steak

Tell whoever is doing this crap what the limits are, and if they don't cooperate, garnish their wages to pay for it. That should fix things really quickly.

^^^^^^^

Lets stop pretending that this was some "accident" where people just "didn't understand the rules."

This is clearly deliberate abuse of a discretionary fund where the obvious uses for that money-in the classroom-were intentionally neglected for recreation and even ambition (networking. . . )

This is not one or two things that happened last year--this is a pattern of having a secret unaccountable "slush fund" as the original title indicates

^^^^^^^^^^^Agree.

Why was there a letter from Superintendent Ivey to the School Board Auditor? Did somebody file a Fraud/Waste/Abuse complaint on this trip to St. Michael's?

amen I say Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ^^^^^^^^^^^Agree.
>
> Why was there a letter from Superintendent Ivey to
> the School Board Auditor? Did somebody file a
> Fraud/Waste/Abuse complaint on this trip to St.
> Michael's?


It was actually from Superintendent Tyler. My bad.

That didn't take long. A citizen saw some janitors using Roundup. The janitors are paid to take care of the grounds and the facility, so they have to be certified in use of these types of chemicals.

We could have spent the $280 on lunch for the front office.
Attachments:

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That didn't take long. A citizen saw some janitors
> using Roundup. The janitors are paid to take care
> of the grounds and the facility, so they have to
> be certified in use of these types of chemicals.
>
> We could have spent the $280 on lunch for the
> front office.


Look at the bright side. We got a $70 discount for first offense.

In case the citizen is upset that her name, address, and phone number are on the report, I obtained this from the state, NOT the school system. I submitted a request over the weekend and they crossed this right off their list this morning.

It looks like if the Good Faith Report had been turned in they could have gotten some credit points, which might have reduced their penalty.

I just couldn't resist. Curiosity got the better of me.

Wonder if it occurred to the complainant to just make a phone call to the school and advise them that the use of Roundup required training? Why does everything have to be a court case?

^^^^^^^^^^maybe 'cuz they don't listen to anything else.

Back-to-back fun at West Springfield HS.

June 2013 this is what a faculty event at the Springfield Golf and Country Club looks like. It says "faculty pays a portion" (?). The payment breakdown consists of money from a special functions fund, the ECA, and "donations". 160 people. Almost $6000.

June 2013 An Admin at Lansdowne. Over $7000. Two nights. 15 people. The Chosen Few.

"We are broke. We are cutting programs for the children. We will have to raise taxes."
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WTF?? Greenfelder's room was 559.00 per night?? I checked Landsdowne's website and that is the most expensive suite they have (the presidential suite---something like 4 rooms at 1,000 square feet!).

Meanwhile teachers are paying for their own supplies? What kind of judgment is this? I'm sooo glad I didn't pay for a parking spot for my kid!

This guy was recently promoted to "executive principal". I guess he thinks of himself as an "executive" all right.

I'm having a hard time understanding why these "administrators" have to drive a few miles down the road and stay overnight in order to discuss school concerns.

If it talks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's probably a duck. This was a JUNKET.

Oh, throw the teachers a donut or a Chipotle meal to make yourselves feel better.

presidential ego Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WTF?? Greenfelder's room was 559.00 per night??
> I checked Landsdowne's website and that is the
> most expensive suite they have (the presidential
> suite---something like 4 rooms at 1,000 square
> feet!).
>
> Meanwhile teachers are paying for their own
> supplies? What kind of judgment is this? I'm
> sooo glad I didn't pay for a parking spot for my
> kid!
>
> This guy was recently promoted to "executive
> principal". I guess he thinks of himself as an
> "executive" all right.



*******************We already went through this with Madison. With Madison I was told this room was taken out to be used as the "meeting room" instead of renting a conference room.
According to the Lansdowne phone rep I checked with this morning, this was the luxury suite, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, eating area, wet bar, two balconies, with a view of the golf course/driving range/mountains. No parking lot view here was emphasized.

Notice some had to stay two nights, some stayed one, and there supposedly were some day guests, so the count was somewhere between 6-15 according to the records. I haven't located the "dinners on your own" yet.

What blew me away was that these were both in the same two week period. This was also after a payment on 5/30/2013 of $6217 to Burke Sporting Goods for faculty polos. So, that is about 20 grand. Poof. In about one month. For staff.

"We are cutting programs for the children."

I found another $1089 for staff pullovers in July 2013, plus an additional $685 for admin windshirts. So, we are well over 20 grand for June and July. Whew.

It looks like they rent out parts of the building a LOT. I counted up +/- $15k over the 15 months I looked at, plus thousands on parking and vending machines. I didn't see any monopole money identified.

###############Your public dollars at work.

Quack quack waddle waddle.........

My God this is a disgrace. I was a teacher for 35 years in three different school districts and I have never heard of or seen anything like this.

What makes it even more appalling is that there is an event called Spartanfest (WSHS) with a silent auction, food, moonbounce, etc. The event is put on in order for the PTSA to raise money for teacher mini grants (yes for teachers to get things that they can use INSTRUCTIONALLY). It requires a major volunteer effort on the part of many parents, students, etc. We raised about the same amount that they spent on the junket to Landsdowne. This has me seeing more than red.

I also understand that the principals get kick backs from the yearbook sales and the photograph sales. Can anyone confirm this?

