Absolutely love every staff member and teacher with whom I have come into contact at Brent with 1 exception. A really fabulous school with a wonderful principal, friendly and helpful front office staff, and incredible teachers. Sorry about the Open House mix-up; I'm sure the staff feels awful about it -- it's not the kind of mistake that generally gets made there, but these things do happen.

On the other hand, there are some incompetent people/educators/principals/teachers out there who should be gone long time ago.

Anonymous wrote:what a pointlessly mean thread.

Agreed. Always interesting how the same old tired trolls trot out their same complaints. Cheers to the people who took the time to praise the educators who work so hard.

what a pointlessly mean thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our principal is utterly fantastic--tireless, caring, personally engaging. Our front-office staff sucks--they act as though any interaction is a favor to their clients.

It's like a metaphor for Old DCPS versus New DCPS.

They are all at will employees, aren't they? the principal could just fire them and hire new staff who have been through the customer service training that I'm sure the New DCPS must have for all new admin staff.

My guess is that, like most rapidly gentrifying schools, they've got a base of current parents who really, really like them, even though they treat everyone who's "new" like shit. So there'd be a political price to pay for firing them. Doesn't make them suck any less, though.

Anonymous wrote:Our principal is utterly fantastic--tireless, caring, personally engaging. Our front-office staff sucks--they act as though any interaction is a favor to their clients.

It's like a metaphor for Old DCPS versus New DCPS.

They are all at will employees, aren't they? the principal could just fire them and hire new staff who have been through the customer service training that I'm sure the New DCPS must have for all new admin staff.

The staff at Woodson is old and adequated dealing with them that involves any type use of technology is torture. As for the administrative staff it is all males therefore the testerone level is very high. At times the gentlemen come across a little sexist in their attitudes towards females but it is par for the course. The security detail at the school is television/cable sitcom, I don't know whether to call it a drama or comedy. The custodial staff will have you think they are Cinderellas' and everyone in the school is the wicked step-sisters.

The worst dealings I have ever come across when it comes to dealing with DCPS staff members and they are the business manager or registrar. Holla back if you feel me!! My blood pressure...just went up and my sugar just went down with the thoughts of dealing with them people in the past.

Our principal is utterly fantastic--tireless, caring, personally engaging. Our front-office staff sucks--they act as though any interaction is a favor to their clients.

It's like a metaphor for Old DCPS versus New DCPS.

A staff at our school was perhaps most annoying. It was always like she was being bothered no matter what. Thank goodness she is no longer there -- moved away to a far away place.

I can't stand the principal of our charter. The job is over her head and she doesn't know how to lead. In addition, she doesn't speak the language that is being taught at the school. She follows the ED around like a puppy.

Anonymous wrote:The Brent office staff is great too. They don't lose stuff, they're always friendly, they either know stuff, or they find out stuff if you need it. Agree with previous poster, it makes all the difference in the world when the Sad Sack and Sister-snap-at-you are not the front line of your school.

Except when they told parents the wrong date for the recent open house. Then blamed the DCPS website for the error.

Irrespective of any downtown customer service program, I think it's probably the principal who sets the tone at individual schools.

It's hard to last as a grump if the principal is a good manager and hard to be eternally pleasant if the principal is making your life miserable.

14:45, are you implying that the tone is being set from the Chancellor's office in regards to the workforce being unpleasant?

The front office staff at Eastern is wonderful, you can actually hear the smiles in the voices over the telephone. But I have witnessed some out of the character behaviour but never have been a victim.

In the defense of the workforce, sometimes it is the good as you get scenario but that is not always the remedy.

Our DCPS elementary front office and custodial staff could give lessons to Nordstrom and Four Seasons on how to delight customers by solving problems we didn't even now we had! (Ultimately children are the customers not us clueless parents.) Enrollment forms, heat advisory activity options, entertaining kids dropped off by mistake on teacher PD day, you name it. What's really amazing IMHO is how quickly, collaboratively, and most of all creatively they deal with competing demands of kids, parents, teachers, etc. (Self described high maintenance private school and public school parent here.)

Can't say much about principal other than fun to hang out with and good sense of humor. The AP seems to be on her own planet with a small number of pretty lame teacher friends.

But there are also some wonderful paraprofessionals who can teach circles around the AP's pets.

These dynamics can happen in any service industry. I'm trying to fill out as many comment cards as I can for the unsung heroes.

The Brent office staff is great too. They don't lose stuff, they're always friendly, they either know stuff, or they find out stuff if you need it. Agree with previous poster, it makes all the difference in the world when the Sad Sack and Sister-snap-at-you are not the front line of your school.