Anonymous
Post 08/20/2018 10:59     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Did anyone return to school without a permanent guide today? I don't recognize most of the people in the staff photo on the official Facebook page today.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2018 21:46     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:There was a meeting today for new families. Most of the guides were present, so it seemed that all positions are filled.


Did you feel like things are well in hand?
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2018 21:45     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
There was a meeting today for new families. Most of the guides were present, so it seemed that all positions are filled.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2018 18:13     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:
Well, the Shining Stars website has five positions being advertised:

Montessori Lead Guide (Primary, Lower Elementary & Upper Elementary)
Special Education Teacher/Learnig Specialist
Dedicated Special Education Aide/Education Assistant
Bilingual Primary Guide/Teaching Assistant (Spanish)
English Language Learning Coordinator

I'm hoping they're still up there because some sort of administrative snafu since the school calendar is still showing 2017-18 dates and no 2018-19 dates. But it's worrying that school is about to begin and all these positions are up on the website as open. I'm assuming they were looking for multiple guides too since it says "Primary, Lower Elementary & Upper Elementary". Please tell me these jobs should be taken down and the positions have already been filled, please.


This link was posted 7 days ago, so while there's obviously an administrative snafu, I'm afraid there's multiple teachers needing to be hired.

https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=ceae2c0818f62c7d&tk=1ckq4p3nca4cted6&from=vjnewtab
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2018 17:34     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have they filled those positions?


How do current and new families feel about the shake up?


No, they haven't filled those positions. They are actively recruiting teachers:

http://shiningstarspcs.org/careers-at-ssma.html

current and new families have to be worried that the new year will begin with an element of chaos due to the staffing turnover. It's definitely not optimal, even if they do secure new teachers; no institutional knowledge because too few people know how things work

There's no one to blame for this except the executive director and the board. They created a toxic work environment for staff. what did they expect to happen? You reap what you sow.

I just feel bad for the children. They don't deserve this.


FYI: teachers are now back at Shining Stars preparing classrooms. And, no, they haven't filled all of those positions. And they aren't even advertising the positions on the AMS website, which is the first port of call for Montessori teachers looking for jobs. People aren't going to just magically go to the Shining Stars website. So I don't know what they're doing.

From what I can tell they haven't replaced the guides in Maathai, Marshall or Gandhi. And they are promoting self-directed interns to fill vacancies in Hughes and Angelou. They may or may not have a college degree or the appropriate certification. Plus there is a new Lower L classroom opening up since Shining Stars is constantly expanding. Where is that teacher for that classroom?

The principal is going to have to step in and do some teaching. That's a definite. But from where I sit, Shining Stars is still down 3 teachers they are not advertising the roles in the right places, and the clock is ticking until school starts. It's going to be a tough start to the year for everyone. That's for sure.


Well, the Shining Stars website has five positions being advertised:

Montessori Lead Guide (Primary, Lower Elementary & Upper Elementary)
Special Education Teacher/Learnig Specialist
Dedicated Special Education Aide/Education Assistant
Bilingual Primary Guide/Teaching Assistant (Spanish)
English Language Learning Coordinator

I'm hoping they're still up there because some sort of administrative snafu since the school calendar is still showing 2017-18 dates and no 2018-19 dates. But it's worrying that school is about to begin and all these positions are up on the website as open. I'm assuming they were looking for multiple guides too since it says "Primary, Lower Elementary & Upper Elementary". Please tell me these jobs should be taken down and the positions have already been filled, please.
Anonymous
Post 08/15/2018 14:35     Subject: Re:Shake Up at SSMA?
My family were very active members of the Shining Stars Community for the past 4 years. We just kept thinking that every school has problems and we can still fix it. We dedicated huge amounts of time and money to the school. We did not play the lottery for another school. However, after the way the administration has recently treated us personally as well as hearing directly from many teachers about their experiences (most of whom are no longer with the school), we've finally abandoned ship and are going to our traditional public school. SSMA can not be fixed.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2018 19:25     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Seriously. We just passed up a PK3 offer on the advice of friends currently at SSMA. Sticking with Langley.
Anonymous
Post 08/14/2018 19:23     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have they filled those positions?


How do current and new families feel about the shake up?


No, they haven't filled those positions. They are actively recruiting teachers:

http://shiningstarspcs.org/careers-at-ssma.html

current and new families have to be worried that the new year will begin with an element of chaos due to the staffing turnover. It's definitely not optimal, even if they do secure new teachers; no institutional knowledge because too few people know how things work

There's no one to blame for this except the executive director and the board. They created a toxic work environment for staff. what did they expect to happen? You reap what you sow.

I just feel bad for the children. They don't deserve this.


FYI: teachers are now back at Shining Stars preparing classrooms. And, no, they haven't filled all of those positions. And they aren't even advertising the positions on the AMS website, which is the first port of call for Montessori teachers looking for jobs. People aren't going to just magically go to the Shining Stars website. So I don't know what they're doing.

