Let Judie Rosa Finish the School Year at SAA

Will Change Come to SAA? Or Shall We Continue the Status Quo? Although the requests of 144 community members for a Town Hall Meeting were callously ignored by Board Chair Noble, Principal Bowerman, Superintendent Walker and the rest of the power structure, there reportedly will be a Constituency Meeting in June (according to the Board Chairperson’s May 5 release). Date? Time? Location? Format? No one knows. But it is now up to you, the students, teachers, parents, and alumni of SAA, and most importantly, you members of Spencerville SDA Church as the sole governing constituents to demand answers, accountability, and changes at the school board and administration levels to ensure that things do not return to the old order of the status quo. We urge a new infusion of democracy and of new leadership in the school board chair and executive committee, some of whom we believe have been in place for up to an entire generation (no one really knows because the list is secret). The school board must no longer be an exclusive club serving as the handmaiden of the administration and the tool of the CC, but a legitimate entity unto itself that is openly and democratically selected (not quietly screened and groomed by the board chair, principal, and pastor in back rooms) to directly engage the concerns of SAA students, teachers, and parents; and then also to serve as an effective representative check and balance on the SAA administration. Who will be brave and courageous enough to step up and fight for these changes? You may follow more information, and contribute your own news items and comments on our new blog 'Eyes on SAA': https://lilyrichmond39.wixsite.com/eyesonsaa

Lessons Learned from the Termination of Judie Rosa, SAA Elementary Principal: 1. Those responsible for terminating Mrs. Rosa have weakened SAA both for today and the foreseeable future. Administrators of her caliber do not grow on the nearest tree. Neither do talented teachers that are now leaving the school in droves. 2. SAA Administration and its Board lack the awareness and common sense to keep the best talent at our school - what the overwhelming majority of the community could have told them had they bothered to ask. 3. Unless calculated to protect its image, we cannot count on either SAA Administration or its Board Chair for relevant, timely, or reliable information we need to properly support our children’s teachers and make decisions for our children’s education. 4. Settling political scores within SAA the administration takes priority over individual merit, past success, and the children’s best interests. If you want to last on the SAA staff, you must form strategic alliances with the powerful and elite members of the administration, board, and/or church. If you don’t toe the party line, you will be punished. 5. We urge a new infusion of democracy, accountability to constituents, and of new leadership in the power structure at SAA. There needs to be a change in the SAA School Board Chair, the unknown members of the Executive Committee and their term limits, and the backroom manner in which board members are discreetly assigned. We also have lost trust in the remaining SAA administration, but we now know how instantly that can be changed. We must press for these changes to happen immediately for the good of our school and our children’s education. All these lessons were learned at the expense of our children, their teachers, and the institution. You may follow more information, and contribute your own news items and comments on our new blog 'Eyes on SAA': https://lilyrichmond39.wixsite.com/eyesonsaa

Our Petition began very humbly and made simple, reasonable, and attainable requests. It resonated with hundreds of community members. We have taken care not to assume unknown facts. We have drawn reasonable and logical inferences from known or undisputed facts and policy documents. We connected the dots as best we could with no real help or clarification from CC or SAA officials. We did not resort to gossip, rumor or unconfirmed statements by anonymous sources. We asked important, hard, and inconvenient questions. We did not in any way “defame”, “threaten”, or “intimidate” people and “their families” as was suggested by Pastor Stuart. Anyone is free to agree or disagree with our opinions and analyses, or like or dislike our questions, but no one can point to a single false allegation of fact in our writings, or any language that even remotely hints at physical harm or intimidation to anyone. No, Pastor Stuart, we sought to promote your and our children’s educational interests both present and future by attempting to make SAA far better than it is today. Our method was providing information and analysis that neither you, the CC, nor SAA thought the people deserved to have, and gathering hundreds to respectfully ask for a healthy growth process of transparency, accountability, and reform. This is a formidable task. You may read our detailed response to Pastor Stuart’s letter here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ML6Ya3wEl8zxbJaGAdxtKvSYlgqRUoRmzp9iRbuH3cQ/edit?usp=sharing You may follow more information, and contribute your own news items and comments on our new blog 'Eyes on SAA': https://lilyrichmond39.wixsite.com/eyesonsaa

