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Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: MissWatson ()
Date: August 19, 2014 12:52AM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/woodson-principal-announces-retirement/2014/08/18/25c46b2e-2715-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html

The question is, was he pressured to retire from administration for the recent suicide streaks?

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: 6w3Tv ()
Date: August 19, 2014 07:34AM

Yes his replacement is part of the 'health team' brought in to address the suicide problem. FYI Id like to know how a principal is responsible for 6 kids committing suicide. Im not saying it isnt possible but is there some hint of evidence his policies and/or direct involvement contributed to their deaths?

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: he's not "responsible" ()
Date: August 19, 2014 08:31AM

Being a principal is a tough job under any circumstances. I think schools are blamed for way too many of society's ills. Family and the peer group (especially in high school) probably had way more to do with the suicides than the principal did. Not to mention possible mental illness that was not detected---it's out there and people in some areas are loathe to admit that they need help. Each one of those suicides was, no doubt, the result of a complex series of factors. The school may have contributed in some way, but I sincerely doubt that it was the most important factor.

All that being said, yes, the school should be trying to be vigilant in identifying students who are psychologically vulnerable and help them. We all should be doing that---families, friends, coaches, etc.

I have no doubt that Mr. Yost was deeply affected by the suicides. He may have his years in to retire anyway or he may need just need to step away from the pressure cooker that this job really is. I hope he enjoys his retirement.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: CBLB78 ()
Date: August 19, 2014 09:01AM

His lack of support for kids that were struggling and vulnerable is well known in the community. That apathetic attitude was mirrored by the actions of his staff. If you were not an excellent student bringing up the schools reputation none of them had any concern and were unwilling to provide additional support.

Teachers and Counselers were allowed to ignore concerned parents e-mails, phone calls, etc. They understood there were no consequences to their actions as long as the successful students were supported. He knew of their actions and did nothing in terms of addressing their unresponsive, lazy indifference.

Good riddance douche bag!

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Transplant ()
Date: August 19, 2014 09:05AM

Unusually decent comments for the Underground. I am sure it will degenerate soon.

The guy loves WTW. My hope is that he is leaving under his own terms.

To the extent that WTW is a high pressure, competitive, and demanding environment, it merely reflects the community it serves.

For those who were quick to blame the school and Mr. Yost for the suicides, I hope they looked long and hard in the mirror first and asked what they could be be doing better as parents and citizens.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: jketkwl ()
Date: August 19, 2014 09:47AM

Yost was a good guy. Not a visionary, but a good guy.

Grade distributions need to be made public. I loved how, a while back, the FFX Underground posted the grades. Very sorry you got in trouble for it. That is exactly the information that needs to be made public and scrutinized. Certainly names and identifying information can't be allowed.

It's too easy for teachers to become lazy and uncaring when no one is paying attention that 1/3 of their class is failing. On the other hand, parents need to know when their kid is an outliner, a screw-up or can't handle the material.

FCPS educators seem to hide behind "privacy", but parents don't know if they are fulfilling their job as educators.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: jketkwl ()
Date: August 19, 2014 10:14AM

^ I know the posted grades on FFX U were a different high school but grade distributions are an issue at WTW, as well other FCPS high schools.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: sharon the caring ()
Date: August 19, 2014 10:31AM

If your kid is failing in FCPS you have bigger problems than the principal. No teachers fail kids anymore in FCPS if its at all possible not too--if the kid is breathing he's getting a C. If he's skipping school all the time, then that's on you.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: jketkwl ()
Date: August 19, 2014 11:12AM

^ WRONG. Did you not learn anything from the fiasco over the grade reporting here on FFX U?

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: knew ()
Date: August 19, 2014 12:07PM

wow

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Ned Yost ()
Date: August 19, 2014 12:44PM

The guy was a complete fraud. I am so glad he is done with his career.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: peace ()
Date: August 19, 2014 12:53PM

High school life can be hard for even the most "well adjusted" teenager (I know that's an oxymoron, right?). There are all sorts of pressures and at this age and their peers are extremely important to them. The constant contact through social media does not help. Parents and teachers can often feel helpless in these situations, but we have to try.

