Reply to Elana Bell moves to Takoma Education Campus

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Reply to "Elana Bell moves to Takoma Education Campus"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Can someone explain what specific policies she dismantled and what ideas she tried to replace them with?  Trying to get more specifics.  Asking in response to: “ She was warmly welcomed by the community in her first year, and people only realized how awful she was after she dismantled everything that had been working, only to replace it all with her ideas, which didn’t work out. ”
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Between her first and second years, 15 teachers left Watkins. Half of classroom teachers, plus all specials teachers. One of the specials teachers used to organize amazing musical performances for kids as young as first grade. She pulled amazing performances out of kids - she was magical. Bell drove her out, though she ended up at Stuart-Hobson, thank goodness, so her talent found a good home. Bell eliminated the computer teacher’s job. Parents warned her that by eliminating the computer instruction, the kids who already struggled on PARCC exams would be at a greater disadvantage. She realized we were right two years later, but by then, she didn’t have the budget to get a new computer teacher, so she ended up using an aide as a “technology coach” which basically meant that kids played coding games during that “instructional time.” The aide had no idea how to teach computers, as his background was not in teaching, but in retail. She eliminated the science and math programs, which had been enhanced by the previous administration. No more First in Math, My On, or other competitive programs. Award assemblies and spelling bees were also gone. She also cut funding for FoodPrints, leaving the entire bill for both Peabody and Watkins to the PTA, but she would often brag about “supporting” FoodPrints. Developmental design curriculum and morning meetings (part of Responsive Classrooms) were also eliminated. She also made changes to the timing of the school day at both Peabody and Watkins without inquiring why the schedules were set as they were. She learned quickly that her new schedules wouldn’t work, and the schedules were adjusted again the following year. Bell eliminated aides, who provided extra eyes and ears in multiple classrooms, and were able to help with small group instruction. Now, there is only one aide left at Watkins. At Peabody, she ended sibling continuation with the same teacher (which had been encouraged to help with parent-teacher relationships).  She ended it, claiming that there might be unfair favoritism, without examining whether that was actually happening. I could go on, and on. It’s one unnecessary and painful change after another. We had to try to rebuild everything, but because of the way she made cuts, we lost the budget for a lot of them  too. She really damaged Watkins. Peabody will recover, we think, though, teachers there are tired, so we’ll have to see. Our general view is that things can only get better, and we’re cautiously optimistic.[/quote]

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