Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Ingraham, APP, and the firing of Principal Martin Floe

By request, a new thread to discuss the firing of the Principal Martin Floe at Ingraham (more info at [1] [2]) and how it might impact APP.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Firing Martin Floe is a terrible decision - and especially terrible for the new IB/APP program. He is a wonderful principal - this is very upsetting...

- Parent of Ingraham student

Anonymous said...

Pleasee send e-mail to protest this decision!

saenfield@seattleschools.org
peter.maier@seattleschools.org
sherry.carr@seattleschools.org
harium.martin-morris@seattleschools.org
michael.debell@seattleschools.org
kay.smith-blum@seattleschools.org
steve.sundquist@seattleschools.org
betty.patu@seattleschools.org

Unhappy parent of SPS students

Anonymous said...

The following Facebook page has been set up for Martin Floe:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_223993754282378&ap=1#!/home.php?sk=group_223993754282378

Greg Linden said...

In an e-mail newsletter, the APP AC wrote:

With respect to APP, the new APP/IB will go ahead as planned and is supported by the Superintendent

What do you think? Concerns? Questions?

pjmanley said...

Very, very concerned. Principal Floe was, I believe, THE REASON so many prospective APP parents gained confidence in the advanced IB program. Not Bob Vaughan or the principal from Interlake. They were visiting advocates, but Floe was to be the on-site manager, and that's what people bought into. His staff clearly liked and supported him and compared to the pressure-cooked environment at Garfield due to overcrowding, Ingraham's welcoming environment was a ray of much needed sunshine. Leadership was key and Floe had it in spades.

This is, in my opinion, an extremely poor and unwise decision by Enfield, whom up until now, I had growing confidence in. Leaving aside the disheartening bait and switch, I am saddened and distraught that I advocated strongly for people to embrace the APP at Ingraham option, and I feel personally betrayed by SPS for doing this. A new program launched with a new, interim principal instead of with the experienced, successful principal already there?

I am also sickened at the thought that Floe, a Seattle native and Ingraham graduate, is being tossed aside like garbage after demonstrating such loyalty and commitment to the neighborhood and school from where he came.

To see such disrespect and mistreatment of another hard-working, decent human being is cruel beyond words, ironically at a time when we are trying to educate our children to be compassionate and not judge, bully, threaten, or intimidate others.

I cannot get over the thanklessness and callousness demonstrated by SPS in this instance. Simply, utterly disheartening.

RosieReader said...

Hi friends. I'm an Ingraham parent. I look forward to welcoming those of you that chose Ingraham for your soon-to-be-9th graders.

But for now, I just learned that Dr. Enfield plans to combine the already-set meeting you have wiht her next Tuesday at Hamilton, with the Ingraham community meeting also set for the same time at Ingraham. I think this is a very very bad idea. I hope you do too.

If both sides say no, well, we'll be united and maybe more likely to be successful.

RosieReader said...

P.S. -- can you use your other lists and contacts to spread the word on this VERY VERY VERY bad idea?

suep. said...

MotherOf2 --

Or, how about if a mass of us from both schools turn up at Hamilton and protest her treatment of Martin Floe?
Double the voices, double the impact.

What time is she scheduled to be at Hamilton Tues? (I don't see it on a calendar anywhere.)

--sp.

ArchStanton said...

Even though we fled to private last year; we saw the APP/IB @ Ingraham as having the potential to meet our needs by the time HS rolled around (and maybe it will,yet).

It seemed briefly like maybe things were getting better: MGJ gone, a little more light shining on administration as a result of Pottergate, Enfield talking the talk. I agree with pjmanley that this feels like a bait and switch and along with recent developments, clearly signals that the honeymoon is over. Well, that sure didn't take long.

This only confirms the biggest reason that we left SPS: the continual instability and uncertainty of absolutely everything - attendance areas, capacity, location of programs, continued existence of programs, transportation, start and end times, and now principals.

Anonymous said...

From APP Advisory Committee email that just came out regarding this issue.
......................
Last week, Advanced Learning Manager, Dr. Bob Vaughan twice emailed the APP families who have signed up to attend
Ingraham in the new program starting this Fall. Below is the content from the first email.

The second email from Dr. Vaughan let parents know about the meeting TONIGHT with Dr. Enfield with the Ingraham
High School community on Tuesday, May 17, 6:30pm, and expressed that incoming APP parents/students are
welcome to attend. The email also stated that Dr. Enfield will meet directly with the APP families at a later date.


From Dr. Vaughan:

"I can understand your concern about changes in Ingraham’s leadership. I want to assure you that the Superintendent
is very committed to launching and building the new APP/IB. She does understand that the welcoming environment
current staff members have created at the school is an important aspect of why you chose Ingraham. Below is a
direct expression of her commitment that she wanted me to share with your family and the others who made this
choice. To further affirm her commitment, Dr. Enfield has asked me to arrange an opportunity for her to meet with
you in the near future..."


And from the Interim Superintendent:

"Thank you for sharing your concerns with me about the decision not to renew Principal Martin Floe's contract at
Ingraham High School for the 2011-2012 school year.

I do appreciate the letters I've received from staff and families, and I understand your frustration, anger, and
sadness. I want you to know this was a difficult decision, and one made with careful consideration for what is best
in the interest of our students.

Since I was appointed Interim Superintendent, I have met with and listened to families, community members and staff
from around the District. What I have heard loud and clear is that families want strong leadership, and someone who is
committed to building a team of effective instructional leaders at every school. This often means making difficult or
unpopular decisions in the short term.

I want to thank Principal Floe for his work in getting the school to where it is today. Now it is time to move
forward with new instructional leadership to help Ingraham High School reach even greater heights.

I know you selected Ingraham for its new APP/IB program. I want you to know our commitment to this program is
unwavering. The principal we hire for Ingraham will be chosen to strongly support all the students and programs there,
including the new APP/IB program your family has chosen.

Given the amount of discussion around this decision, I have decided to appoint an interim principal at the end of
the school year. This will give me more time to talk with the staff and community to engage in a thoughtful search
for a permanent principal.

Please know that your voice will be heard and included as we work to select the next principal of Ingraham High
School.

Sincerely,

Susan

Susan Enfield, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent"

suep. said...

THIS JUST IN:

Enfield has reversed herself; she is reinstating Floe.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2015079017_ingraham18m.html