Hey, there! Log in / Register

Headmaster at troubled Madison Park resigns; had never gotten certification as a headmaster

Diane Ross Gary, Madison Park headmaster, submitted her resignation Friday after a week of turmoil at the school over a major class-schedule mess - and after interim Superintendent John McDonough learned she had never submitted the paperwork to be certified as a headmaster in Massachusetts, to which she had moved from Connecticut to lead Madison Park in 2013.

Boston Public Schools this evening released a letter from McDonough to students, parents and teachers at Madison Park, where students went their first four days of school without classes:

I wanted you to know that I am accepting the resignation of Dr. Diane Ross Gary, Headmaster of Madison Park. A leadership change is the right thing to do at this time. ...

I recognize that this is yet another transition for a school that has already experienced plenty of distractions. You deserve stability, but you have not had it. You have my promise we will not give up until we have made things right. Madison Park is a place we all believe in. Through it all, the dedication of our great teachers has been powerful. Students, too, have demonstrated their passion for learning and have shown an inspiring and unyielding faith in their own potential.

I know that many people enjoyed getting to know Dr. Gary and believe she has not been well-supported by us in the past. Your voices matter to me and I have heard them. All week long, however, we have focused on the importance of moving beyond the status quo when it becomes clear a change is necessary to deliver something better for students and families. This is why we refused to let a flawed schedule go into effect and why we asked for your patience as we built something better.

We could have done a lot of things very differently this year as we worked to realize the full potential of Madison Park. This work is not yet finished, and as we move forward together we have the opportunity to shape our own path. Thank you for your commitment to this school. Thank you for working with us to point out what we can do better. Above all, thank you for being a part of Madison Park. I look forward to seeing you all on Monday.

Al Holland, a former BPS headmaster who had been working at Madison Park, will run the school until McDonough can appoint an acting headmaster.

In a statement, a BPS spokesman acknowledged an issue with Gary's status as a headmaster in Massachusetts; she took the job at Madison Park after serving as program manager for cooperative work education and college-career pathways at the Connecticut Department of Education.

Interim Superintendent McDonough scheduled a meeting with Dr. Gary for late Friday afternoon. As he was preparing for that meeting we checked on Dr. Gary's certification status and learned that although she had applied for a Headmaster certification in August, 2013 the required paperwork and next steps to support that application were never submitted. It is the responsibility of the educator to follow up with the Department of Education on the status of their certification application. However, we should have followed up much sooner to confirm she had completed the process. It’s what we do for our teachers and we certainly should have done it in this case as well. We are taking steps right now to make sure that does not happen in the future.

BPS also released a copy of a letter from Gary:

Late Friday afternoon I met with Superintendent McDonough to discuss my own future at Madison Park. He and I agreed that it is time for me to move on. I believe this is in the school’s best interest. This change is effective immediately. I am confident that this is the right decision to make, and the timing is right for me and my family.

Neighborhoods: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

Well, this is a mess.

up
Voting closed 0

John McDonough, Interim Superintendent:

I believe Dr. Diane Ross Gary has not been well-supported by us in the past.

Is he referring to Court Street or some of her administrators at Madison Park? If it's the latter, why wasn't she allowed to clean it up before she left? If it's Court St, what will John do about it?

up
Voting closed 0

Here's the sentence in question:

I know that many people enjoyed getting to know Dr. Gary and believe she has not been well-supported by us in the past.

It's the difference between what McDonough knows people think and what he thinks; not necessarily the same thing.

up
Voting closed 0

Thanks. I misread it.

Is it me or does John McDonough's statement say very little about this resignation in context of the recent unsatisfactory administration at Madison Park? We're left to presume too much. For example, was her resignation her idea or his? If it was his we know he found her leadership inadequate after previously signaling she'd be given time to fix up the place. If it was her's, we have no idea what the scope of the problems are.

up
Voting closed 0

Boston public schools have been a mess for over twenty years. With all the great higher learning institutes in Boston, you would think that the public schools could get their act together and offer a better quality of education. If all the cities around Boston can do a great job at education the students, there is no excuse for the poor perfomace of the Boston Public school system.

up
Voting closed 0

It's almost like there was a mayor who claimed the BPS was a priority but somehow spent more time and money getting white elephant stuff like the Convention Center built for his 'legacy'.

up
Voting closed 0

He's pretty mute on all things education, sigh. That said, there are some amazing boston public schools despite the crazy court st system and wacky politics and mismanagement in this city. Good teachers and administrators exist at schools that demand them and are able to fight for them...
That said, it is very sad the way these madison park students are being treated! Ridiculous and depressing.
If this happened at BLS i know there would be a public outrage! Our country promises all children a free public education and this is down right disgraceful.

