Schools
Washington Principal Bonds Resigns to Take Job Elsewhere
Over 10 years at the helm of Washington, Anthony Bonds brought academic success but also drew criticism more recently over his response to student disciplinary issues.
Just a month before the start of the new school year, Anthony Bonds is resigning as principal of Washington Elementary School to take a position in another school district.
In an email to parents Thursday, Bonds said he had submitted his letter of resignation to the Wauwatosa district administration, effective Monday.
Bonds told parents had "recently accepted a new leadership position with another school district" but did not say where or in what capacity.
Bonds has been principal at Washington for 10 years and with the district 14 years, having worked four years previously at Wauwatosa West High School.
"I am so proud of Washington and what we were able to accomplish together," Bonds wrote. "Washington is now a high achieving and high performing school where students can excel and thrive."
Bonds pointed out that last year Washington was rated on the Wisconsin State Report Card as a school that "significantly exceeds expectations," the highest rating for schools, and was one of 68 schools out of more than 2,200 state schools to receive that rating.
Bonds final years at Washington, though, were not without difficulties, as parents increasingly complained about the way he handled student discipline.
That came to a head this spring when parents demanded a public meeting with Bonds and Superintendent Phil Ertl to openly discuss discipline problems at the school.
The area of greatest concern was that disruptive and sometimes violently aggressive students were being returned time and again to the same classroom, and bullying the same victims over and over.
Parents also felt that Bonds had been defensive and guarded about the school's policies and about informing parents of incidents many regarded as serious safety concerns – particularly after a knife was confiscated from a second-grader in January.
After that was reported in the media, some parents said they were shocked to learn about second-hand, while others who were aware of the incident disputed Bonds' version of events, saying he downplayed it and was slow to inform them of it.
Bonds said in his email that Superintendent Ertl would be following up with them on the appointment of a new principal for Washington.
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