The resort stays and high-end dining are not okay at all, but I don't take issue with something like a staff polo shirt being purchased. It is nice to see the teachers at certain events all wearing something tied to the school. It made it easy to identify teachers at back to school night last year and I thought promoted a positive school image. Not sure about the admin windshirts you talk about. Maybe they are used when admin are on duty at outdoor sporting events and need to be recognizable. Similar to a coach probably not paying for their own uniform.

A lot of what you are digging up seems to be stuff that money should not be spent on and some serious consequences should be dealt out. But there are also some things being purchased that go to the benefit of the school and students - maybe not as overtly as a textbook or staff position, but a justifiable expenditure.

I think they certainly need to discuss some limits on an appropriate amount of
clothing to buy for staff. That is a gray area. I don't know the answer to that, but when you are dropping $12,000+ on this stuff....I know some of the expenditures for other things can be justified, but quite honestly, what can be justified is far outweighed by the ridiculous.

I know a lot of the parent groups work very hard to raise money for the programs. I can empathize with the WSHS parent who is seeing more than red. Parents have also been told there is no money for things that need to be done and no time to help with issues. And then the staff are running in circles going to restaurants, admins, retreats at baseball games, etc. spending money we have given them. And if teachers are seeing their class sizes increase, I am sure this is very discouraging.

I am very glad people are venting on this. I have a few more schools to pull some detailed information on. Feel free to pull anything you want. All the ECA's have been posted. I am just pulling snippets here and there. I can't do it all. The DCCO and the school staff have been churning out the information.

Don't know anything about the pictures and yearbook sales. However, if you are writing a check to the school for any of this, those are public records. If the school system has a contract signed for the pictures and yearbooks, you have a right to see a copy of the contracts and probably anything related to these transactions. These are very easily obtained. It should be very clear in the contracts what is going on.

There are no kickbacks for yearbook sales. There is a commission for all pictures. Both yearbook companies and photographers enter into a contract with the school and follow guidelines from the RFP developed by FCPS. It is standard practice nationwide for commissions to go to the school for pictures. Not for yearbooks.

A $900 meeting at Springfield Golf and Country Club.
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I know it looks nice to have staff in school themed clothing. However, as I pointed out, I think the idea of feeding/clothing/entertaining 250 staff members is simply not realistic using public funds.

One $30 polo per staff member is $7500. Many schools are spending a lot more than this.
12 jackets for the admin team at $100 per jacket is $1200.

I can see certain circumstances where you need to have a strong presence of who is on staff. However, they also are all required to wear lanyards, which certainly distinguishes them as staff.

One $10 meal at the school per person is $2500. Multiplied by several times a year.

And there is still no rational explanation that I can see for the huge number of many times very pricey meals at local restaurants. There is not any provision for that in the current regulations. You either buy your own meals out of your paycheck or you get the $11.50 or mileage and pay for your meals out of that.

They really need to update and clarify the regulations badly.

Okay, Barb -

At this point I call bullshit. I no longer think you are in this fight for the good of the taxpayer/schoolchild/community or whatever it is you claim to be doing this for. Initially, when you started this vendetta, I felt similarly skeptical of your efforts, but then you kind of won me over recently with some very reasoned comments and documents that coincided with your concerns. I was even raising my pitchfork along with you against those lavish dinners and hotel stays. But then I read back through the thread a bit. And then your most recent post. You are incapable of accepting another viewpoint that deviates even slightly from your spittle-frothed tirade against FCPS.

Really, I think you could be diagnosed with a mental illness for the severity of your obsession. Wait....wait! Don't rage yet. Keep reading. And don't get me wrong before I state my case. Pet your troll doll, rub your worry-stone, count to ten, or do whatever it is that backs you away from the cliff. Because I'm totally on board with you as far as stopping lavish spending. Completely on board. There is clearly a lot of it and it is WRONG and I AGREE with you on that! But many of the things you are rallying against end up being quite legitimate when you reason through it. But if someone argues in support of something you've rallied against, you clearly give these instances no consideration. Well maybe, maybe, you call it a gray area or something you'll have to think about, but inevitably you come back an hour later and start a rant that casts stones, twists to four other topics, and then finishes with a rally cry for other readers to submit FOIAs.

Now is this all together a bad thing? Your having a deeply rooted hatred for FCPS and having found an outlet for it? Probably not. Even though born in hatred, your vitriol has unearthed some real issues. Issues that should be addressed thoroughly by FCPS and the community involved. But instead of pursuing this in a way that promotes cooperation, or draws in those who might be skeptics, you go bat-shit on an anonymous message board. And you do it well. You respond to other posters in minutes (sometimes seconds). You post new discoveries as if readers are sitting around refreshing the page in anticipation of the most recent atrocity you've unearthed. And then the worst. In my opinion, the worst thing you do. You make comments. Not just here and there. But in almost every post, you lump large factions of, and even sometimes the entire education community, together in this like it is a conspiracy to game the taxpayer.

Do you really think people get into teaching for the perks? 17% of teachers leave the profession each year. ALMOST HALF of teachers leave before they finish five years of teaching. The perks..... yes, clearly everyone is in it for the Papa John's and polo shirts they feel embarrassed to be caught wearing when running to Harris Teeter after school. What do you want them to do, refuse the free burrito? Maybe if you post enough in the next week, teachers will protest against their Panera boxes on Back-to-School night next week, wearing t-shirts the proclaim "I Stand With Barb."

