Superintendent Cole and Deputy Superintendent Smith:

Let's keep this momentum going and close this petition in victory by removing the remainder of the chronically dysfunctional staff!  Two new leaders was a great start, but not enough to ensure the safety and success of ALL students and staff. It's time. 

We need some big changes now at the The Dufrocq School. The Dufrocq School dropped 10 points in LEAP. The children do not have time to wait. The Dufrocq community needs this new leadership duo to be able to work without the bad habits of chronic dysfunctional staff who have a proven they won't ever change. Let's finally change this petition to victory and keep ALL children safe and educated. 

Magnet programming was added to Dufrocq in an effort to save the neighborhood school from destruction by AFTER activists fought to keep it open. That same programming has NOT been maintained and now threatens the whole community with distractions focused on, "fixing," magnet programming without addressing the real staff causing the problems. EBR has invested thousands in training and travel on these same staff and has lost that massive investment. Just because their cousins are happy, doesn't mean they do a good job! The last two Montessori certified teachers quit AFTER the ascension of EBR's Montessori savior Ms. Robvais-Washington. Several staff across programs quit during the school year. Focusing on one neglected program is harmful to a school culture already dominated by divisive narratives.

EBR Schools should be angered the daughter or the former principal has been lurking and hovering for years then appointed assistant principal in an opportunistic moment after years of grooming students and staff. The elementary enrollment of the program she has been "supporting" for years is all the data we need to know they are a poor fit for service with anything related to "Montessori." There are 4 classrooms short of what should be filled with magnet Montessori students as planned "expansion" by EBR Schools. Half the school is still mad they phased out the academic magnet program, but kept the same magnet coordinator in place.  Over a hundred magnet students and their funding and test scores at other schools because Dufrocq has been a mess and the people making solutions don't know the needs of the actual community. Old dogs don't learn new tricks.  

Please step in before the the innovation/magnet leaders step in with more "solutions" for the problems they created and the staff they protect. The magnet coordinator may be fun to party with at conferences, but doesn't retain staff and students. She has now failed under multiple principals and two magnet programs and continues to center herself above the needs of ALL students and classroom staff. The enrollment and LEAP data are unquestionable. She is desperate for career redirection and needs your help. 

Change the narrative, by removing the remainder of the toxic instructional leadership team and related parties in central office leadership. Leaders can't lead without a whole  team committed to success.

The Dufrocq community is the victim of years of poor leadership and corruption from EBR Schools particularly the magnet and innovation departments. Re-branding the same people as solutions, is tiresome and costly to outcomes. 

Please re-direct the career path of the dysfunctional Dufrocq staff BEFORE the start of the school year. This petition was started for REAL change in time of crisis. 

Dufrocq has suffered  under the direction of the innovation/magnet department much like Capitol Middle and Park Forest Middle. Big ideas, no follow though with promise to increase socio-economic diversity and no accountability on central office. Please remove all dysfunctional staff from the Dufrocq School chain of command before it AGAIN becomes another target of predatory "solutions," which could lead to state takeover or closures and consolidations. The writing has been on the wall for years, yet leaders won't lead and won't answer questions. When asked to come to Dufrocq to help create a shared vision, they instead eventually (after 6 cancelled meetings) showed up with some slides that were sloppy, offered no supports, and left it up to the school to figure out. Never came back. 

Let's ride this momentum and push for real  change.  Restore the promise to the community to make Dufrocq a strong/diverse neighborhood school with strong options for EVERY child including children with disabilities. Make Dufrocq an example for student centered change today!  Finish the job and set the community on the path for success today. This new leadership team deserves a fair chance to thrive. Please finish the job and rid the school of insufferable self-centered staff with records of failures under multiple principals, make the change today so ALL children may thrive.