up
Voting closed 0

Sadly you're right. Mayor Walsh seems to prefer education leaders with fancy credentials but who don't have any real experience in schools. His first education advisor George Perry was a consultant, his recently appointed ed advisor Rahn Dorsey consulted and worked in the foundation world. This headmaster was a "program manager for cooperative work education and college-career pathways at the Connecticut Department of Education." I don't see mention of any experience in a classroom or school. I'm sure they're all smart on paper and lovely people, but how about actually running a school? At least Dorsey is the mayor's neighbor, that's gotta be a plus for BPS.

up
Voting closed 0

BPs' s performance and reputation is the only thing working against gentrification of rox, mattapan, hp, and roslindale these days!

up
Voting closed 0

Let's keep the schools crappy and make sure that we maintain the low standards and appalling drop-out rate because then the kids in those neighborhoods stay poor FOREVER! God forbid we actually offer them a decent education so that they can get expand their horizons, get good jobs and who knows--maybe actually afford to buy a home of their own some day, i.e. become part of the GENTRY.

up
Voting closed 0

The current mayor's job is to hire a good superintendent.

up
Voting closed 0

Busing was 40 years ago. You really think the schools improved for 20 years after busing then went down hill?

up
Voting closed 0

I've been wondering the same for years. The Athens of the Western world has so much turmoil in the Public School System. No, one seems to have the right answers to this man-made problem. I suspect the bureaucracy and unions are the cause of so much of the upheaval in the Public School System. Why wasn't a background check of the resume done? The parents should be storming city hall with torches and demanding better.

up
Voting closed 0

Place is a frickin' joke. I wanted to donate an old car to their auto shop program. Couldn't even get anybody to answer the phone, so I gave it to Good News Garage instead. Lutherans 1, trade education for Boston students 0.

As for the larger issue, why not just fire everybody? Reagan did it with the air traffic controllers. I mean, how do you not get classes scheduled? YOU'RE AN (EXPLETIVE) SCHOOL. YOU SELL ONE (EXPLETIVE) PRODUCT. Why does this community continue to pay for crap? Hit the reset button and hire back the good employees.

up
Voting closed 0

Nobody wants an old car. Madison's automotive program had brand new vehicles donated by various car dealerships. All of Madison's shops had state of the art equipment that would be the envy of any trade school. Most were underutilized, eventually to be trashed by the students.

up
Voting closed 0

How do you teach somebody to fix a brand new car? I have a 1996 Corolla that leaks fuel when you fill it (but not from the tank) and has an exhaust that probably needs work too. I'd be happy to let academia get their hands on it if I retain the vehicle I'm presently leasing.

I once donated a car to Burlington High School in Burlington, VT, my alma mater. They happily took it, and every year, the school awards a car to a student for good academic performance.

up
Voting closed 0

How do you teach anyone to work on a car that is 14 years old? How many 14 year old cars are on the road? You cannot learn anything automotive on a car that has no seatbelts, navigation system, antilock brakes or airbags.

up
Voting closed 0

Nobody wants an old car.

And how, exactly, did the school know that the car he wanted to donate was too old, if they woudn't even take his phone call?

up
Voting closed 0

They must've seen that the call was not coming from a dealership.

up
Voting closed 0

Yeah, I don't really get that, either. Classes=basic function as a school. If this had happened at one of the exam high schools, it would have made the national news.

up
Voting closed 0

How is it that she did not submit paperwork and was allowed to be at the helm of the school on September 3??? This is utter B.S. The only way a difference will be made is if parents and students storm Court Street in droves and demand better.

Menino did NOTHING
Walsh is DOING NOTHING. In fact, I believe he's in over his head with both hands tied to his ankles which explains why padding trucks is a priority. Un-reaking believable!!!!!!!!!

TAXPAYERS...your money is being squandered and you are perpetuating the mismanagement of BPS by bickering on social media sights such as this.

How sad is it for the future...

Now students will report to school with NO leadership!!!!!

up
Voting closed 0

...for keeping Dr.Gary there so long. They are the electeds who insisted she stay there. You can also thank Secretary of Education Matt Malone, who is lobbying on a daily basis to be the next BPS Superintendent, for his brilliant (not) RoxMapp plan that has been a disaster since day 1. Where has he been during his crisis? Hiding under his desk?

up
Voting closed 0

Why were they such strong advocates for her staying? It's puzzled me well before this particular fiasco.

up
Voting closed 0

So she couldn't be bothered to finish her paperwork for her principal license in MA - and this was the person "leading" a school with large staff. Do what I say, not what I do...

up
Voting closed 0

Ummm I believe the blame lies on the BPS hiring managers. She interviewed for the position, got the job, and reported to work a couple weeks prior to the start of school.