Okay, okay, my turn to calm down. I know, you've maid it clear, two times out of the last 300 that you've posted, that you appreciate teachers. Thank you. Thank you for your support. But it does feel a bit like lip-service. So carry-on. Keep posting. You're probably getting somewhere. I'm sure you've changed and will continue to change some regulations. But do you have to do it in such a nasty way? So many in the education do a fabulous job - and usually with laughable resources. But yet you post documents that incriminate a select few, while at the same time railing against everyone who receive a paycheck from FCPS.

My advice? Keep it up. But change your tactics. Because right now mostly all you are doing is providing fodder for others like you who gain pleasure from acting inhumanely on anonymous boards that afford you the social security to do so.

Thanks for being passionate and turning over some stones that should be, but change your approach and stop lumping all educators in this together!

^^^^^^^
From the above verbal diarrhea you can see this thread is really getting under someone's skin. The misdirection about "poor teachers" deserving a little compensation is the tip off. How are the "poor teachers" made to feel better by 600 dollar luxury suites they never see the inside of?

The issue is not the "poor teachers", but the unaccountable spending of public money on whatever an individual wants

Dear Calling It-

I can make comments if I want. And I will. And there is NOTHING anybody can do about it. And I see no reason to sugarcoat anything. I am making comments about public records and use of public dollars. And if you think you can do whatever you want with public dollars in order to try to make up for people who are unhappy with their jobs, you are on very thin ice. You work in a glass house. You CHOSE to do that. Arrogance is a big part of the problem here, and you are displaying that very nicely.

People find a lot worse things that are interesting in their lives. Like making reservations at luxury resorts and arranging massages paid for by public dollars and wandering down to a Nats game and calling it a retreat and sticking us with the bill. I think this is very interesting. So do a lot of other people. This thread has been getting as many as 600 hits a day. Average is about 150-200. At that rate it doesn't take long to respond to somebody. I think it is a great idea to put out the public information. And I know I am not the only one that thinks this needs to be addressed, sooner rather than later.

I still say this is a great place to put out the public information because people can say anything they want (even you), it is free, it is already established. If you don't like it, then quit reading it. There is nothing wrong with anonymous boards. It's not like all of us can meet once a week at a meeting.

If anybody doesn't like being commented on or having their usage of public funds on display here, then clean up your act.

Are you getting a little nervous? Are you using the p-card or ordering up a check this week? Think it through.

Some records on the New Orleans trip. Again, the focus is primarily on the slush fund. Remember, we are required to provide this training for the School Board. It comes out of appropriated funds.

It is noted that the plane ticket for the Superintendent's husband was charged to a county card and the school system was reimbursed.

They were indeed on per diem, as the non-local travel regulation requires, and it is being calculated out in detail rather than just paying out at the full rate. I don't have any information on what was so "special" about the fancy dinner at Two Sisters that warranted that it would be paid out separately out of appropriated funds.
Attachments:

hurting deeply Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ^^^^^^^
> From the above verbal diarrhea you can see this
> thread is really getting under someone's skin. The
> misdirection about "poor teachers" deserving a
> little compensation is the tip off. How are the
> "poor teachers" made to feel better by 600 dollar
> luxury suites they never see the inside of?
>
> The issue is not the "poor teachers", but the
> unaccountable spending of public money on whatever
> an individual wants


My guess is that Calling It was up late drinking a significant amount of alcohol and wishing they had made better decisions.

Classroom teacher. No access to funds other than through a purchase order (unless I go out of pocket, sans reimbursement, because the kids can't wait a week for admin to return the paperwork approved - that happens quite a bit the week before school starts), so not sure how nerves would play in. Although, I'm sure you are making some people very nervous (I actually think I applauded you for that in the last post). Your tactics for that are solid. But your tone and approach end up slandering the entire dart board, rather than just hitting the bullseye.

The community likes and trusts all FCPS teachers less in general because of you. Thanks for that. Especially from those of us who toe-the-line, we appreciate you getting us lumped in with the steak dinners.

Question: Back to School Night is coming up. Over the years we've had Panera, Baja Fresh, Domino's, or Chipotle. Every one of those options is less expensive for the taxpayer than if we put in for the meal reimbursement rate individually. Saving money. Less expensive. Yet, you would post it on this board in a heartbeat and lambast it. Should I tell my principal to cancel my sandwich and do the meal reimbursement instead?

I reread my previous post a few times and stand by it. I think I made it clear that your endeavor is valid and should continue (albeit in a better manner). I also think I mentioned that you have difficulty considering a viewpoint other than your own and go instantly into defense mode. Of course you can put your opinion on this board and there is "NOTHING" anyone can do about it. I have no doubt that you'll continue. But you could do it better.