Every student is different, with different talents, hopes, and dreams. We need to see our children through this lens. School and life around here tends to become hyper competitive and instead of supporting those whose talents are different or who are not ready to compete or who have made mistakes, we either punish them or leave them by the wayside (I'm not honestly sure which is worse). I think that the best thing we can do as a community is just become more humane with each other. If we can put ourselves in the shoes of others, we will be a much better place. We need to stop being judgmental and stop bashing. We see so much of that behavior on FFXU and it can seem like fun, but all it does is make somebody feel superior and somebody else feel either inferior or even more angry (depending on their sense of self). Neither of those responses makes for a better world. We need to find civility and solutions.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Long time WTW Parent ()
Date: August 19, 2014 07:26PM

Transplant, you nailed it. This ultra-competitive community of parents helps fan the flames for this never ended pressure to do more, do better. Kids of all shapes, sizes, colors, and abilities come here for the great education but if they can't compete then the feelings of worthlessness are bound to surface.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Cavalier Twice Baked ()
Date: August 19, 2014 08:22PM

Especially the kids who come in shapes. Pear shaped kids never get into UVA.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Bill j ()
Date: August 19, 2014 09:09PM

Thank God. If you were "In the Bell Curve", he was fine. But, if you had any issues, he would kick you out. He destroyed many young men's lives. He supervised the worst LD center in the county. They made it that way so these kids would look elsewhere. He was a phoney supported by he ass kissing parent mafia.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: fcps data ()
Date: August 19, 2014 09:16PM

They are public just file a FOIA report. and ask her and come back here

jketkwl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yost was a good guy. Not a visionary, but a good
> guy.
>
> Grade distributions need to be made public. I
> loved how, a while back, the FFX Underground
> posted the grades. Very sorry you got in trouble
> for it. That is exactly the information that needs
> to be made public and scrutinized. Certainly names
> and identifying information can't be allowed.
>
> It's too easy for teachers to become lazy and
> uncaring when no one is paying attention that 1/3
> of their class is failing. On the other hand,
> parents need to know when their kid is an
> outliner, a screw-up or can't handle the
> material.
>
> FCPS educators seem to hide behind "privacy", but
> parents don't know if they are fulfilling their
> job as educators.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Former parent ()
Date: August 20, 2014 06:24AM

This is absolutely not true. Kids failing at Woodson gets lots of remediation and help. Teachers all stay after school to help AND use those return periods to offer help. Not every kid is motivated to earn great grades.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Former parent ()
Date: August 20, 2014 06:26AM

I agree 100%, well said.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Joe L. ()
Date: August 20, 2014 11:02AM

Talk to any HS LD teacher in the county. Worst in FFX. They want them out. LBHS and RHS have the same demographics. Nowhere near the suicide rate. And, no one talks about all the post grad suicides from WTW. It's appalling they let him stay. He ruined so many you men's lives. Period. And, the schools ranking dropped with him as principal. Was it worth all that Jeff?

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: lies ()
Date: August 20, 2014 11:26AM

Cavalier Twice Baked Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Especially the kids who come in shapes. Pear
> shaped kids never get into UVA.


not true, i knew plenty of pudgy kids at virginia

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: CBLB78 ()
Date: August 20, 2014 06:13PM

Former parent - your statement that "this is absolutely not true" and extra help is readily available is laughable. The last thing Yost or any of his staff want is to have to work around accommodations for kids that need help. This could be as little as keeping the parents informed of key assignment due dates so a kid with ADD doesn't erroneously let things slip. How are you so sure that you attest your statement in absolutes. I can't speak of all his staff but I can speak of him and an extremely disinterested sampling of his staff.

When teachers do not return e-mails, etc. how do view this as willing to help? When Counselers view kids with diagnosed ADD as "just lazy" what does this say about the culture of the school under Yost's leadership?

