This was sent to me by an anonymous individual who wants to call himself/herself “Sad and Gone.”
A few facts (yes, FACTS) to ponder:
Half the high school English department – GONE.
(The two best English teachers Hillel has ever had – Amy Gallup and Jason Gough GONE. Even though Amy left a year ago, half the department is turning over AGAIN this year.)
Half the high school Math department – GONE.
Half the high school Science department – GONE.
(It was originally ¾ of the science department, but, miraculously, one of the teachers deemed not worthy of having a contract renewed was suddenly re-evaluated and “rehabilitated” – after the other folks quit – and miraculously made such a vast improvement that he was named department chairman almost overnight!)
Part of the high school History department – GONE.
Unknown numbers in the Hebrew department – GONE.
And now, the ENTIRE THEATRE department – GONE. What a huge loss!
Two art teachers in 3 years – GONE.
One out of two college guidance counselors – GONE. 2/3 of the college office staff – GONE. And think about this: six college counselors GONE in five years. What do you think the colleges think of that?
Rabbi Feinerman – GONE. Rabbi Kaplan – looking for another job. Who next?
Who will teach the students? With a national teacher shortage, how will outstanding professionals be recruited and retained to fill these enormous vacancies? Who will supervise, mentor, and evaluate the new teachers?
And ponder this:
Ask any teacher how they would describe the HEAD of SCHOOL, and almost unanimously the word “arrogant” is used. Not the words “respected” or “visionary” or “educator” or “brilliant” but “arrogant.” Would you want to work for someone who is arrogant?
How dare he treat highly respected and revered teachers like Rabbi Kaplan and Ms. Holcman and Michael Andron as despicably as he has?
You have an institution with the following “leaders”: (yes, “leaders” in quotation marks)
Brand new elementary school principal who has NEVER BEEN AN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL.
Brand new middle school principal who has NEVER BEEN A MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
Brand new high school principal who has NEVER BEEN A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL. (You’d be shocked as what he does not know about the most basic aspects of high school. Not to mention the highly inexperienced Asst. Principal he hired with a whopping 400 hours of experience – that’s ten 40-hour weeks – yes, ten weeks of high school experience – that’s not even a semester….and we won’t even get into where that experience has been.)
Are these the “leaders” to whom we are entrusting our Jewish children’s education and future? NOT ME!
I won’t even bother reviewing the previously ridiculed credentials of Holden and Druin.
A few years back, the exalted search committee interviewed many people. Since they could not find someone Jewish “enough” and the outstanding, experienced educators who happened to be Conservative Jews rather than Orthodox Jews did not suit the people heading up the search, we went down the path of NON-JEWS leading our school. And what a disaster this has been.
Now since both the principals and assistant principals in both the high school and middle school are not Jewish, they have been forced to create ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS for a “token” Jew. Is this how you want your tuition dollars spent? And which Jews have they put in these positions? One lady in the high school who was allegedly ineffective as a middle school leader and got “promoted” to the high school. (MEMO to Frumma: look what happened to Bev Buncher when she got “promoted.”) Add to that great record a nice young man in the middle school who is totally inexperienced and has only taught a one semester class. (Yes, he’s a nice guy, but is he qualified – especially with the other inexperienced people on his team? You can afford one new, inexperienced but enthusiastic person if the others on the team are experienced, but this position wouldn’t even be necessary if one of the others were Jewish!)
Once again I ask: are these the people you want guiding our school, making decisions that will affect the lives of our precious children?
NOT ME!
Ok. Don’t be negative. Offer constructive solutions.
Here goes:
Hire qualified, experienced people to teach and run the school.
Treat the faculty and staff with respect and common courtesy.
It’s that simple.
Is is do-able? Yes, in the long run, but not if your kid only has a few years left at Hillel. Stay and fight? Not at the expense of a child’s education or a career. A year in the life of a child is an eternity. A year in the life of a teacher who is not respected or treated with common courtesy is not tolerable. It will take more than a year to fix Hillel. Do not waste a single year. Every child’s education is important. Every teacher’s career is important. So, sadly, I am outta here! Good luck to those who stay behind!
19 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 5:05 pm
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper.
-TS ELIOT
2 Good Wolf // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:10 pm
True.
And I agree that Jason was fabulous. Really well versed.
Edith Wild was also very good, I have been told that her knee still bothers her. She is also proud of her association with Hillel. She is also writing stories again and publishing. She has a novel in the works, and will be inducted into the Science Fiction Writers of America in 2008.
For Jason Gough, the teaching career is taking off…and for Edith Wild it continues and she’s a writer.
3 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Let us not leave out Mr. C. He is a Hillel legend and beyond brilliant.
4 sara // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Is Mr. C leaving, too?
This is who I think remain–secular teachers and one guidance counselor:
Mrs. Konovitch
Dr. S
Mr. C
Dr. A
Ms. Perlman
If I have forgotten anyone..sorry…an oversight.
5 Anon // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:53 pm
why would Mrs. konovich, dr schwartzberg, mr. cirulnik, dr. abraham, and Mrs. Perlman want to stay?
They have been at hillel for too long… perhaps they think they’re just in a comfort zone now?
6 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Who is left in Judaic studies?
7 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:43 pm
And what about middle school?
8 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:51 pm
They stay because Hillel is a comfortable old worn out shoe for them. It´s got its holes but they´re used to that. They stay for the excellent students. They stay because they fail to realize they´d be a lot happier elsewhere. The older you get, the scarier change becomes. Fear of the unknown.
9 Anon // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Right, so it is a comfort zone.
One thing that is changing in that equation, though: the excellent students are likely going elsewhere.