35 days. The CC and SAA waited 35 days to tell parents and students that their children’s Elementary School Principal Judie Rosa’s disappearance is now final. 35 days of silence while her email and voicemail likely swelled with hundreds of messages requiring her attention, yet went unanswered as she surely was blocked from responding. 35 days of silence, perfectly content while suspicion, gossip, rumor and innuendo about her sudden disappearance percolated unchecked in the community. 35 days of ignoring questions about Judie Rosa’s whereabouts and administrative continuity at SAA while also ignoring a Petition signed by 144 people asking for her return and a town hall meeting. 35 days of acting and pretending like everything was perfectly fine and beautiful. 35 days of proving to the SAA community that damage control and image protection were more important than transparency and our children’s best educational interests. 35 days of silence, allowing Mrs. Rosa’s professional reputation and good name built up over decades of hard work to simply twist in the wind. Lillian Hepburn-Richmond has prepared a report on the termination of Judie Rosa here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1asNi31NgourI8ZJLGMT4tbnSIOIhKHNkDCb8LyYPNlo/edit?usp=sharing Despite the most recent email from the SAA Board Chair, it is our report which contains the actual “thank you” that was given to Judie Rosa for her 5 years of blood, sweat, tears and 80 hour work weeks of love and sacrifice to our children, their teachers, our families. Mrs. Rosa’s tenure at SAA resulted in significant and noticeable improvements in staffing and systems in the elementary and middle schools. Her contributions surpass those of the persons remaining in the SAA administration, its board chair, its board members, the church pastor, and anyone else at the CC. Ironically, all those who brought far less to SAA conspired together to take her down. As the 2 most powerful people at SAA, its Board Chair and

Judie Rosa, Elementary Principal at SAA. July 1, 2016 – March 31, 2021.

Lillian Hepburn-Richmond has read today’s letter from Pastor Chad Stuart. This petition effort unequivocally disavows and condemns any threatening act against anyone anywhere, and fully supports prosecution against those responsible. Any attempt to link such an act with this Petition, its organizers, its signers, or its commenters is totally without foundation, presumptuous, and offensive. Petitions are an entirely appropriate way to deal with the large scale disenfranchisement of the SAA community by its completely undemocratic board and administration. This Petition has also provided additional information and analysis that hundreds have found useful. Signers and commenters are not required to agree with one another on any detail of other signers and commenters. But nothing changes the respectful requests of the Petition and its signers who all agreed on 2 things: to let Judie Rosa finish the school year at SAA, and for there to be a town hall meeting to discuss the school’s abject failure to operate transparently and in our children’s best interests and the mistreatment of our Elementary Principal. If a signer disagrees, they may remove their signature. This is called transparency. A more detailed response to Pastor Stuart will be forthcoming, but we believe it is important to immediately disclaim the suggestion in his letter of a connection between peaceful petitioners and a report of illegal behavior. The one has nothing to do with the other. May the prayer vigil he is organizing be genuine and also pray for institutional transparency, an infusion of democracy, and the regular order accountability to those who have perpetuated or tolerated such harm to SAA in the past weeks and months. Lillian Hepburn-Richmond would join such a prayer vigil.