calling it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Classroom teacher. No access to funds other than
> through a purchase order (unless I go out of
> pocket, sans reimbursement, because the kids can't
> wait a week for admin to return the paperwork
> approved - that happens quite a bit the week
> before school starts), so not sure how nerves
> would play in. Although, I'm sure you are making
> some people very nervous (I actually think I
> applauded you for that in the last post). Your
> tactics for that are solid. But your tone and
> approach end up slandering the entire dart board,
> rather than just hitting the bullseye.
>
> The community likes and trusts all FCPS teachers
> less in general because of you. Thanks for that.
> Especially from those of us who toe-the-line, we
> appreciate you getting us lumped in with the steak
> dinners.
>
> Question: Back to School Night is coming up. Over
> the years we've had Panera, Baja Fresh, Domino's,
> or Chipotle. Every one of those options is less
> expensive for the taxpayer than if we put in for
> the meal reimbursement rate individually. Saving
> money. Less expensive. Yet, you would post it on
> this board in a heartbeat and lambast it. Should I
> tell my principal to cancel my sandwich and do the
> meal reimbursement instead?
>
> I reread my previous post a few times and stand by
> it. I think I made it clear that your endeavor is
> valid and should continue (albeit in a better
> manner). I also think I mentioned that you have
> difficulty considering a viewpoint other than your
> own and go instantly into defense mode. Of course
> you can put your opinion on this board and there
> is "NOTHING" anyone can do about it. I have no
> doubt that you'll continue. But you could do it
> better.


Why don't you just pack a bologna sandwich like the rest of us. You guys have a good propaganda campaign to make everyone think you are so special you deserve a lot of perks.

I have no idea how to handle BTS night. It is mentioned specifically in one of the regulations. I have left that out of any discussion or comments because I am not sure how it factors in. I am sure whoever is working through this in Financial Services/Comptroller will figure it out.

I think many of the people posting on this thread have a hard time seeing any other side. From both sides of the fence.

I haven't lumped the teachers in with the steak dinners. They aren't making these decisions. I think everybody knows that.

I in particular mentioned Langley using some of this money to pay an accompanist for the chorus. Direct classroom support. Nice idea if it can be done. I also pointed out several other student oriented things, safety equipment, etc.

I do feel that if changes are going to be made, it will be an adjustment for many people. I think that expectations have gotten out of control. When you think you are entitled to lunch at the Country Club, breakfast and/or lunch several times a month for 200 staff, clothing supplied by the school system, massages, flowers, golf outings, and gifts, all paid for with public money, and then the plan changes...... On the other hand, if the plug is also pulled on these Admins and fancy dinners out on the town that the teachers can only dream about............We'll see.

it's called brown bagging try it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Why don't you just pack a bologna sandwich like
> the rest of us. You guys have a good propaganda
> campaign to make everyone think you are so special
> you deserve a lot of perks.


I pack my lunch daily. The referred to meal-reimbursements are for days when required to be in the school building for many hours past contract without compensation. Back to School Night, a good example, is a day where most teachers arrive at 7:30am and leave the building at 8:30pm. The county regulations allow for a meal reimbursement on a day like this at the rate of $11.50. There are usually 2 or 3 of these type days a year - others include curriculum night and end of year awards ceremony. Sometimes food is provided by the school instead of having everyone apply for reimbursement. This method is cheaper overall.

I don't doubt that there are some schools that provide more and push it beyond reason, but from all the conversations I've ever had with colleagues at other schools, I think my situation is pretty much the norm - polo shirt and a couple cheap dinners throughout the entire year. I've never had a massage, played golf, received a gift (well, there was a neck lanyard given when I reached 10 years in the county), or eaten more than 2 or 3 meals paid for by the school in a year on extended work days. Yet if I introduced myself to half the readers of this thread as an FCPS teacher, they'd assume I was living the good life on their dime.

I don't think teachers are necessarily living the good life on the taxpayer dime, particularly as a younger teacher. However, there are some very big problems at various schools. And I think expectations have gotten out of control. I think the principals and Administrators are in the hot seat on this.

I am seeing multiple schools with multiple staff meals/snacks per month/per week. And the gifts/flowers etc. also need to be looked at. As I have pointed out, these are public funds, even though not obtained via taxes. With management of public funds comes ethics, limitations, etc. You can't pay your mortgage or car payment with public funds. You can't buy a birthday present for your child out of public funds. You can't pay for a meal or transportation expenses for your spouse out of public funds. You can't supplement your salary by taking the p-card and hitting up the local restaurants with your co-workers. You can't write a check out of public funds to a teacher to help them out with their personal expenses. That is just the way it is.

You can't just do whatever with them, which is exactly what has been going on. I didn't make up this information. I didn't make any of these decisions. I just found out about it a year and a half ago, could not believe what I was seeing, and followed up on it. Don't shoot the messenger.

I really don't think that people reading this are seeing that the teachers are getting the perks. The baseball game, the "retreats" and conferences to resort hotels, golf, etc. have all been things benefiting administrators---not teachers. Many of the restaurant meals did not include teachers.

It makes me wonder what people higher up the chain have been funding for themselves.

Thanks for these moments of clarity.

Please keep things focused clearly on those guilty parties and avoid language that infers guilt upon the other 99% of the school system.

^^^^^^^^^^^^I have been very clear.

There are a lot of very confused people out there. The title of this thread is PRINCIPAL slush fun, NOT TEACHER slush fund. The teachers generally don't carry p-cards and sign checks. They are getting clothing and gifts and massages, etc., but if they are offered this, take it. I would, too. The control of the funds rests with Administration. And yes, I can see that a lot of the high end living is theirs, NOT the classroom teacher. I was the one who got all the names and identified the events, remember? I even went to the school websites to see who these people were. I was really surprised at all the Admins and the associated price tags. I really hadn't expected that. I was floored at the costs. Why would anybody think it would be acceptable to spend $70 a person on breakfast and lunch, plus an expensive dinner, and $180 a night on hotel rooms right down the road from home?

