SSMA parent here. In spite of the administrative upheaval, the school still suits us wonderfully and I think any parent who visits would see that it's a fantastic environment for early childhood. The teachers (guides) are excellent, and the commitment to Montessori methods is strong. The departing principal apparently did not have a particularly great relationship with the teachers as a whole - and from what I understand, it was an "us or her" call. I'm really unhappy that they couldn't make it work through the entire year - but if it makes for a better overall environment, so be it. I'm mostly sad for the class of (young) 3 year olds who had the principal as their stand-in teacher at the beginning of the year and continue to have a strong bond to her.

While I'm sure this move will get the school skewered on DCUM by people who don't know it - it's a HUGE lottery sleeper. Great teachers, great aftercare, Montessori, extremely diverse student body, strong parent community.

It may be time for the SSMA board to take action and investigate the ED. Sounds like she is in over her head and cannot run an effective program. May be time to cut losses and start over with all new people who can build a better school infrastructure, which in turn will give SSMA the stability they need.

Anonymous wrote:Hello 20:57 Still bitter?

Wow, you can't even tell who's an ally and who's truly trashing the school. Burying your head in the sand and calling anyone who tells the truth "bitter" is not only not serving your school, it's ensuring you'll continue to have instability and mismanagement. Hopefully the majority of SSMA parents are more astute and will help the school handle their business better, to the degree they're allowed to be involved.

Sad thread. If you are interested in the school, stop in and talk to parents . I've gone by the school and was favorably impressed and realized that DCUM unfortunately has folks hell bent on bashing or being cheerleaders for a particular school.

Kinda like this little school.

Anonymous wrote:Hello 20:57 Still bitter?

Not the person you're responding to, but he or she didn't sound bitter to me--just realistic. Anyone who says that Shining Stars is not mismanaged is delusional or has Stockholm syndrome.

Hello 20:57 Still bitter?

Anonymous wrote:The announcement said she was leaving for "personal reasons." Honestly, I don't see how it would affect the children at all. She's the principal (or whatever), not a classroom teacher. The executive director is still in place, and it sounds like they're bringing in a temporary person immeadiately.

Last year's leadership shuffle was definitely a big deal, but sometimes people just move or change jobs and there's no grand problem at the bottom of it.

I'm sorry but that's just ridiculous. Yes, people are people and sometimes stuff happens in personal lives. But you are seriously fooling yourself (but not anyone else) if you're saying that this lead role leaving before the year is out after last year's transitions is somehow just "ya know, stuff happens. No big deal." It is a big deal. And it's a big deal for people trying to figure out what the heck is happening with SSMA.

I've been rooting for SSMA for the last few years because I love what I know of the parent community, but "mismanaged" is absolutely an appropriate term for the cluster____ that is these leadership changes and location snafus. Maybe this leadership change is very much the right thing, and I hope so, but it does look like instability.

Isn't it a little weird though that the ED can't seem to effectively. manage or provide strong leadership to handle all of these issues? The principal is leaving for "personal reasons" ....could it be that the ED is simply a poor leader and can't manage her admin team or the school....could this be the real reason why the principal is leaving ?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Troll 10:15. Go back to your school. Wishing that SS is mismanaged doesn't make it so.

No one posted at 10:15.
And just because someone says something you don't like doesn't make them a troll.

I think the PP meant the person who posted at 10:14 who said that the school was uniquely mismanaged. It wasn't me, but I agree. There was a lot of mismanagement of process and communication last year (in my experience, as someone who had a child at the school during that time). Saying that that is unusual is not trolling. It IS unusual. Most schools do not experience those issues (which is not to say that they do not experience other issues). Even if the person suggesting the mismanagement was being deliberately provocative (the MO of the troll), getting angry because they said things that were true does not help the situation.

I was curious about how the school was handling this transition because I really hoped they'd learned from last year's issues. I still hope that's the case and really want SSMA to succeed.

Anonymous wrote:Troll 10:15. Go back to your school. Wishing that SS is mismanaged doesn't make it so.

No one posted at 10:15.
And just because someone says something you don't like doesn't make them a troll.

Troll 10:15. Go back to your school. Wishing that SS is mismanaged doesn't make it so.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a redundant position.

The executive director is in charge of the operational stuff - the location search last year (and I suppose still, since they're not permanently placed yet), the paperwork for the PCSB, the operational stuff. The principal is supposed to be in charge of curriculum and the educational stuff. At least that's how it was under the previous principal. She mentored the teachers and helped with the "Montessori" stuff, while the ED was in charge of the "operating a school" stuff. Unfortunately, he did not do that stuff very well and was replaced mid-year and because the principal is his wife, I completely understood why she would not want to return to the school.

Sounds like a redundant position.

The announcement said she was leaving for "personal reasons." Honestly, I don't see how it would affect the children at all. She's the principal (or whatever), not a classroom teacher. The executive director is still in place, and it sounds like they're bringing in a temporary person immeadiately.

Last year's leadership shuffle was definitely a big deal, but sometimes people just move or change jobs and there's no grand problem at the bottom of it.

Good grief.