Anonymous wrote:
"New post
I want to know why the former principal was on leave for a few months, then moved to an elementary school. I don't buy that it is because she was a spanish teacher. What is the real story?
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2017/01/10/Pittsburgh-Westinghouse-gets-new-principal/stories/201701100089 "
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29 comments:
The outgoing principal had been an elementary school principal in the Westinghouse neighborhood and so was probably pressed into service at Westinghouse. But at heart, she may be an elementary school principal.
I worked with her for only a few days at Faison and nearly had to file a grievance. She behaved in such petty and vindictive way and was very emotional and reactive. I had NEVER in my career seen anyone behave in such an unprofessional and immature way. The union's explanation was "Well, that's LouAnn for you" and talked me out of filing the grievance when they had initially suggested it when I called them. If there hadn't been so many witnesses to the exchange that took place with her, I would have doubted what I saw and heard with my own eyes and ears. That is how outrageously unprofessional she was! Best of luck to the children and teachers of Liberty. I would go on leave myself if she ever showed to work at my school.
Before Faison, she was principal at Langley.
The PPS has a history of placing principals into a magnet where they have a strong Interest. There is no doubt in my mind that this principal has a dedication and support to Spanish. She may also be an elementary principal. I was in the high school for many years. I have met several principals who were "elementary" people. They were not necessarily bad people, or, bad administrators, just different management styles.
It could be too that the board placed her in the elementary spot because that school could run itself in spite of her. They have an even longer history of placing individuals where they can do the least harm! Once they have reached their highest level of incompetence, they promote them one step higher and forget about them. They become someone else's problem.
Now go have a nice day.
In her first year or so at Westinghouse, students were commenting on the increase in school spirit and feeling like the school was becoming a viable place for learning under Ms. "Z" as they affectionately called her. Wonder what changed? Possily the merger and it's unique (and probably taxing) responsibilities?
7:54
Your comment answers very little as to why the change. Much has been invested by both districts into this partnership and it's success. Changing one of the key players is concerning. If you remember , there were 16 committees involved to lend support and guide the process.
Maybe because she has her little dog running around the office all day every day OR how she treats students. It has been my experience she is not a nice person.
What kind of dog? Maybe people will think better of her if they like the breed. Seriously, rules don't apply to all you know, and that is how the district reputation does not get better.
Okay...now let's spend our time and energy supporting the person who is replacing her and who now has the responsibility of maintaining the success of the Westinghouse/Wilkinsburg merger! Too many students' educational welfare is at stake!!
There is NOTHING normal about moving a principal in the middle of a school year. It is NEVER a good thing. The Board needs to to explain just what is going on here.
But of course they won't. No one will say anything. But I will say something. If this happened in a suburban school, the community would demand answers. And the community would get those answers. But in the city, no one gets any answers. Or, at best, they would get a fake answer. Like the principal was moved just because she used to be an elementary teacher, or some such nonsense. Does anyone believe that?
The red flag was," Daniel Matsook could not be reached for comment."
Mr. Matsook, if you recall, spearheaded the transition team.
In light of today's PG editorial on PPS , questions need to be raised.
Yes, Pittsburgh Public Schools will need to improve on several fronts as determined by this report by the Council of Great City Schools. If improvements don't happen and "if enrollment continues to fall...the schools will only get worse" according to PPG editorial. The question is as more new residents pour into our city without a school system to which they wish to send their children, how many more seats can be added to the classrooms of Ellis, Shadyside Academy, Oakland Catholic, etc to accommodate?? Will that cause an increase in more online classrooms or boarding schools far away from home?? I realize that educational policies, money, politics have all changed over the years but historically speaking PPS had the answers about how to be a high quality school district that garnered national attention as a model for how to get it right and we saw families flocking in mass to our city as a result. Why aren't we tapping into those minds and that expertise of those who were at the heart and the helm of that progress? Surely some of those administrators and directors are still around and willing to share their insight. If we've done it before, we can do it again.
As has been said, those at the heart and helm of such progress need to gather and organize in such away that they are given a seat at the table. That is how voices are heard and momentum is garnered for change.
11:43--there was a planned effort to remove administrators, directors and seasoned teachers so that "fidelity" and script following would happen. Seasoned administrators made decisions on what was best for the students. They weren't invested in the "Gates model" and they weren't going to stick around and have young, inexperienced consultants tell them how to do their job.
They moved on to schools in outlying areas that welcomed experience. Surprise: in these other districts, experience in teaching is respected. The board has to decide to as teachers-- how would you get a student to understand this concept and then let them share it with other teachers. In some suburbs they actually call the 1st year teachers- rookies and they learn from their team mates. Instead we hire more and more consultants from more and more companies who have never been around, let alone taught in urban schools. If Dr. Hamlet wants to improve the schools, kick out the consultants, and let teachers write and align curriculum again.