From what I can tell they haven't replaced the guides in Maathai, Marshall or Gandhi. And they are promoting self-directed interns to fill vacancies in Hughes and Angelou. They may or may not have a college degree or the appropriate certification. Plus there is a new Lower L classroom opening up since Shining Stars is constantly expanding. Where is that teacher for that classroom?

The principal is going to have to step in and do some teaching. That's a definite. But from where I sit, Shining Stars is still down 3 teachers they are not advertising the roles in the right places, and the clock is ticking until school starts. It's going to be a tough start to the year for everyone. That's for sure.
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 13:53     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:Now that the 2018-19 school year at Shining Stars is beginning, here's the latest on staffing departures at SSMA. Some of these departures happened mid-year but most of them have happened in the aftermath of the ex-Principal's departure:

Staff who started the 2017-2018 school year but are now gone:

All of the directors:

Director of SPED and student support
Director of Education
Director of Admissions and family support
Director of Operations
Dean of Students


Specialists:
SPED Coordinator
English Language Learner Coordinator
Speech Therapist

Guides, Assistants and PAs:
Montessori Guide Marshall
Montessori Guide Maathai
Montessori Guide Angelou
Montessori Guide Mandela
Montessori Guide Gandhi
Montessori Guide Hughes
Montessori Assistant Mandela
Program Assistant

Total: 16 Departures.

THAT'S A LOT OF TURNOVER


Isn't Montessori based on children being with the same teacher for 2 or 3 years? When half the staff turns over in a year, you have no continuity. The kids will show up and for a lot of them, it will be a new teacher. I know they will adapt but how is that Montessori?
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 13:23     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have they filled those positions?


How do current and new families feel about the shake up?


No, they haven't filled those positions. They are actively recruiting teachers:

http://shiningstarspcs.org/careers-at-ssma.html

current and new families have to be worried that the new year will begin with an element of chaos due to the staffing turnover. It's definitely not optimal, even if they do secure new teachers; no institutional knowledge because too few people know how things work

There's no one to blame for this except the executive director and the board. They created a toxic work environment for staff. what did they expect to happen? You reap what you sow.

I just feel bad for the children. They don't deserve this.


The only job ad I see on sites Montessori teachers go to is on Indeed:

https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=ceae2c0818f62c7d&tk=1ckq4p3nca4cted6&from=vjnewtab

It is much better written than the previous ads in this thread that Shining Stars put on websites.
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 08:51     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:Have they filled those positions?


How do current and new families feel about the shake up?


We're a current family. We are trying to maintain hope that things are turning a corner and going to improve. Our interactions with the new principal have been quite positive this summer, and we're excited to see how the immersion program goes.

But we're also realistic that the school is experiencing challenges, and it's quite possible that our kids won't make it through lower elementary (our original plan). We'll reevaluate in Dec/Jan and decide whether to try and lottery out. Our long-term plan was always to move inbound to Deal/Wilson, so instead of doing that at 4th grade, we might push that forward a few years.
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 08:07     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Have they filled those positions?


How do current and new families feel about the shake up?


No, they haven't filled those positions. They are actively recruiting teachers:

http://shiningstarspcs.org/careers-at-ssma.html

current and new families have to be worried that the new year will begin with an element of chaos due to the staffing turnover. It's definitely not optimal, even if they do secure new teachers; no institutional knowledge because too few people know how things work

There's no one to blame for this except the executive director and the board. They created a toxic work environment for staff. what did they expect to happen? You reap what you sow.

I just feel bad for the children. They don't deserve this.


Just the fact that Shining Stars is looking to hire staff right before school opens speaks volumes. It says the school is not ready for the school year to begin. What have they been doing all Summer?
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 08:03     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
The next board meeting is this Saturday Sep 18 and is open to the public. I highly recommend you go if you want to make a difference at Shining Stars. This is a critical time for voices to be heard.

Here's the schedule:
http://shiningstarspcs.org/our-school/board-of-trustees.html
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 08:00     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:There are 35 people in the "our staff" photo-- does this mean half of these are gone? I can understand paraprofessional and contract employee turnover... it is regular in dc?


Program assistants aren't in the photo and 1 or 2 staff are missing. But, yes, you're talking about just under half of the staff at Shining Stars turning over in just one year.
Anonymous
Post 08/13/2018 07:50     Subject: Shake Up at SSMA?
Anonymous wrote:Have they filled those positions?


How do current and new families feel about the shake up?


No, they haven't filled those positions. They are actively recruiting teachers:

http://shiningstarspcs.org/careers-at-ssma.html

current and new families have to be worried that the new year will begin with an element of chaos due to the staffing turnover. It's definitely not optimal, even if they do secure new teachers; no institutional knowledge because too few people know how things work

There's no one to blame for this except the executive director and the board. They created a toxic work environment for staff. what did they expect to happen? You reap what you sow.

I just feel bad for the children. They don't deserve this.