10 Rhea Schwartzberg // Jul 12, 2007 at 2:22 am
Rhea Schwartzberg here. I finally feel complelled to post in response to anonymous #5, 8 and 9 above. I’m sorry you feel that some of us have been at Hillel “for too long”, can be compared to “old shoes”, and are “scared of change”. I can only respond for myself - I have been affiliated at Hillel first as a parent, PTA president, and Board member for 26 years. I have been a teacher at Hillel for “only” 17 years. I do not stay because it is “a comfort zone”. I remain at Hillel because I adore the students - all the students- not only “the excellent ones”; love what I teach and do, and believe strongly in the concept of a community Day School education. As long as I feel that I can make a difference in the lives of my high school students I will remain at Hillel.
11 Chet D. // Jul 12, 2007 at 6:51 am
WOW! I must say, Anon, Anonymous. You two win for being the rudest, most arrogant people I’ve seen post on this site.
You should be ashamed of yourselves! Why do those teachers stay? They stay because they have a sense of duty and responsibility to their students. They don’t teach for the administration, the board, or the parents. They teach for the students and should be commended for being willing to stick with what has become a horrible situation! As an alumnus who spent my entire preschool through high school education at Hillel, I thank these teachers for staying and giving me the hope that the school can be saved.
These teachers were mentioned above because they are the only ones left from a better time. Now, in response to a post lamenting the fact that the majority of the teachers are gone, a post saying “Hire qualified, experienced people to teach and run the school, “you respond by slandering the motives of exactly the people we need. To suggest that no good teacher would want to work for Hillel shows you don’t actually want the school to come out of this slump.
12 Anon // Jul 12, 2007 at 7:36 am
Chet D: but if these teachers’ jobs are at liberty–and we feel that they are–it’s dangerous to stay!
You misunderstood me–It wasn’t arrogance.It was a reality check.
13 Chet D. // Jul 12, 2007 at 7:48 am
And in your arrogance you sooner assumed a negative reason for their staying, “It is a comfort zone.” There is no comfort at Hillel anymore and you owe those teachers an apology for suggesting they stay there for any reason other than their students!
14 Anon // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:51 am
Another Anon here:
I see where the teachers are coming from. I also believe I see where these “anonymous” people are coming from.
The teachers should be praised and admired for their passion and dedication to their students. Above all else, a child’s education is most important. I applaud the teachers for doing what is right.
The anonymous people are probably young, have been through a lot of jobs (if any at all), and see their work environments differently. Psychologically speaking, they see long-term positions as a danger. They fear and worry for the danger being imminent with the recent revolution at their beloved school, and they don’t want anyone getting hurt. As for a “comfort zone”, this makes more sense to them, because of their shorter lengths at jobs. It is not meant to insult but is instead the view through their eyes of the environment that surrounds them.
Therefore, I don’t think anyone is trying to offend anyone here, and I think everyone is rooting for the same side. They have the finest intentions but for those people, the reality is sinking in that Hillel is not a safe place for these teachers.
I think we all are genuinely worried about the veteran teachers who have stayed at Hillel, because we don’t want to see anymore victims.
15 Chet D. // Jul 12, 2007 at 10:07 am
I’m not a teacher. I would be classified as young in this case and greatly appreciate the positive concept of a confort zone. This however is not what they are talking about. Anonymous used it as nothing more than insulting, as is evident from “The older you get, the scarier change becomes. Fear of the unknown.” He’s not saying they are in a comfort zone, which is good. He’s saying they are in a comfort zone because they are too old and scared to leave. That is insulting! I am all for trying to make peace between all sides, but there is a time to make peace and a time to admit that someone has done something wrong. Please don’t make excuses for and defend such disrespectful behavior.
16 Anonymous // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Chet D.
Do not speak for me and do not put words in my mouth.
There is no insult in the comfort zone statememt.
You are too young to appreciate what I am saying and I am the last person to insult teachers.
I am one of their staunchest advocates and all of them know it.
There is a famous saying in Hebrew which is that we should all give the benefit of the doubt.
We are all on the same side here. Don´t create opposition or take umbrage where none was meant.
And yes, of course, if it weren´t for the outstanding students at Hillel (of which there are unfortunately less and less each year now as more students attend the rival schools nearby–namely Boca YHS , Krop, Pinecrest, Nova U.S. etc.–who have taken some of our BEST) the teachers wouldn´t stay another day.
We worry for those veterans whom we greatly respect and hope that they work in an atmosphere that is more appreciative of THEIR gifts.
That goes for all teachers´ names mentioned ont his thread who have contributed greatly to several generations of Hillel students.
Thank you teachers.
17 DonnyNonny // Jul 12, 2007 at 5:59 pm
“We are all on the same side here. Don´t create opposition or take umbrage where none was meant.”
Aww how sweet. Hey everyone, I think I found Polonius!
Hmmm. THAT’s a neat-o recipe. Maybe I’ll try it sometime!
1. Make insulting remarks that contradict our holy mission.
2. When someone gets angry, don’t say sorry. Instead, say you weren’t being insulting!
3. Wait for the “culture” to assimilate your doctrinal changes.
Note how Anon never actually apologized for offending, or explained how we were misreading. Looks like Anonny is being a Donny again. Shame shame!
As for the teachers, they are my heroes because THEY teach for the kiddies! YAY!
18 Student // Aug 13, 2007 at 2:30 am
I had Mr. Gough this year as an English teacher. He explained to me that the reason he left was because in Hillel the discipline was not stringent enough; so if you want to keep things the way they were, the school will continue to be a joke. Also, he said pay was low/ his boarding school is giving him free room and board. If we have the funds to compete with that, let me know asap.
19 anonymous // Aug 13, 2007 at 8:20 am
Obviously, as a professional, he did not have much faith in the administration either! …or perhaps he would have stayed and waited for change.
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