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Date: 2/8/2022
AMHERST – The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee convened for a joint meeting on Feb. 1 where Superintendent Michael Morris opened a presentation on support and retaining of school leaders.
This comes after a detailed report was put together and made public by independent council Rick Rogers, a former Massachusetts school principal for nearly three decades.
The purpose of his study, the first of this sort he has ever conducted, was to examine the consistent pattern of departure of school leaders in order to identify common stressors and barriers contributing to their decision to not remain in the district long-term. The report was compiled through an interview process but does not share any names or information of the people spoken to.
“Basically, this fall and in the last couple of years we’ve had a fair share of principal turnover. In terms of school leaders, they’re incredibly critical to the operation of the district,” said Morris on requesting assistance from the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, which recommended Rogers for the study. “No matter what I do here, if there’s not leaders in the schools doing the critical work, its not going to make a huge difference when we think about students achievements and safety and wellbeing.”
The district has had more than typical turnover in school leadership in several schools. Crocker Farm, Wildwood, and Summit Academy have all had long-term stable leadership for 10 years or more, but both the regional high school and middle school have principals in their second year after having four leaders over 10 years prior. In addition to that, Pelham and Fort River elementary schools currently have interim principals after having eight different leaders combined over the last decade.
The report’s findings brought forward accounts of a toxic culture at times among faculty in the district schools. Rogers spoke with six former principals who spoke about negative experiences within the schools.
“I want to thank Rick for taking on and doing this project virtually. I heard from leaders who met with Rick describing they felt it was a helpful process. I think he got a taste of Amherst,” Morris said.
Rogers said success hinges on quality educators and administrators working together to uphold sustained leadership. Discussions surrounding Rogers report were focused on the impact principal turnover has on student learning. The full report can be found on the Amherst Regional School Committee’s Feb. 1 meeting packet.
Diversity of the student body and community, commitment to social justice and anti-racism, and faculty speaking highly of one another were positive themes Rogers found through his study. In identifying challenges, Rogers reported the town’s culture as a significant one.
“Amherst was described as a community that values discourse and consensus, but is also one that questions or challenges most decisions,” Rogers said. “Another challenge was when public criticism turns personal, so when people felt they were being targeted by a group online or on social media.”
He added that while people value the involvement of families and community members, there are concerns raised about whether only the loud voices are being heard and driving decisions.
Rogers continued and noted it was alarming that women made up many of the recent departures. He cited individuals he interviewed saying they felt a lack of respect and faced a gender-based negative narrative.
It was also said to him that Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) have faced challenges like pressure to prove themselves and having their qualifications challenged. He said members of the LGBTQ+ community he spoke to did not note any issues like these.
Rogers’ 10-page report details examples presented by the principals interviewed in which they felt a “negative narrative” quickly develop around them or a colleague.
“Several people who left noted feeling that a negative narrative had developed about them that they could not overcome. Another described their time in Amherst as ‘the most difficult time of my career.’ In the words of one leader: ‘I could not put my family through that type of public embarrassment,” the report reads.
Amherst representative Peter Demling said he is familiar with the attitudes expressed in the report and said bullying seems common, not just in the schools.
“This behavior happens in public to any kind of decision-maker,” Demling said. “I feel this is the community’s problem that needs to be worked on.”
Amherst School Committee Chairwoman Allison McDonald, who as a parent has seen firsthand the rapid principal turnover in schools, said there needs to be pushback against the notion that school leaders should just roll with the punches.
“I think what I especially appreciate [about the report] is the upfront contextualizing of the report. Reading this report in the details is pretty sobering. We tend to as a community take this sort of wait and see approach and approach a new principal with skepticism,” McDonald said. “When it’s a new person coming in it’s, ‘lets see what they do’. Not necessarily assuming failure, but just really being skeptical from the get-go. How do we pivot that mindset so its ‘how can I help make this principal successful, how can I help ensure this leader has the support they need …’”
Pelham School Committee Chairwomen Sarah Hall said while she is appreciative of the report, it may actually be toned down from what leaders are actually experiencing.
“It’s just not acceptable to allow people to be abusive,” said Leverett representative Gene Stamell.