This is the first I'm seeing or hearing of this petition. And because of this petition, this is the most information I have received regarding the dismissal of Judie Rosa. This provides further evidence of the gross LACK OF TRANSPARENCY of our school administration and board. We moved our son to SAA because of the outstanding administrator that Judie Rosa exemplifies. She makes the hard decisions, doesn't take the easy route and does what's best for the many instead of the one. She gave us hope that SAA could be an examplary educational institution that we could be proud of. She was compassionate and showed the love of Christ in even her most difficult dealings with others. The fact that our school does not publish who our school board members are with at least an email, doesn't publish the time, location or video link to the monthly board meetings, doesn't publish minutes from each board meeting, doesn't allow parents to the ability to address the school board and will not be responsive to concerns of parents and students alike- many of these points go completely against the requirements for an institution to operate in a transparent, fair and equitable manner. The board and it members serve US the constituency and NOT the other way around. We deserve the respect of a response to these petition items as well as a compliance audit of the school boards adherence to CUCE code as well as local school board by laws and procedures. If these had been followed we may not be where we are today......

Just to be clear: administration decisions, and personnel decisions, are the domain of the board and changes occur all the time. But the back and forth, and the very (now) public face, of this particular situation needs clarification sooner than later. All these other vacancies just add fuel to where there may not be an actual fire.

The hemorrhaging has already begun........On Friday we asked rhetorically "Will any teachers and students not return next year in part because of the fallout of what happened to Judie Rosa?"     Answer: SAA staff positions ALREADY DOMINATE the listings posted for the Chesapeake Conference on https://jobs.adventisteducation.org/   Check for yourself and you'll find the following positions open for next year (i.e. current teachers are leaving) 1. Third Grade Teacher (currently Mrs. Liza Da Cunha) 2. Fifth Grade Teacher (currently Mrs. Jennifer Carlson) 3. and 4?. (Middle School Teacher for Social Studies & Bible (currently Mrs. Amanda Walter for Social Studies; Does this also include Mrs. April Nixon for Bible?) 5. Guidance Counselor (currently Ms. Alexy Gatica) 6.  Elementary Principal (NONE since 4/1/2021; before that Mrs. Judie Rosa) 7.  Who's next? 8.  How many more? 9.  Will there be mixed grade classrooms for 2021-22? So an unprecedented number of elementary teachers are all of the sudden leaving SAA.  Has the CC, SAA's Board or Administration broken their silence since 4/1/2021? Or warned you for next year that the elementary school staff is being decimated, or why? Is this timing mere coincidence?  Or is it the fallout of Judie Rosa's takedown on her team of elementary teachers who themselves must have lost trust and faith in SAA?  If the teachers suddenly no longer view SAA as a healthy and functional work environment, how can we as parents trust it as a healthy and functional learning environment for our children?  How long until more teachers leave? Which of your child's classmates will leave too? Here's the biggest question: Unless desperate, would ANY education professional KNOWINGLY walk into the dysfunctional carnage that SAA has become?    Maybe you're reassured by CC's and SAA's trademark silence of the past month that everything is fine, there's nothing to see here, and then move along quietly.  But while you're dec

I grew up in Adventist Education. One of the things we were taught, at a very young age, is to be transparent in our faith and in our dealings; this is what sets us apart from "the world." But in recent times I've discovered that's just a pulpit point and often not one in practice; because we love to point ills of "the world" out for the cancers we hide. This is one of those times. It can't be a moral issue, because Judie has a job another job at another Adventist school. So, you have to surmise this is an issue of personalities. And that is understandable given human nature. What is inexcusable is when administration—at the school, board, conference levels—allow the personality issues to fester to a point where silence just breeds the cancer further and parents wonder how "Christian," or "Adventist," are the values being taught. If the administration—at all levels—wants to restore faith...have a townhall and clear this. This is a chance to demonstrate to our children that we actually believe in the Bible and resolve this on Biblical principles because apparently the parties involved did talk...nothing happened...and elders were involved and it just bled all over the place...so, now bring it before the community and clear it. Because if you don't...we'll all just think it's a school when it could've been better...it could've a ministry. Right now, it's bigger than personalities...it is the integrity of the school...and you know what? the church because the church built this school.

Transparency is important in anything we do. I encourage the board and leadership to be Transparent and honest with the parents to foster a healthy relationship. The future success of the school and students is dependent on it.

