Open Letter to the Leadership of the New School of Lancaster

As an alumni of this school, it is disappointing that a petition of this nature even exists, much less that I feel obligated to not only sign it but to point out the presence of atrocities that are not mentioned on the list. The school has recently brought in a set of new minds - a decision which would be fine save for the fact that they were clearly not steeped in the philosophy of the school before being handed their title. The result of this is a near complete deviance from the mission of the school (protection of imagination and curiosity in developing minds, based on my experience) in favor of a system which looks from the outside to be bueraucratic. There is dissent within the board, violations of bylaws, half the teachers and the remainder of experienced administrative staff have resigned, and the worst part is the impact all of this is having on the children. The playground is currently a plot of years old shale which was laid down years ago to support the playground removed this year as a part of an ambitious project to create a more natural space for children to play. This, of course, was clearly a move made for the sake of propaganda, as proper licensing was neither granted nor saught out prior to the removal of the old space for children, and no plan was drafted to provide them a safe space to play in the interim period during which the new project was built up. Again, there is nothing more to be said than that this is completely and thoroughly heartbreaking. A school focused on children (it’s in the mission) which has forgotten to keep it’s children in mind when attempting improvements. I really hope that this petition is not only taken seriously, but put into action swiftly such that the school can continue to operate in some capacity in years to come. I can not speak for anyone else who is either a) experienced in the culture of the New School, or b) has formerly worked in the building/served as a member of the board, but can say that if someo

3 of my children attended the New School. It was beyond an important start to guide them to who they are today as high schoolers. It breaks my heart to hear that the faculty obviously feels less value in who they are as mentors , guides, and developpers in the lives of their students. Without their ability to do this without open communication between admin, parents and teachers is truly not a Montessori method.... my children thrived in this environment. Be true to the foundation of why this school was formed and the 1000’s of lives the original foundation of this school has mentored to be and do amazing things. Teachers don’t just leave an amazing place. They stay at amazing places for their teaching career. When your teachers start leaving that is a major sign something is wrong with the way they are being treated as educators and child mentors. In a Montessori setting their voice and the voice of the parents is the Montessori School... you silence that in a way that the teachers and parents feel they are being silenced then you have lost the Montessori model and you no longer as admins are directing a Montessori School.

The New School has been wonderful for my 2 children, primarily because they were blessed with truly outstanding teachers. To see so many of these teachers leave en masse is deeply concerning and indicates an urgent need to change course.

Transparent communication is essential in a Montessori community. Changes at any program level in the school should be communicated to the entire community, and not just those directly affected at the time of the change. We recently learned, second-hand, of the significant changes that were made to the primary program, which came as a big surprise. While our older child was able to enjoy a wider selection of program options when at the primary level (half-day kindergarten; three-day options); our younger children who are not yet school-age, will not have those options that we found so attractive and organic to our family when we first joined The NSoL community. In light of the wave of recent staff departures, is our hope that the community can restore a feeling of trust that touches all levels reaching from families, to teachers and staff, and to those in leadership positions. Board meetings should absolutely be open to the school family, and timely communications provided to the whole school community regarding changes at ANY level. Teacher and staff retention is a major point of concern, and we would like to see immediate action to right the ship and preserve the heart of the school that we all love so much.

One of the things I have valued so highly about Montessori education is the consistency across each three-year phase of the program. Having the same classroom and teachers three years at a time has been so valuable. I am sad that both of my girls will have changeover in their teachers this coming year. We love the New School and want to continue there, but we also want it to be a place where teachers feel supported.

The NSOL has been a respected and beloved establishment in the community of Lancaster for many years. We sent all three of our children there in the primary years because we believed in the Montessori method, the teachers and the incredible community the NSOL offered. I have been so saddened to hear of the recent climate there as well as the mass departure of good/quality and seasoned teachers. My hope for the community is that the leadership, the board, the faculty and parents can find a enough common ground in putting our children first to move forward in a positive way. These kids are our future, let us set an example for them.

My kiddo went to the New School when he was 4, and it was a great experience. As a former New School parent I’m very upset by what I’m hearing about the changes that have fundamentally, negatively shifted the culture and environment at the school. That there’s been such rapid turnover, well above and beyond what is normal, is a big sign that something has fallen apart. The lack of transparency is very concerning. This is supposed to be a community and child oriented school. What has happened to that mission?

Just this year I graduated from the New School of Lancaster. I had a wonderful experience and teachers that supported me and taught me how to succeed not just in school, but in life. However, during the past two years, I and many of my classmates have grown increasingly concerned. Talk at lunch that was once about upcoming events or funny stories had recently become worries about the fate of the school and concerns about leadership. Many classmates remarked how lucky we were to be finishing when we did. Classmates with younger siblings expressed even more concern because of their families' uncertainty regarding upcoming years at the New School. The considerable number of faculty departures, tensions within the school and overall changed atmosphere of the school gave rise to the concern that the quality of education and experience was negatively changing. Coming from someone who loved their time at the New School, I hope that as a collective community we can address and resolve the issues at the New School so that future students and community members can have the same quality of education and experience as I did.

