Anonymous
12/23/2025 15:51
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
There are great heads with less classroom experience. Some people are cut out to be lifelong teachers. Some people are cut out to be administrators. But if that becomes an issue and makes it hard for the teachers to respect the new head, that’s when the quitting and the house cleaning starts.
We are not talking about "less" classroom experience. It's practically zero.
Yet she has already held at least one headship. Chicago lab is not some silly little school. So apparently it’s not that important.
I know Chicago Lab is a great school, but it’s really odd she left before getting a new job. That’s a huge red flag to me.
Anonymous
12/23/2025 14:50
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anyone anywhere who googles GDS hos search will see this thread. Carry on.
Anonymous
12/23/2025 14:34
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Yet she has already held at least one headship. Chicago lab is not some silly little school. So apparently it’s not that important.
What does that mean? Apparently getting hired as head automatically means having nearly no teaching experience is ok? Yet, she didn’t finish out her full contract. Lab isn’t some silly little school, yet their interim head lasted a few months. I’d be skeptical of using Lab as a barometer for selecting a good head.
Either way, GDS is in a poor position with this lengthy search announcement, especially after all the other administrative search things happening or that need to happen. Hired new LS head, hired associate head who left, hired US head who left, and hiring a CFO all within a few years. From insider perspective it’s not a good look. I can’t imagine what those on the outside think, especially those who were in the pool to be the next HOS.
Anonymous
12/23/2025 09:12
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
There are great heads with less classroom experience. Some people are cut out to be lifelong teachers. Some people are cut out to be administrators. But if that becomes an issue and makes it hard for the teachers to respect the new head, that’s when the quitting and the house cleaning starts.
We are not talking about "less" classroom experience. It's practically zero.
Yet she has already held at least one headship. Chicago lab is not some silly little school. So apparently it’s not that important.
Anonymous
12/23/2025 08:12
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
There are great heads with less classroom experience. Some people are cut out to be lifelong teachers. Some people are cut out to be administrators. But if that becomes an issue and makes it hard for the teachers to respect the new head, that’s when the quitting and the house cleaning starts.
We are not talking about "less" classroom experience. It's practically zero.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 20:12
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
I thought she taught at Maret early in her career.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 16:11
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
There are great heads with less classroom experience. Some people are cut out to be lifelong teachers. Some people are cut out to be administrators. But if that becomes an issue and makes it hard for the teachers to respect the new head, that’s when the quitting and the house cleaning starts.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 16:08
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I’m assuming that they offered it to the first choice and second choice and they’ve turned it down. There’s no reason it should be taking this long.
If so, can you imagine being the third choice? Or what the perception of the community will be knowing this person wasn’t their top pick? That will make it harder for this person to come in with confidence to do the job well.
It sounds like it’s time to announce an interim. Or beg Russell ($$$) for one more year as they do a new search.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 12:55
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:I’m assuming that they offered it to the first choice and second choice and they’ve turned it down. There’s no reason it should be taking this long.
If so, can you imagine being the third choice? Or what the perception of the community will be knowing this person wasn’t their top pick? That will make it harder for this person to come in with confidence to do the job well.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 11:33
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
+1Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 11:10
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
I’m assuming that they offered it to the first choice and second choice and they’ve turned it down. There’s no reason it should be taking this long.
Anonymous
12/22/2025 01:57
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
If you’re counting her summer teaching jobs at her alma mater (Exeter), then sure, she was a teacher in a 9-12 program. That’s not what GDS faculty would call actual teaching experience.
Anonymous
12/21/2025 23:34
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
The Lab School woman has teaching experience. The only one who didn’t was the west coast woman.
Anonymous
12/21/2025 13:46
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.
Well then the only candidates who had actual teaching experience were the first and last. The other two had never been in the classroom and were career administrators.
Anonymous
12/21/2025 12:19
Subject: GDS Head of School Search
Wouldn't it be crazy if they actually hired people who are teachers or experts in education for these type of jobs.