Reply to Springbrook HS Staff Letter

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[quote=Anonymous]. To MCPS Admin, Board of Education members, SBHS Admin & Management team, MCEA
RE: Leadership Issues at Springbrook High School
We are a small collaborative group of teachers at Springbrook who have written and revised this letter together throughout the past 5 months. We believe we represent the large majority of staff. We deliver this information like this because we fear and have all seen retaliation from Stephanie Valentine over the years she has been the Principal at SBHS.
We hope this important, serious and time-sensitive message finds you well. This letter is to bring to your attention the very harmful workplace culture at Springbrook High School that has been fostered under the leadership of Principal Stephanie Valentine. Over time, a pattern of bullying, intimidation, and unprofessional behavior has developed, creating a toxic work environment that significantly affects the morale and well-being of the staff. We are reaching out in hopes that you can provide support in addressing these issues. Some of the key concerns we want to include: Tear
1. Aggressive Communication and Bullying: Principal Valentine frequently uses a negative and aggressive tone when addressing staff. This aggressive communication was common over the walkie-talkies that could be heard by many staff, students, and families in the building. When comments were made to her about this, she took walkie talkies away from many on the leadership team. Her tone exacerbates stress and anxiety among staff.
2. Retaliation Against Staff: There have been numerous instances where teachers who have spoken out against decisions made by Principal Valentine are subjected to excessive scrutiny.
Observations in classrooms and meetings are used as tools of retaliation, creating an atmosphere of fear where staff are reluctant to voice concerns or offer constructive feedback. She uses the evaluation process to prevent and control staff ability to transfer out of the worksite to a more positive work environment. For example, she will not return requests for references to other jobs or not "allow" or support some staff she feels are "essential" to her team to interview for new positions at different sites. Several times over her time here she has directed her Administration team to formally and informally observe people who have spoken out against her- often these people are NOT in an evaluation year. She has also changed teachers assignments at the end of the school year for those who have spoken out against her.
3. Abuse of Power: Principal Valentine often makes school-wide decisions unilaterally, without consulting the Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) or considering the input of those who are directly affected. During the 2024-25 school year Principal Valentine has ignored ILT agenda item requests and made unilateral decisions in changing the master schedule to have restrictive
"interdisciplinary pairs" of English and social studies classes that have significantly impacted the way teachers teach and students' ability to access elective and CTE pathway courses, among other serious issues.
4. Inappropriate and Derogatory Nicknames: Principal Valentine's use of inappropriate nicknames for both staff and students is also troubling. For example, Principal Valentine has referred to staff members as "babyface" and to students as "cookie monster" or "trouble" and has even referred to herself as "Mommy and Daddy" in front of staff. These nicknames are patronizing, unprofessional and demeaning, and they contribute to an atmosphere of disrespect. Additionally, she refuses to call staff and students by their preferred names and/or pronouns and has purposefully outed students to their families, further undermining their dignity.
5. Micromanagement and Excessive Documentation: There is an overwhelming amount of repetitive, additional documentation being requested of staff. Teachers this year have been asked to[/quote]

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