Don't promote the "blame game" that's about to commence.

BPS is doing nothing to better the dysfunction. Have you visited their Careers page? There is an abundance of open teaching positions. Boston is perhaps one of the highest paid districts, yet, their vacancies could rival Foxboro Stadium during the off season.

up
Voting closed 0

If BPS has so many openings, they need to loosen up a bit and be more accepting of potential teachers. That might help a bit.

I have a Master's Degree in Math and have been working in software technology for over 20 years. A couple of years ago I was thinking about changing careers and becoming a teacher in Boston. There is a special program where people with my educational and career background can accelerate through a program in one year and become a certified teacher. The school in which I would have been placed for the year was the O'Bryant School.

My Dad taught at Boston Tech (now the O'Bryant School of Math and Science) for years. It is hooked on to Madison Park and I had something of an idea of what I was getting into.

During preliminary discussions with the program I was discouraged to apply because sorry, I'm not the right kind of person for the program. Other kinds of people are "encouraged to apply."

Too bad, so sad, BPS. You lost a chance to have a great Math and Computer Science teacher.

up
Voting closed 0

MA has had direct-entry programs for some time. The problem is that the entrenched teachers and administrators tend to dislike them because they bring in mature professionals who don't necessarily "play the team game" (do what they are told). Same reason the system has been resistant to paying competitive wages to those who could teach STEM majors. It has far less, in reality, to do with "fairness" and far more to do with "ZOMG people will rock the boat"!

The state really needs to address the way that such a clear mandate has been undermined by districts and start creating penalties for not getting with the program, as this is just the beginning of a generalized teacher shortage as the baby boom retires.

up
Voting closed 0

This is about educating our future.

YOU NAILED IT: BPS wants to hire and retain shiftless, whiny, ineffective teachers. Their principals are timid, go-along-to-get-along-and-not-rock-the-boat types. Those are widely known facts! Seriously, if you are an agent for social change and the advancement of ALL students, then BPS is NOT for you. You will be isolated, stunted, and emotionally drained, ultimately pushed out. Hence why so many on the ball teachers leave for Charter or suburban schools where PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT rules!!!!!!!!

up
Voting closed 0

There is no teacher shortage, trust me.

up
Voting closed 0

Please show your work (in other words CITATIONS PLEASE)

up
Voting closed 0

I never understood their hiring practice. In one vain they have to abide by the Mass DOE laws, but they hire teachers without the minimum credentials and WORK WITH THEM UNTIL THEY MEET THE STANDARDS. IN return those teachers are indebted and have taken an unspoken pledge of not rocking the boat. Politics...all politics! My question is this: WHO IS THE GRAND WIZARD CALLING THE SHOTS. It's not the governor, it's not the mayor, not the state reps/senators, and certainly not the NAACP.

up
Voting closed 0

Do you think they were looking for people without a master's degree?

up
Voting closed 0

Having gone through one of those programs and having been hired in said district I can say that it is indeed possible to become a BPS teacher without "knowing somebody" or some other insider move. Would they prefer a minority candidate? Absolutely, the district and the college programs make this clear in both covert and overt ways. In my limited experience I think there is more wishful thinking than hard evidence to the idea that black kids learn better from black teachers. Who even knows what magic happens when black students learn from an Asian teacher, but that would be preferable to the district if the other option was a white teacher. Despite that preference there are no shortages of white teachers in the district, and from what I've seen genius and suckiness are colorblind.

Mad Park was and will continue to be a dump for the foreseeable future for reasons that are ultimately out of the school's hands. Bad schools get bad kids and bad kids reinforce bad schools. It's an unspoken truth in the BPS that more than half of the kids in 9-12 are basically failing but for social promotion and low standards. Your typical kid at Charlestown, the Burke, English or Mad Park is more likely to be court involved than college bound and all of these admins know it.

Trade schools? They'd be better off building live-in schools for troubled teens, the only way a lot of these kids are gonna thrive is to get out of the hood.

up
Voting closed 0

You take a test and get certified, then apply for a job (you need a college degree to be certified) It takes less than a year to do this.

(It also doesn't matter what your educational background is. Classroom management is 90% of the battle, especially in Boston.)

up
Voting closed 0

You take intensive classes all summer, then get placed in a classroom as a teacher's aide and slowly shift to more of a teaching position. At the same time, you also take classes to get a Master's in Education. After one school year you take the certification exam and can apply to be a teacher in BPS.