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: My Yost Story ()
Date: August 20, 2014 07:23PM

I subbed at Woodson from 2012 through the 2013 school year. I was there almost every day, and by the end of my time at Woodson I had established a professional relationship with several of the assistant principals and almost every teacher in the school.

Jeff Yost never once acknowledged my existence. One morning we were alone in the same room together: the staff room next to the library. I was reading a book, waiting for my day to start. Yost came in, stayed a few minutes and left without a word. I made eye contact with him, but it was clear he did not have any interest in me.

I am so happy that this arrogant, self-important empty suit has finally been railroaded out the door and into the gutter where he belongs.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: takingflightt2 ()
Date: August 20, 2014 08:53PM

Mr. Yost puts on a fake Mr.NiceGuy persona in front of the students, yet reveals himself as a completely different person in private. When talked to in private, he expresses indifference, rolling his eyes often. It's like he doesn't even care enough to pay attention to a student's problems. At the end of our discussion, he basically told me to go see my counselor in order to resolve my issues (already done 5 times prior to talking to Mr. Yost). Fuck Yost.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: No Loss ()
Date: August 20, 2014 10:52PM

Bottom line is that student achievement at Woodson plummeted under Yost. The teachers are totally unmotivated and uncaring. He was an absolute failure as a leader. You could say that he obama'd.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Bill L ()
Date: August 21, 2014 05:50PM

Everyone at FCPS knew this and yet they never did anything. Ruined lives were not important.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: causeican ()
Date: August 21, 2014 06:03PM

peace Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> High school life can be hard for even the most
> "well adjusted" teenager (I know that's an
> oxymoron, right?). There are all sorts of
> pressures and at this age and their peers are
> extremely important to them. The constant contact
> through social media does not help. Parents and
> teachers can often feel helpless in these
> situations, but we have to try.
>
> Every student is different, with different
> talents, hopes, and dreams. We need to see our
> children through this lens. School and life
> around here tends to become hyper competitive and
> instead of supporting those whose talents are
> different or who are not ready to compete or who
> have made mistakes, we either punish them or leave
> them by the wayside (I'm not honestly sure which
> is worse). I think that the best thing we can do
> as a community is just become more humane with
> each other. If we can put ourselves in the shoes
> of others, we will be a much better place. We
> need to stop being judgmental and stop bashing.
> We see so much of that behavior on FFXU and it can
> seem like fun, but all it does is make somebody
> feel superior and somebody else feel either
> inferior or even more angry (depending on their
> sense of self). Neither of those responses makes
> for a better world. We need to find civility and
> solutions.

For civility and solutions; support and encouragement or even a kind word, do NOT come to this site. ...just say'n

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: happyParent ()
Date: April 10, 2016 04:37PM

If Yost is such a bad guy, can someone please explain to me why he has a FOUR STAR rating on RATE MY TEACHERS?

They should have left him as an assistant principal at Woodson instead of promoting him.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: 34574567 ()
Date: April 10, 2016 05:31PM

happyParent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If Yost is such a bad guy, can someone please
> explain to me why he has a FOUR STAR rating on
> RATE MY TEACHERS?
>
> They should have left him as an assistant
> principal at Woodson instead of promoting him.


Because the students rate the principal, NOT the parents who actually know how an adult should handle his job.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: c6uVJ ()
Date: April 11, 2016 10:58PM

I agree with all the posts

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: happyParent ()
Date: May 19, 2016 07:51AM

Since everyone here knows what Yost is like, just go into rate my teachers and give him an accurate rating. I think he deserves one star, and I am sure most everyone on this site agrees.

He appeared to be obsessed with popularity. My guess is he would have gone into politics if he was intelligent enough. Believe me, that man did not have the cognitive ability to assess any sensitive situation. He was sort of a hard worker as a teacher and administrator, but he operated on a rote level.

The irony of the situation is that he did not want to retire because he liked going in every day to see the kids. Doesn't he realize that the families of deceased children not only liked seeing them every day BUT LOVED seeing them every day???? Doesn't he realize that all the innocent children that he kicked out also liked going in to school every day????

