Jane - Well Said!

If Dr. Underwood had indeed been planning this switch for a long time, doesn’t it seem a little curious that the fact that both Principals took a week’s holiday at the end of the school year somehow made it impossible to tell them any earlier? Surely that would suggest this decision was not made before that week!

Giving each Principal just 3 hour’s notice of the change before asking the School Board to vote on it does not come across as well-planned or professionally executed. If this was indeed planned in advance, then it shows a complete lack of respect for both of these principals, to deny both school communities the opportunity to give them a “send-off”, or to prepare any of the students for the fact they would have a new principal next year.

Yes, Dr. Underwood has the right to make these personnel decisions, and the budget decisions too. But the unbridled arrogance and lack of respect for people that she demonstrates over and again with her actions, do not, in my opinion, recommend her as a good leader for our County schools.

Jane.

Just curious if CH has a child in any of the schools in question????

And apparently parents did not have a say in this decision, nor did either of the parties involved - sounds like the Board just did it.

Now the children don’t even have an opportunity to say proper good byes to either principal, they will just come in on the first day to a completely new principal.

Yes, change is a part of life, but unnecessary change is still disturbing.  With life the way it is today, if we can spare our kids a few changes and keep things within their educational process consistent, then I think that is best - especially when the change is taking a very inspirational person away from them…..

Change is a part of life, and our children need to get used to it.  PJ I don’t really see how putting a different principal that is well thought of and loved is damaging your child.  It means that they are fortunate enough to have known and loved two great educators…each offering different things to our schools.  To me it only means that they will be more rounded and our schools will be even better.  Shakin’ My Head you are sooooo right about Byrd.  If you’ve never been to the western part of our county, many of you would be surprised of the lower income families and kids that need a little extra help.  That school needs help also as it doesn’t have the parental support as our other schools. RES supporter, you do get a say by voting in who you think will make the right decisions.  If our school board wasn’t ready to vote they should have tabled the issue and had a special meeting later instead of second guessing their decision.  But what is done is done, and it is not a bad thing for either school or the children at either school.

My daughter just graduated from Randolph, she went there from Kindgergarten through 5th - and any parent that has a child in or has had a child in Randolph will say that Mr. Austin IS Randolph.  He is the best principal I have ever dealt with, the children love, respect and trust him.

I feel terribly sad for the children that are left at Randolph and will lose this man in their lives after having him as part of their educational process for however long they’ve been at Randolph.

I think it is unfair for the county to let this man build this school up to where it is and then “reward” him by pulling him out and putting him somewhere else.

To the person who commented “since when do parents get to decide who the principal is” - I pay taxes in the county, have had experience with this principal and have seen what the results of his efforts are.  By paying taxes in this county I thought we all had a say in decisions that are made, especially when it concerns the education of our children.

“We were right down to the wire with the meeting,” she said. “I wanted to talk to Gordon and Austin as soon as school was out, but unfortunately each of them took off for a week.”

Ummmm, you don’t know when your direct reporting employees are going on vacation?  Also, does she really refer to Ms Gordon and Mr Austin as “Gordon” and “Austin”? What are they, her pets?

And once again, poor little Byrd Elementary school is left out of any changes like a redheaded step child. That’s the school that needs to be pulled up by the boot straps and brought out of the dark ages. The difference between RES and BES are far to long to list and too sad to mention. No offence to Mr. Hopkins but they need non-Goochland mentality to turn that school around.

“Even knowing the reaction, we want to do the right thing.”

The RIGHT thing to do would have been to inform BOTH principals during the end of the school year and not summon them to Underwood’s office at 3:00pm the day prior to the School Board meeting to announce the switch.  How sad that all of the students how have known and loved these educators were left as collateral dammage.
Not to mention the fact that the School Board members, themselves unaware of this decision until less than 24 hours prior to their meeting, are now second-guessing their vote(s).

I’m sorry..since when has the superintendent done “the right thing”?????

Since when do parents get to decide who their principal is??  I don’t recall it ever being an option.  We have 2 well qualified, liked principals, and personally, I think it is a great idea.