Update for April 30, 2021:  Judie Rosa has been missing in action for 30 days.  We all know she would not have abandoned SAA of her own will, and we can now conclude she won't be allowed back to serve our children and their teachers through June 30th.  A hard copy of this Petition, its signers, and comments was mailed to SAA on April 16, 2021.  No further official word or response has been given by the Chesapeake Conference of SDA, SAA's School Board or SAA administration.  The silence is deafening.  Yet even in their silence, they have shouted loudly - That your children and the continuity of the elementary school's operation in a COVID year are both less important than punishing Judie Rosa for an email giving us important news that they would not; That your 138 collective voices are unworthy of acknowledgement and mean nothing to them; And that you, the students, parents, and alumni of SAA don't have the right to know anything about the workings of this institution which has so clearly been crippled by secrecy, internal politics, and the unchecked power of a small group of elites.      We remind you of the questions raised in the document hyper-linked to the Petition which remain unanswered by the CC and SAA.  And now we add more questions in the wake of what was done to Judie Rosa:  Are the best interests of our children truly guiding the decisions at SAA? Is the Spirit of Christ leading the decisions at SAA, or is it merely invoked to justify them?  Are merit and success guiding personnel decisions, or preferential politics? Has the CC or SAA respected you with truth and transparency?  Why does the school withhold the names of the SAA school board members from parents?  Will any teachers and students not return next year in part because of the fallout of what happened to Judie Rosa?  Lillian Hepburn Richmond wishes it had more information to share with you, but it does not.  Why? Because silence and hubris are apparently the way at SAA.  Don't like it? Too

Transparency please

It is the 7th-day since this Petition was posted. Still no more information from SAA or the Chesapeake Conference. Judie Rosa is now 14 days missing in action. To the SAA Board & Administration: It no longer matters how many more sign, the point has already been made resoundingly by 134 SAA parents, grandparents, students, and alumni. You're watching this Petition, as has the Chesapeake Conference of SDA. So are SAA's elementary teachers, although everyone understands they do not feel free to speak because of the culture of silence you have fostered, and fear for their jobs. Judie Rosa was not part of that culture, which is why she could not save herself from it. As one petitioner commented: This school's witness to the community about the character of God is on the line. Yes it is, right here and right now - and God is watching. Forcing Judie Rosa out the very next day after her goodbye message is an abuse of power which profanes His name, brings shame to SAA, and causes harm to our children's education. Yet there still is time to do the right thing. So will you heed our voices, put our children's best interests above punishing Judie Rosa, and let her return to finish this school year? And agree to a Town Hall style meeting to finally offer some transparency to the SAA community? Or will you act like this Petition never existed because our voices simply do not matter to you? Your petitioners are watching, along with many other spectators too. They will remember your answers to these questions, or your silence, when they cast their ultimate vote - the enrollment decision for their children.

Shameful when our children have suffered so much already.

5 years ago Featured

Judie is an effective leader who uses metrics to guide her decisions and keeps her teachers accountable. It is upsetting that the current administration and board not only fail to recognize the value Judie brings to our school, but have asked her to leave. We are losing talent! The poor communication from the admin/board regarding this situation has diminished my faith in the leadership of SAA.

Judie is the best thing that ever happened to SAA . Unparalleled talent, commitment, devotion and love to our children.

let her finish

It’s clear the board, conference, and others having influence are unable to cope with passionate points of view. Passive acceptance of mediocrity appears to be valued more highly than the discomfort of considering new ideas that might elevate the learning experience at SAA. This is yet another example of the lack of commitment to excellence and certainly does not align with Christ’s example.

I’m signing this petition to show support for Judie and also my son Sam, who said Mrs. Rosa was a great principal. I have known Judie since we were at Andrews together, and she was always a kind, compassionate, smart, and sensible person. I remember one SAA Board meeting in particular where she presented IOWA testing data and outlined how the SAA Elementary team was going to attack the shortcomings and expand the strengths. She was classy & professional, and I’m sadly disappointed by her treatment by SAA, the Board, & Conference. Regardless, May God Bless her and SAA