The people who hold the pens and the plastic need to get it together. There needs to be expectation adjustment by ALL.

I am sure the Comptroller's office can fine tune this. This will be quite a project. I put this all out here to get the discussion going. It is fast, economical, and spreads like wildfire. I can only imagine what is going on with parents, teachers, administrators. Good. This is obviously just too much money to leave up to people with "do whatever you think is appropriate" as their only instructions.

Funny how we haven't heard a thing from the people going on the junkets. They are probably figuring out how to deal with the angry masses and have been told to lay low.....

calling it Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> it's called brown bagging try it Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > Why don't you just pack a bologna sandwich like
> > the rest of us. You guys have a good propaganda
> > campaign to make everyone think you are so
> special
> > you deserve a lot of perks.
>
>
> I pack my lunch daily. The referred to
> meal-reimbursements are for days when required to
> be in the school building for many hours past
> contract without compensation. Back to School
> Night, a good example, is a day where most
> teachers arrive at 7:30am and leave the building
> at 8:30pm. The county regulations allow for a meal
> reimbursement on a day like this at the rate of
> $11.50. There are usually 2 or 3 of these type
> days a year - others include curriculum night and
> end of year awards ceremony. Sometimes food is
> provided by the school instead of having everyone
> apply for reimbursement. This method is cheaper
> overall.
>
> I don't doubt that there are some schools that
> provide more and push it beyond reason, but from
> all the conversations I've ever had with
> colleagues at other schools, I think my situation
> is pretty much the norm - polo shirt and a couple
> cheap dinners throughout the entire year. I've
> never had a massage, played golf, received a gift
> (well, there was a neck lanyard given when I
> reached 10 years in the county), or eaten more
> than 2 or 3 meals paid for by the school in a year
> on extended work days. Yet if I introduced myself
> to half the readers of this thread as an FCPS
> teacher, they'd assume I was living the good life
> on their dime.




Reg 5310 actually says Back to School night is a specific exception to being entitled to the $11.50 or mileage for a local meal due to working outside of regular hours. Page 3.

I don't know what the deal is. I am sure they will address this.
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I just love the fake outrage here...none of you really care because if you did, you wouldn't be on a website bitching in anonymity. If you actually gave a fuck, you'd go to the fucking school board or w/e and air your grievances.

Bunch of fake tough guys and gals on here.

Not everyone has time to go to the "fucking school board" meetings (your words). You actually sound pretty outraged yourself. Some people have already emailed their board rep and that should be enough to get some action. The reps are supposed to respond to their constituents. I have aired complaints in that fashion (with my name attached). Just because people are on here does not mean that they have not emailed their reps. You are making that assumption.

the outrage is not fake Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not everyone has time to go to the "fucking school
> board" meetings (your words). You actually sound
> pretty outraged yourself. Some people have
> already emailed their board rep and that should be
> enough to get some action. The reps are supposed
> to respond to their constituents. I have aired
> complaints in that fashion (with my name
> attached). Just because people are on here does
> not mean that they have not emailed their reps.
> You are making that assumption.


YUMADTHO?

Do the math on the baseball game. 18 administrators for at least 6 hours at say $50 an hour equals $5400. Add in the tickets and we paid about $6000 for a baseball game for these people. Do you really think they took vacation time to go to this during the work week? Were they discussing school issues in the stands? Did they bring work with them to complete while they were watching the game and eating hot dogs?

Somehow, I doubt it.

Go Nats.

If you do go to an "effin school board meeting" you are given 3 minutes to speak.

doing the math? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do the math on the baseball game. 18
> administrators for at least 6 hours at say $50 an
> hour equals $5400. Add in the tickets and we paid
> about $6000 for a baseball game for these people.
> Do you really think they took vacation time to go
> to this during the work week? Were they discussing
> school issues in the stands? Did they bring work
> with them to complete while they were watching the
> game and eating hot dogs?
>
> Somehow, I doubt it.
>
> Go Nats.


In a lot of schools they don't take vacation time for much of anything unless it involves being gone a few days. When the principal doesn't throw down a leave slip, what makes you think the staff does? In high school there are many teachers without a first or last period class. We saw a corp of regulars either coming in late almost day or heading out early. ( doctors appointments, child care issues etc etc etc)... Like the rest of the school system, not much oversite and even less work ethic.

I think the $20 seats are right in front of the bar....Popular seats.

They probably figure they break even if they come in late or leave early, with all the time they spend outside of the classroom and offices doing school business. Don't know how the contracts read.

Dear the facts,

Congratulations, your efforts have paid off. There are now new ECA guidelines, effective September 1.

^^^Well, we'll see about that.
Regardless, they are all getting pulled again next year. :-).

tres minutos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you do go to an "effin school board meeting"
> you are given 3 minutes to speak.




That ain't enough. Are you kidding?

Ok folks, have at it. It will take me a while to take this apart.
It's a start.

Enforcing this is another story.

Thanks, Brandynn. You set a record on this.
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I wanted to see what $8000 bought. I don't know who the clothing was for.
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I'm impressed that they at least got the most obviously egregious stuff banned (the out of county meetings, flowers, sporting event tickets, spa services). Nice job "the facts"!