They say that lack of empathy is a sign of sociopathy.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: happyParent ()
Date: May 19, 2016 07:57AM

By the way, parents or students can rate teachers on Rate My Teachers. Just go in, and you will be instructed to check off if you are a parent or a teacher.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: WiseGuy ()
Date: September 05, 2016 04:18AM

It seems that none of you know him, or the situation well enough to make accurate assumptions.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: LOLLOLLOL ()
Date: September 05, 2016 08:18AM

Jeff, you're still alive?

Please go to the train tracks...

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Voice of Reason ()
Date: October 25, 2016 12:07AM

^You're extremely messed up. Shame on you for making a joke about a suicidal student.

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Butterscotch ()
Date: July 09, 2020 08:41PM

Please realize that Yost could have stopped the expulsion trial of the first suicide victim at WTW, however that has never been done before in FCPS history. Whatever the assistant principal decides is what happens. The assistant principals at WTW are not qualified to make these decisions. Have of the expulsions county-wide should have never happened and should have been canceled by the school principal before being brought to "trial."

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Butterscotch ()
Date: July 09, 2020 08:43PM

"half" not "have."

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Re: Woodson Principal Jeff Yost Retires.
Posted by: Butterscotch ()
Date: June 13, 2021 08:03PM

I have no doubt that Mr. Yost was an average classroom teacher. The question is, was he qualified to be a principal? I daresay he was not. Please realize that we live in a very politically active area. Teachers appear to get promoted to assistant principal, and then make it to a principal position, based upon popularity with parents.

Mr. Yost had the opportunity to change several lives at Woodson. However, he chose to do what was immediately best for his popularity rating. He sent many children to traumatic expulsion trials, and literally ruined their lives. These trials may have been initiated by unqualified assistant principals, but the fact remains, that Mr. Yost signed off on each and every expulsion trial that was brought his way. Nick Stuben, many he rest in peace, was the real victim in this situation.

Mr. Yost was not more or less qualified than any other administrator at WT Woodson High School. Adam Entenberg was an assistant principal at Woodson for years until his retirement a few years ago. In my opinion, he was not qualified to be an assistant principal either. He always agreed with the majority of parents in each situation, which was Mr. Yost's method as well. I really thought that Mr. Entenberg was on his way to becoming a principal in FCPS. I wonder if his retirement was "forced" as Mr. Yost's was. Or did he merely retire early to collect a pension and then earn a salary in the Arlington school system?

Now they are both out of FCPS, and teaching in the classroom, where they can no longer traumatize and hurt students' feelings by their inability to look at students as individuals. Just because a student does not have an IEP or 504 does not mean their families don't need a little understanding.

I can see from this thread that people think this is some sort of popularity contest. There are fans of Jeff Yost. There are haters of Jeff Yost. He was a person who had a job that he was not intelligent enough to handle. Just look at the quality of educators today. It is no wonder that there are not enough smart people to promote into administration.

Again, it appeared to be the same situation with Adam Entenberg. He should have never left the classroom. Assistant principal Amanda Burke was the same way, but she is still at Woodson. I think she must have been very introspective into her flaws to retain her position.

Seriously, I wish they would share the numbers of recommendations for expulsions and the numbers of principal-vetoed expulsions. We do not need names, but the public has a right to know. How common is this? Why are unqualified administrators making final decisions regarding expulsion trials? Why are principals merely signing off on these decisions? How many kids from Woodson and other schools experienced an expulsion trial this past school year? How many?

It is common knowledge that children at WT Woodson barely sleep at night. They are incredibly pushed. The AP homework load at Woodson is unfairly brutal. At other schools, children can take a full load of AP course and do a few hours of homework each night. Woodson prides itself on having a very high success rate of AP scores. This is a false statistic based upon too much homework so that minorities and others cannot take these courses.

The stress at that school is tremendous. There are a great group of children there because people moved here who value education. But who really wants to be a teacher nowadays? There is a teacher shortage for a reason. How on Earth can you expect administrators to be the smartest of people?

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