It's called NOYCE and run by UMass Boston. I would have had to front a ton of money and lived off of a 10,000 stipend for a year. Sadly, I'm only a 1 pointer (woman) and that's not the point they want.

It takes more than a college degree to get certified in MA. You need a M.Ed. You might be able to get a contingent certification but it's not worth much.

up
Voting closed 0

it's sad - even at the well performing schools you sometimes have inept principals who only care about preserving their jobs and their test scores, and the handful of good principals usually end up at the most difficult schools where they have trouble attracting good teachers because teachers are forced to do the job of 2 or 3 people. as per the latter - other districts have in-class help for students with IEPs (an actual additional person who is trained in spec ed) - they have support at the district level for ELL students - they have things like guidance councilors, school nurses, they understand that custodians are essentially building managers and need to stay in one building... BPS is just really poorly run in general - probably partly because of its size and lack of communication - if you see a good school, it's because it has a right mix of people who are willing to pull a lot of the weight that should be happening at court street.

personally - I think that we really need to head back to neighborhood schools, and have some kind of sub-superintendent for each neighborhood... and do some kind of metco program between neighborhoods.

up
Voting closed 0

Bear in mind her credentials were a non-issue as long as she was willing to be on the front line. The moment she penned her letter of resignation from BPS dysfunction, they put her on the chopping block by exposing a fact they had knowledge of for the MONTH AND A HALF that she's been on the job trying to fix the mess and stuff that has been lingering at MPH for the past decade.

DEFLECTION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME. IF YOU DON'T DO AS WE SAY DO, THEN WE WILL TAR AND FEATHER YOU. (sorry couldn't resist...truth is reality)

up
Voting closed 0

They can blame her and her credentials now.

Rather than the fact that they didn't get their freaking act together to hire anyone in any sane time frame where they could, you know, actually fix the problems?

up
Voting closed 0

I'm not saying that there isn't a lot of obvious disfunction at all levels at Court Street, but... Isn't the Headmaster the primary advocate for hir school? If fundamental issues were not being addressed, if things were not getting done that needed to be done, and this had been true for many months, how is that not a failure, in large part, of the Headmaster?

up
Voting closed 0

She only had about two weeks before the start of the school year to do anything.

up
Voting closed 0

Gary started there last fall, not two weeks before school started.

up
Voting closed 0

2013, 2014...the Dept. of Education is a watchful eye over credentials. BPS and many other districts coddle their chosen employees.

Her credentials, or lack thereof have become the scapegoat for decades of BPS dysfunction and Union protection.

up
Voting closed 0

She started in August 2013, not 2014.

up
Voting closed 0

It's interesting that the letter notes that Court St follows up on the credentials of teachers, but not of headmasters. I have personally witnessed the double standards that exist between the way that teachers are treated and the way that headmasters/ principals are treated. Teachers are constantly scrutinized and criticized, while terrible principals are allowed to remain in charge of schools that are then run into the ground. Principals only seem to be fired if they have done something illegal or scandalous.

up
Voting closed 0

hold enormous sway over the BPS; ask them what the problem(s) is. It's been like this for at least 40+ years,regardless of court orders and 'reforms', regardless of the prevailing ideology.

up
Voting closed 0

Yeah Gary was an awful administrator and principal and everyone knew it. She was so bad at her job that she never really had respect from anyone...mostly students and faculty. She was also a bully and loved to pick on para's and subs rather than teachers. Absolutely awful and I feel so much for the students who have had to deal with her incompetent leadership since day one. If anything the Globe article was too nice. Good bye and good riddance.

up
Voting closed 0

Yet you waited to speak out against her abuse until today????

Why the delay Mr. Or Ms. So Concerned?

up
Voting closed 0

I have been a substitute teacher in Boston Public Schools for more than ten years. I am certified, experienced, have an excellent track record and reputation, and I am deeply committed to the students of Boston Public Schools. Yet I have applied for over TWO HUNDRED regular teaching jobs in the past five years, and have received not one offer. Maybe it's time for me to move on!

up
Voting closed 0

Diane Ross Gary was hired in 2013,

prior to Ms. Gary

Mr. Charles MacAfee was headmaster and he got caught up in issues with affairs and women.

He wasn't focused and Ms. Gary was hired in his quietly kept dysfunctional MESS.

up
Voting closed 0

Queon Jackson took over for Mr.McAfee in 2012, but was forced out of office in February 2013. Two principals co-ran the school thru June, then Dr. Gary came on board late August of 2013.

up
Voting closed 0