Just this year I graduated from the New School of Lancaster. I had a wonderful experience and teachers that supported me and taught me how to succeed not just in school, but in life. However, during the past two years, I and many of my classmates have grown increasingly concerned. Talk at lunch that was once about upcoming events or funny stories had recently become worries about the fate of the school and concerns about leadership. Many classmates remarked how lucky we were to be finishing when we did. Classmates with younger siblings expressed even more concern because of their families' uncertainty regarding upcoming years at the New School. The considerable number of faculty departures, tensions within the school and overall changed atmosphere of the school gave rise to the concern that the quality of education and experience was negatively changing. Coming from someone who loved their time at the New School, I hope that as a collective community we can address and resolve the issues at the New School so that future students and community members can have the same quality of education and experience as I did.

My three children have been at the NSOL since their Primary years. Two continued through 8th grade (and are in high school), and the youngest is getting ready to enter 7th grade. Needless to say, I have a deep love for the New School, the teachers, and the community of families. But various events over the past year have eroded my confidence in the ability of the administration and board to retain the exceptional teaching staff that has characterized the new school in the 14 years my children have been enrolled. Moreover, the recent meeting between the Head of School and parents interested in the middle school program left me with the feeling that the concerns of parents are either not being heard or are being dismissed. I fear that without a rapid change of course, my youngest child will be going elsewhere for school next year, and that prospect makes me profoundly sad. If the Head of School and Board are willing to (1) acknowledge that there are significant problems facing the school, (2) adopt the "clear-eyed" approach advocated by one parent to identify the issues causing those problems, and then (3) partner with the broader New School Community to find solutions, that would go a long way (for me, anyway) toward restoring confidence in the leadership of the school.

Thank you for your support .. as a prior parent and employee The NSoL’s sense of community and family was the driving force which encouraged our family to provide our children with the gift of a primary thru 7/8 th grade true Montessori education and love .

As a past parent, donor and friend of NSOL I urge the leadership to consider the wisdom of inclusive leadership. In fact, the administration and Board might want to collectively read “Radical Inclusion “. I do not know the details of the current organizational strategies. I sign this petition based on the policy to effectively close Board meetings. If this is factual (I do not have first hand knowledge) it is a harmful policy that goes against everything Montessori and the best thinking on leading community organizations. I sign this to encourage a dialogue with open hearts and minds. A dialogue for the children and the citizens they are becoming.

We sent our son to the NSOL for 4 years; starting in the toddler program. After receiving a mass email to parents about a major change to the primary program, wr began to feel concerned about the direction the school was going and the philosophy of how decisions were made and communicated. It is one of the reasons we decided to pull our son from the school and send him to a different private school. We would love to see an open discussion with the board and leadership team, including the heading of school as a means toward resolution.

As a parent of two children who each spent five fantastic years at the New School, I am so saddened to hear about these changes. During the time my children were at the school, I had the privilege to serve as a trustee on one of the most collaborative boards I have served. Retirement of beloved teachers is to be expected, but the sudden departure of so many others is alarming. The New School has an incredibly rich history and I hope that the community can come together in transparency and partnership to move forward. If there’s ever a way we can help, our family remains deeply committed.

It is with a sad heart that I felt I had no choice but to resign my long time post at the New School. I am sorry things are being handled the way they are and am hopeful that changes in the right direction can be made. This school was built on trust and collaboration, community and integrity. Bring those things back!

Our son, a rising 7th grader, has enjoyed two years of rich learning at the New School. With his class now disbanding, what option do we have but to leave? We sign this petition in the hope that it's not too late to save a unique school and community that are precious to so many families. Thank you to the parents and staff who are giving their time and professional expertise to this effort.

I love and cherish NSOL!

Departures of teachers and students of this magnitude are symptoms of a significant problem. Please take action.

Just this year I graduated from the New School of Lancaster. I had a wonderful experience and teachers that supported me and taught me how to succeed not just in school, but in life. However, during the past two years, I and many of my classmates have grown increasingly concerned. Talk at lunch that was once about upcoming events or funny stories had recently become worries about the fate of the school and concerns about leadership. Many classmates remarked how lucky we were to be finishing when we did. Classmates with younger siblings expressed even more concern because of their families' uncertainty regarding upcoming years at the New School. The considerable number of faculty departures, tensions within the school and overall changed atmosphere of the school gave rise to the concern that the quality of education and experience was negatively changing. Coming from someone who loved their time at the New School, I hope that as a collective community we can address and resolve the issues at the New School so that future students and community members can have the same quality of education and experience as I did.

The experience my daughter has had in the Toddler and Primary program has made me a believer in Montessori education. Now as my son gets ready to join the New School Family I am deeply concerned about the longevity of future programs. I’m saddened that there is no playground for summer camp and possibly the upcoming school year. I’m disappointed that the parents of the Toddler & Primary programs were not included in the Elementary & Middle School staffing change notification which do directly impact our education decisions now. I’m opportunistic that positive change can occur and we can rally as a community to right the ship.