new fad initiatives and pilot programs that exhaust everyone and change with the wind blowing. Maybe a mediocre superintendent can accomplish supplying copy paper, glue sticks, and paper towels.

Yes, this would be refreshing. Let's just get back to good old fashioned educating our kids, please. I want teachers to have the resources that they need to educate our kids and let's please try to do this in safe schools where violence and sexual harassment aren't tolerated.

OK, carve out violence and sexual harassment. What about racism and gendered harassment? Extreme poverty?

What does it mean to "get back to good old fashioned educating our kids"? Separate but equal?

I was wondering about that too.

I went to school in the 1970s and 1980s, and sexual harassment was definitely tolerated.

ModeratelyMoco wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any thoughts on the impact this choice will have on the upcoming boundary redrawing?

They're building two new high schools. MCPS has to redraw the boundaries no matter what. How would this supe build two new high schools without redrawing the boundaries?

While I doubt the Superintendent choice will have much of a direct impact on the upcoming boundary redrawing, I do expect an adjustment now that Damascus High School renovation is delayed (again).

The current plan combined essentially 2 different boundary studies (Damascus and Crown) into one because they were both slated to finish by 2027. Damascus has been pushed back by at least 2 years it seems so a decision needs to be made whether to still combine the two and delay implementation of some until the renovation is complete or to separate them out into different studies.

Anonymous wrote:So how are things likely to change under the new guy?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Josh Starr weighs in:

Nobody cares about what Josh has to say!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Josh Starr weighs in:

LOL. Starr's idea of being able to do his job is to do not much of anything. He didn't do much at MCPS, and afterwards, at PDK, International, where he stayed just long enough to empty the organization of its cash reserves. Josh, you needed to fund-raise at PDK, but that's the hard work and it's not your thing.

Starr moved to The Center for Model Schools, formerly the International Center for Leadership in Education, operated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. That didn't work out either because that is a sales job for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Not sure what he is doing these days, other than posting to social media.

He's still living rent-free in all y'all's minds!

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have any intel? Is Felder staying? Or are they definitely hiring a new permanent super?

Anonymous wrote:Thomas Taylor is confirmed as the new Superintendent. Current Stafford County Super.

ModeratelyMoco wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any thoughts on the impact this choice will have on the upcoming boundary redrawing?

They're building two new high schools. MCPS has to redraw the boundaries no matter what. How would this supe build two new high schools without redrawing the boundaries?

While I doubt the Superintendent choice will have much of a direct impact on the upcoming boundary redrawing, I do expect an adjustment now that Damascus High School renovation is delayed (again).

The current plan combined essentially 2 different boundary studies (Damascus and Crown) into one because they were both slated to finish by 2027. Damascus has been pushed back by at least 2 years it seems so a decision needs to be made whether to still combine the two and delay implementation of some until the renovation is complete or to separate them out into different studies.