Now that scripted curricula and ensuring fidelty to a scripted curricula no longer exists, what happens moving forward? Does every teacher do his/her own curriculum thing or does the district focus on common ground for common student and teacher goals for what are effective materials and methods for promoting and maintaining student achievement?
Those retired school leaders are not coming back. They fought the good fight as long as they could in the face of Central Office adversity. The Roosevelt and Lane years were filled with Central Office staff who lacked experience and knowledge but worse of all the ability to admit they were forging a path to stifle student growth. They were bought by the $ signs of Broad, Gates and Teach for America extremists. They have been settled into retirement and are enjoying family and travel. Others moved on to assignments at colleges / universities or working as consultants. PPS traded them in for PELA's ( many of which who moved on already!) or young, think tank adults with no classroom experience to lead the charge. PPS needs to organize what seasoned vets they have left and pray they are willing to share those "best practices" that were implemented in so many of our schools back in the 90's and prior to Roosevelt when PPS were seen as a National Leader in Urban Education!
That plan is just a 175-page PDF.
Go figure.
Then go from a 175 page plan to full blown action in 2017!
Didn't the team from Council of Great City Schools say PPS basically has the ingredients needed to overcome these challenges?
Dr. Hamlet made the effort to discover and uncover these shortcomings in detail. Hopefully he'll put the right mix people at the table to develop viable plans of action based on these findings.
(And don't count out everyone who is retired because some are still committed to helping this district regain its successful legacy - for the children!)
Seven months into Dr. Hamlet's tenure and we still don't have the right mix of people at the table?
Disheartening that the conversation continues to center on - how PPS use to be - and not how it currently is up and running and transforming.
PPS has always had the ingredients needed to overcome challenges but never the leadership or vision to become a force in educating our children.
If PPS were in the midst of a transformation one should be able to feel it, smell it, and taste it.
What happens moving forward, you ask?
Now that we have no top to protect, the so-called "bottom" becomes the place of education, real change, and transformation.
We have much to seek and become , but I can't say that the ground swell is being felt.
It needs to be.
We should be way past "hopefully".
Stealing from a campaign playbook: if every constituent of PPS placed a yard sign curb-side, "Make PPS Great Again", we'd have the beginnings of a ground swell and the words would be read over and over and over again until they take root.
From the bottom up!
new topic: Disruptive students harm the well-behaved (PG editorial page)
So The Educational Law Center says we must stop exclusionary discipline. Okay but NO ONE provides an alternative- restorative justice, call the parents hmm How about talk to the teachers and parents of the well-behaved students. Teachers want to teach without constant disruption; some parents expect their children to learn, again without constant disruption. When a student is "acting out" what do you expect the teacher to do? What do you expect the student who sits in the next seat to do, day after day? As a parent of a "well-behaved" child I am tired of my child being the buffer ( always sat next to the disruptive.) Has any TEACHER documented that these other methods have worked? Of course admin says they do-- no kids sent out of class is good for an administrator. But the teacher and the student who are responsible and want to do well on tests etc. have NO alternative yet again.
So back to the original question, why was Mrs. Z demoted? And did it have anything to do with the lawsuit last year? Or an inappropriate relationship?
Lawsuit? Inappropriate relationship? What are you insinuating 6:02? Do you know something the public isn't aware of? Why throw this out here?
I agree! Why use this forum for anything that doesn't focus on the uplifting or analysis of educational issues that benefit our children?
10:48, a principal is transferred in the middle of a school year. That is not something that should be ignored. It should be questioned! It is part of the analysis of educational issues facing the PPS.
Cheerleaders are important. But so are investigators.
Like all big businesses, the PPS doesn't like to be questioned. But businesses must be questioned, especially those that are funded by tax dollars. It keeps them honest, as the old saying goes.
No one is kept honest, 11:19 , by blogging anonymously.
9:31 the lawsuit was public knowledge because the district settled the case last December. The inappropriate relationship was a rumor last year, but nothing more was ever said. It was along the lines of favoritism and special privileges.
Funny that everyone is focused on why the Westinghouse principal was transferred, but not on why the Liberty principal left the district and what was happening at Liberty.
The lawsuit, by the way, was because somehow she was prejudiced against white people. If only that had been made public so that Ira could explain why it was ever settled. So ridiculous! Definitely not getting our tax money for great legal advice.
I'll just leave this group with a final thought. Yesterday Dr. Hamlet and some board members were recognized on the PA House floor for the successful transition of Wilkinsburg students into Westinghouse. Guessing that wasn't because everything Ms. Z did was a cluster, but because she actually managed to pull off what had to be an exhausting and stressful process. No surprise she ended up needing a leave.......don't forget Wayne Walters was her boss!
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