Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 12:57     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Weighing in as a teacher (not at H-A): a bad head of school isn't necessarily a dealbreaker for teachers. It's not as if you're interacting with them closely every day (or at all). Your relationships with your division head, your department colleagues, and your students are much more important for job satisfaction. And as most teachers know firsthand, it could always be worse at another school...
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 12:38     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.


You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.


This is what I don't get. People love the school, its mission, its community, etc, and when they raise legitimate concerns, the answer is to tell THOSE PEOPLE to leave, all for what? Some incompetent and overwhelmed bad hire who despises the school, who called it a "poopy diaper" and spent her first year speaking with nothing but disdain? That is ridiculous. We are not going to let our weak leadership tear down a beloved school.


Speaking up during the state of the school is more effective than anonymous postings. So no, your posting in DCUM won’t change anything.


No response to my point? Just an accusation of something I never claimed to be true? Great distraction!


You are still working at Holton. Unless this is forced labor, I must say you are quite happy with your job.


You cearly don't understand what makes community and why it's valuable.

-- np
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 12:13     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.


You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.


This is what I don't get. People love the school, its mission, its community, etc, and when they raise legitimate concerns, the answer is to tell THOSE PEOPLE to leave, all for what? Some incompetent and overwhelmed bad hire who despises the school, who called it a "poopy diaper" and spent her first year speaking with nothing but disdain? That is ridiculous. We are not going to let our weak leadership tear down a beloved school.


Speaking up during the state of the school is more effective than anonymous postings. So no, your posting in DCUM won’t change anything.


No response to my point? Just an accusation of something I never claimed to be true? Great distraction!


You are still working at Holton. Unless this is forced labor, I must say you are quite happy with your job.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:57     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
+1
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:56     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.


As long as you don't leave !!! Penny needs you, caped crusader !!
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:56     Subject: Re:Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Our DDs aren't in US yet, but things seem fine in the younger grades. They love their teachers, and my dealings with administration have gone well. The pattern I see in terms of teachers leaving (at the lower levels) is that their child graduates (no more need to work a job for subsidized/free tuition at Landon or Holton), they retire, or they move away.. mostly. I'm sure some others move on to other teaching jobs in the area as well, but turnover is normal, it happens in my company too.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:50     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:It’s the parents and the kids. That’s why teachers are leaving.


That’s definitely a part of it.


No, it's really not. But I see why you'd want to sow discord and suspicion between parents and faculty/staff, to prevent their increased support of each other's concerns about poor leadership and communication.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:47     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.


You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.


This is what I don't get. People love the school, its mission, its community, etc, and when they raise legitimate concerns, the answer is to tell THOSE PEOPLE to leave, all for what? Some incompetent and overwhelmed bad hire who despises the school, who called it a "poopy diaper" and spent her first year speaking with nothing but disdain? That is ridiculous. We are not going to let our weak leadership tear down a beloved school.


Speaking up during the state of the school is more effective than anonymous postings. So no, your posting in DCUM won’t change anything.


No response to my point? Just an accusation of something I never claimed to be true? Great distraction!
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:46     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
The +1000 was in reference to the upcoming state of the school as a forum to address these issues.

- A Holton mom whose MSer who is thriving (but open to different viewpoints and the most effective ways to manage those as a school community (which is not on DCUM))
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:37     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
+1000
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:36     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:Penny is the reason for the departures. Full stop.
Penny grabbed a student’s arm and should be dismissed.
Penny has wasted nearly a million dollars on consultants.
Penny never comes to school on time.
Penny is condescending, she rules by fear (she does not lead with love).
Penny is hated by the students - they call her the dark lord!
Penny is such a terrible speaker, a senior made bingo cards for her graduation speech!
Penny has had more than 100 employees leave over three years. This is - without question - a disturbing number.
Penny has no idea how to talk to kids - remember this week when she said she was taking “her yearbooks” back!?!?
Penny will have to continue to deal with angry alumnae, pissed off parents, and anonymous letters while board members quietly tell her what to do.

How do I know? I work at Holton. Come ask a teacher. Please. We will tell you the truth.


This is all consistent with what I hear from my US daughter.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:29     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.


You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.


This is what I don't get. People love the school, its mission, its community, etc, and when they raise legitimate concerns, the answer is to tell THOSE PEOPLE to leave, all for what? Some incompetent and overwhelmed bad hire who despises the school, who called it a "poopy diaper" and spent her first year speaking with nothing but disdain? That is ridiculous. We are not going to let our weak leadership tear down a beloved school.


Speaking up during the state of the school is more effective than anonymous postings. So no, your posting in DCUM won’t change anything.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:11     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.


You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.


This is what I don't get. People love the school, its mission, its community, etc, and when they raise legitimate concerns, the answer is to tell THOSE PEOPLE to leave, all for what? Some incompetent and overwhelmed bad hire who despises the school, who called it a "poopy diaper" and spent her first year speaking with nothing but disdain? That is ridiculous. We are not going to let our weak leadership tear down a beloved school.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 11:02     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
Anonymous wrote:3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.


You are free to lower your donations and also to leave the school. No one is forcing you to stay.
Anonymous
Post 05/23/2026 10:56     Subject: Why is everyone at Holton-Arms leaving?
3:02, I would love to ask. Not sure who or how. A teacher who is leaving hinted to students that parents need to speak up, but doing this one by one is not effective. We have a few more years and DD doesn’t want to leave, so we don’t want retribution either. I believe what you are saying but I don’t see a way to correct it. Already lowered donation by 75 percent.