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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This could be a great solution but NEW LEADERSHIP IS NEEDED if it is to work [/quote]

I'm just curious--why don't you think Monica would be able to lead in this scenario?  Is it that you believe she wouldn't want to, or that her goals/priorities somehow conflict with this kind of expansion?  You can't just say she's incompetent and leave it at that.  What particular incompetence are you concerned about?  She doesn't do everything I want, either, but I don't know her well enough to understand why you doubt her ability so much.[/quote]

I am not the person who wrote the original quote, but I will respond with relevant experience.

1.  I have found the administration to be totally ineffective in dealing with behavioral "issues," both in the classroom, in the hallways, and on the playground (middle school).  Kids who misbehave in the classroom are not dealt with in a way that either improves behavior or fixes the problem in the classroom.  After school "programming" via OCA at the middle school is anarchy.  Multiple times I have seen kids be complete and total jerks to one another with the OCA attendant standing against the wall, texting.  One may argue that perhaps this is OCA's problem, but when brought to the attention of the administration, nothing happens.  No changes with the behavior, no followup with parents who have complained.

2.  I have found the administration to be completely disorganized with general day-to-day functions: dismissal (at the lower school) is general outside on days when it's not raining.  And when it's raining, dismissal is inside, except when it's outside. And when it's not raining, but looks like it might rain, it's outside.  Except when it's inside.  This is a small thing, to be sure, but does speak to poor policy making, or poor communication of such policy to teachers.

3.  On an academic level I have found the administration to be unresponsive and of parental concerns about achievement in the classrooms and dismissive of concerns about poor teaching.  I am referring here to the lack of differentiation in math (middle school), which admittedly, we cannot really complain about.  The administration's stated mission is to NOT differentiate in this area.  However, it is one of the main reasons why parents choose to send their kids elsewhere, and is an issue that can no longer be ignored by this principal if she wants to retain bright kids at the middle school level.  However, concerns about poor teaching have been met with the following response, "Oh, well, there's always a class that isn't as good as it could be."  WHAT?  Admittedly again, this was not the response of the principal, but the middle school coordinator at the time.  However, the principal is the head of this administration and cannot be ignorant of these sorts of complaints by parents.

4.  On a professional level, I have grave concerns about the principal's ability to hire good staff and dismiss people who should be fired.  I have seen talented teachers leave, and have seen people who have been FIRED by DCPS return to the school in a different position, hired by the principal.  Seriously, if you have been so egregious in your performance that DCPS can fire you, there is a paper trail a mile long.  To surround oneself with people who are loyal, as opposed to surrounding oneself with strong performers, is a serious problem in leadership.

None of the issues individually are deal breakers.  But together they speak to a general lack of confidence in leadership at the helm.  And when you get to a different school and see how different things are run, you realize immediately where the weakness is: at the top.[/quote]

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