Reply to Will mcps get better post-McKnight?

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Reply to "Will mcps get better post-McKnight?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There is such a strong culture in central office that it will take a complete shakeup with all of the leadership being fired to change it. McKnight was only part of the problem. [/quote]

This is what they need to do. Frankly, they may need an interim for a year or two to do the firings etc before bringing in the change maker. [/quote]

No need for an interim if they can find and hire a strong change agent. But, since this is MCPS in MoCo, the likelihood of that happening is next to nil. :cry: [/quote]

I'm not the PP, but I am someone whose job includes change management. I actually think a long-term interim might be the right call here. It would be a bold move, and I'm not sure the BoE has the stomach for it, but here's the case:

In organizations where there are long-standing issues of trust, it can be hard for a new leader to both make the necessary changes and to build appropriate long-term relationships with staff and clients (in this case, families). In a toxic situation, people still have relationships. You might know that Sue in the next cubicle hasn't done an honest day of work in 15 years, but you also like her and she brings brownies on Fridays, and you are going to be mad at whomever takes action against her even if that action is deserved.

MCPS has massive trust issues. The reporting over the last year has revealed a culture of impunity, in which "favored" individuals were not only shielded from consequences, but rewarded and promoted while whistle-blowers were subject to retaliation.

In this case, where the toxic leadership reaches down so far, an interim superintendent might be the right choice. Let someone come in for 18 months and make all the hard decisions, without worrying about building the longer-term relationships. Then that person leaves a better-functioning, de-corrupted, leadership team for the next person to take over. [/quote]

+1000. This is true.  Particular if you want big changes quickly.  Someone has to be the hammer, and few of those persons get to stay around for the long term.  Once the glass is broken and all the dust kicked up and settled, someone else gets to come les to a new promise land.[/quote]

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