Some of my faith is restored. Transparency is a beautiful thing.

I am bringing the travel and school activity fund regulations back into this area in case anybody wants to refer to them. The 5810 is in the process of being revised and I was told today that it was still under attorney-client privilege so was not available via FOIA.

I am seeing some grey areas and conflicts, but this is a big start. Enforcing this will be another issue. I have a few more records coming and I need to analyze this when I have more time.
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The new ECA guidelines have some shades of grey and some bright spots.

"These funds are not permitted to be used to benefit individual school employees." "...ensure funds are used reasonably and to benefit the school as a whole..." "...foster the success of all students..."

Monopole proceeds have been pulled off of the list. A painful situation for some. Lost textbook money goes to pay for lost books.

ECA funds can be used to pay extra staff to process student fees. It looks like this is the only staff that can be purchased using these funds. So much for the pianist for the choir.

"Light refreshments" is a major loophole. Every meeting doesn't have to be a party. You can be polite and sociable without putting out a spread. The focus is on WORK. Very subjective. There isn't any per diem for "light refreshments", so the "75% of per diem" is worthless here. You can't do "light refreshments" for 300 people without spending a fortune. This really isn't the school system's problem in the first place.

There are still references to "meals" for staff. According to the travel regulation, it doesn't look like meals for staff are part of their entitlements for local work/seminars/conferences, etc. unless the meal is a prerequisite for participating in the activity. Meals are capped at "75% of per diem". Back to School Night is not clarified. Is this part of the teacher contract and so considered normal working hours, so they are not entitled to a meal? If there is an offsite, and it is local, they don't look to be entitled to a meal. They ARE entitled to mileage. You break for lunch and people open their brown bag, go to the cafeteria, or go to a local restaurant and pay for their meal with their own money. Just because you have a meeting, etc. at Gatehouse or another school or a public or private building doesn't entitle you to put down the plastic at Four Sisters or Artie's for yourself and your co-workers. You get $11.50 or mileage if it is outside duty hours. PICK ONE. Just because it is a big football game doesn't necessarily entitle you to charge up $872.25 at Hard Times Café like somebody did on 11/8/2013. I still don't see why there should be any meals on county charge cards. It isn't supported in the travel regulation. Unless a meal is part of your contract, it is a gift. NO GIFTS. We are talking hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line here. Each and every year.

I saw many schools with Fall welcome back parties, BTSN parties, Thanksgiving and holiday parties, January welcome back parties, Teacher/Admin Appreciation parties, EOY parties, AND graduation day parties. Yes, all at the same school. This is out of control.

Meals for students (saw a lot of those) are not a school problem. They are really a parental responsibility. We hit the snack bar/cafeteria or packed an extra sandwich back in my day.

The buying of shirts, mugs, pens. etc. for the staff in order "to promote team building or unity...". They have opened the door for thousands of dollars of clothing and things for staff. This also says gifts to employee groups are not allowed. This is all very debatable. There were many, many thousands of dollars spent on Teacher Appreciation gifts. We do so appreciate the teachers, but those are GIFTS. But if you can justify them by saying they are promoting unity...very subjective. How does spending $12,000 on clothing for staff "foster student success"? Think about it. I liked the part about clothing needed to identity staff supervising students. I can see the benefit of having some jackets, etc. that say "we are the staff" for certain things.

How about buying uniforms and clothing for students? Are the football players or other sports/club groups entitled to have their uniforms/attire subsidized by the ECA fund? It happens all the time.

Offsites have to be approved by an assistant Superintendent. Well, we already saw an example of that, which allowed a group to go to Harbourtowne on the Eastern Shore. The Super just told the School Board auditor that that was the way it was going to be. I can only imagine the power struggles on this. Staying in the County is a good idea. Keep it local. There is nothing to be gained by going 100 miles away. This "retreat" moniker is not an excuse to pack your suitcases and/or live it up.

It looks like the staff need to get to work on setting up Sunshine Funds. No more massages! No more baseball games, hopefully. No more $300 flower bills.

I am awaiting records on the School Principals Associations, where money from the ECA's is pooled at one school and used to do things for the principals. We pay finance techs and staff to manage it, the school is responsible for loss, etc. We pay additional for golf outings, luxury overnights, etc. I also noticed Rotary/community Clubs and professional memberships along with their associated additional costs, travel, etc. The institutional part could be a school expense, but are the optional activities entitled to be paid for out of school funds? This is sticky and there are references to this in the regulations. Being involved in the community is good to foster support. However, I was seeing hundreds of dollars going for $214 quarterly dues, etc.

I will pull them all again next year.

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ****************I have yet to hear from anybody
> explaining to me and everybody else on this thread
> what the problem is with FCPS real estate. Will
> somebody PLEASE speak up????????????????????
>
> Why can't these meetings be held in a county
> facility during regular business hours? How much
> work is done with your eyes closed sleeping in a
> $180 per night hotel room? Really??????????? How
> much actual work is being done at a $30 per person
> breakfast, a $50+ "working" steak dinner at the
> Hollywood Casino complex, gallivanting around
> Annapolis, etc.? The hours spent schlepping to and
> from the Eastern Shore and out into Maryland
> certainly eat at the productivity, also. Somebody
> has to plan and set all this up, also.
>
> You make some toast at home, show up at a school
> system-owned facility, have the meetings, either
> pack your lunch or go out on YOUR dollar NOT OURS,
> and go home and sleep in your own bed. And throw a
> steak on your grill for dinner. No $500 conference
> room fees for tables, chairs, and basic meeting
> equipment. No gas mileage to the Eastern Shore. No
> packing of suitcases. No $100 service fees for
> buffets just because YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE.
> That's right. You don't have enough people. This
> is how a lot of the rest of the world conducts
> their meetings. You put out-of-office on your
> e-mails, don't answer your phones, tell your staff
> you are not available unless the schools catch on
> fire, and do your work.
>
> If people need time to relax that is called
> VACATION. We pay staff salary to take vacations.
> The rest is a personal responsibility.
>
> Destination meetings my eye.

Perhaps you should run for school board. Or even better, become a school principal or event planner. The whole notion that this is on the FU speaks volumes.

^^^I don't mean to be a back seat driver. I am just pointing out what I think is basic stuff with managing money that other people have given you and supposedly is protected by laws and ethics. I still say the FU is fine for this. It gets the word out on a very busy general website and people can do whatever they want with the reports.

If you expect nothing that is exactly what you get. I think some people have gotten very confused over the years. They have gotten the ideas that these funds are their personal bank accounts or that this is a private corporation.

I actually got some write-in votes for School Board last election. If elected, I probably wouldn't last because I am too vocal and don't give a darn about politics.

We are also starting on a restaurant tour soon....I have Morton's, Bazin's, Capital Grille, Artie's, Pulcinella, Listranis, Maggiano's, and a few others on order. Lots more to choose from, that's for sure.

Barabara Brown---- should we vote for you. I will if you can answer these questions:

How much money have the schools spent man/hours in your FOIA requests- what a waste of human resources for crusade

Have you ever FOIA your bosses at Reston Hospital? Have you ever been given a t-shirt or free meal? You claim to be a public employee! Do you bosses know about your sick crusade and wasting the taxpayers money answering your ridiculous FOIA requests?

Is your life that empty that you spend time harrassing civil servants? Not enough attention from your kids or husband?

It sounds like some public employees aren't too happy about some of this information being made public.

skeptical Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Barabara Brown---- should we vote for you. I will
> if you can answer these questions:
>
> How much money have the schools spent man/hours in
> your FOIA requests- what a waste of human
> resources for crusade
>
> Have you ever FOIA your bosses at Reston Hospital?
> Have you ever been given a t-shirt or free meal?
> You claim to be a public employee! Do you bosses
> know about your sick crusade and wasting the
> taxpayers money answering your ridiculous FOIA
> requests?
>
> Is your life that empty that you spend time
> harrassing civil servants? Not enough attention
> from your kids or husband?


I would also like these questions answered-seems like a complete waste of time on Ms. Browns part, settling a vendetta I would asssume

I am a former FCPS elementary school teacher who left, in part, because of these types of misplaced spending priorities. New teachers often have to buy books themselves for their classrooms. I spent a few thousand dollars over the years of my own money on books and supplies. We were also running out of copy paper frequently after FCPS switched to the online math book, requiring teachers to make more copies of pages or practice sheets. I saw plenty of waste with principals attending out of town meetings. Priorities are messed up at FCPS.

how come they can't afford copy paper if they can do some of the things that have been posted here?

As a taxpayer, I'll take the hit for the cost of the FOIA requests when they expose fraud, waste and abuse such as the out of control spending with this slush fund for FCPS principals (and select admin). I don't care what the motives are behind exposing this and frankly, I don't care. Not enough people speak up and do the right thing. Barbara (if that is your real name), thank you for being persistent and getting to the bottom of this spending. And while some people say this isn't a good forum to use, I think at this point, send this info to whoever you think might listen and respond. If nothing else, FFU has gotten people talking about this issue. Sometimes, you have to use non-traditional means to get the word out…this is one of those situations, as you can bet no one at Gatehouse would ever talk about any of this frivolous spending.

We have been paying the finance techs about $32 an hour for years to process millions of dollars of what many people consider abusive spending.

I am willing to pay them $32 an hour to show what has been going on and get some control over this. I have also paid principals and Gatehouse staff. Like it or not, FOIA is part of their jobs. I'm not doing this to torment people.

It will take a huge load off of everybody to not process and keep track of some of this spending. The required records and transactions take up a lot of time. You try keeping track of $25,000 of restaurant receipts, who was at the meal, and why. Those Admins are a lot of work to research, plan, etc. Ordering and distributing $15,000 of clothing, $10,000 of gifts...those are major man-hours.

Somebody had to point out how ridiculous a lot of this stuff was.

You could look at it from the angle that this has been a lot cheaper than calling in some fancy consultants in fancy suits and paying them $100,000+ to come up with some fancy report that would probably gloss over a lot of this.

Just putting it out there for the public made things very clear.

This is nothing more than common sense. A very rare commodity sometimes.

I brought this up a year and a half ago. They don't have five years to clamp down on this. They are hemorrhaging cash that could be used for support for the students and classroom teachers.

the facts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You could look at it from the angle that this has
> been a lot cheaper than calling in some fancy
> consultants in fancy suits and paying them
> $100,000+ to come up with some fancy report that
> would probably gloss over a lot of this.

FCPS had a consultant come in (think it was last year) to review their spending practices to report that it was bascially perfect and they could only save about 500K a year. That was an absolute joke - $2.5B budget and the only savings possible was 500K? Doesn't pass the giggle test.

fact this Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> the facts Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > You could look at it from the angle that this
> has
> > been a lot cheaper than calling in some fancy
> > consultants in fancy suits and paying them
> > $100,000+ to come up with some fancy report
> that
> > would probably gloss over a lot of this.
>
> FCPS had a consultant come in (think it was last
> year) to review their spending practices to report
> that it was bascially perfect and they could only
> save about 500K a year. That was an absolute joke
> - $2.5B budget and the only savings possible was
> 500K? Doesn't pass the giggle test.


Did anyone actually see this consultant?. FCPS.... the Sultans of SPIN

Told ya. Total waste of time and money probably.

I can find 500k in just these accounts over the last year or two. At least.
And I worked in a t-shirt, shorts, flip flops, and nursed a glass of perfectly fine cheap wine while doing it on more than one occasion. On a volunteer basis. Lots more interesting and productive than trashy novels and reality TV. Got anything else you want me to a look at?

COMMON SENSE. Sometimes that is all it takes.

I think there was a suggestion about a cost-savings competition further back...

FCPS Perfect? HaHaHaHaHaHa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> fact this Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > the facts Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > You could look at it from the angle that this
> > has
> > > been a lot cheaper than calling in some fancy
> > > consultants in fancy suits and paying them
> > > $100,000+ to come up with some fancy report
> > that
> > > would probably gloss over a lot of this.
> >
> > FCPS had a consultant come in (think it was
> last
> > year) to review their spending practices to
> report
> > that it was bascially perfect and they could
> only
> > save about 500K a year. That was an absolute
> joke
> > - $2.5B budget and the only savings possible
> was
> > 500K? Doesn't pass the giggle test.
>
>
> Did anyone actually see this consultant?. FCPS....
> the Sultans of SPIN

My numbers were off. It was a state efficiency review conducted by Gibson Consulting Group.

http://commweb.fcps.edu/newsreleases/newsrelease.cfm?newsid=2361

The report found a possible $10.8M in savings over 5 years, requiring an investment of $2.3M, so it was $1.7M per year, or savings of 0.07%, meaning they found FCPS to 99.93% efficient. Boy they are good!

I can see some good things here but I would have to analyze this further.
When you are trying to watch your dollars, you have to micromanage the processes. You have to look at everything you do and THINK. I know this is a huge production.

I have found at least $200-300k, probably more, and you don't have to spend anything to do it. You just QUIT SPENDING. And this is already supported by existing regulations and state laws. It just involves a major change in attitude, sense of entitlement, and saying NO. Simplify. There would be more money to help classroom teachers with things and buy the copy paper somebody brought up, etc.

Yeh, it's lots of fun going to a nice hotel, a nice restaurant, getting presents, golfing, etc., but the kids come first. Nobody ever said working for the government was going to be fun.

I see from the commercials the John Foust in crowing about his cost cutting penny pinching ways--but this all happened on his watch--who cares if he keeps the monitor if people are living large on public funds in resorts?

Just in case anybody looking at the reports on the New Orleans trip is wondering about the room service at the Wyndham, I asked to see proof that the room service was paid by the staff member using it. The hotel receipt with the room service on it matched the county charge card receipt. I thought the receipt I received looked strange (it was sent later on after I asked-it wasn't with the original packet), insisted on more proof, since I couldn't find any corresponding credits on the credit card statements I had. The hotel should have adjusted the final bill and credit card payment after the payment for room service as the payment was made the day of checkout. Attached is a receipt dated last week for a refund to the county credit card. I still think the receipt looks strange, but the school system has a credit on the card.

So, if you ever think I am picking on you, look at this and see who I was picking on. No whining.

I can't fix the "flaming bananas" situation on this trip that somebody mentioned but while straightening this out I did turn in a frosty comment about why the School Board wasn't on per diem for that huge dinner.
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OK, since I did indeed have the nerve to FOIA the Superintendent and insist her account get straightened out (why SHOULD the Wyndham have been paid twice for a big room service bill and been able to keep public money?), I am issuing a Checkbook Challenge.

Anybody who ate dinner at Two Sisters on that trip, I challenge you to write a $25 check to the school system to pay the taxpayers back for that ridiculous dinner for 12 that was paid for out of our tax dollars. You were $25 over per diem and stuck it to us. You post a copy of your check here (cover up the address and account number), and I will vote for you or tell others to vote for you. Shrimp brochettes, my eye. You also owe us an explanation.

Have a nice weekend.

$32 per hour? You clearly don't have all the facts. A finance tech would need to be in the position for 15 years before obtaining that salary.

I have been paying "$31.75 an hour for a Finance Technician II/III/IV" for FOIA fees, when required. They probably use an average.
You can always contact DCCO and get the rates from them.

And lest anybody complain about their salary, according to one of the audits posted here the average receipts for a high school in this county is about $2.7 million a year. Several techs are keeping track of almost $4 million a year in receipts. And then there are the disbursements to keep track of, also.

No need to contact DCCO, the information is on the FCPS website. The starting salary for a Finance Tech II is $19.00 per hour. An employee is eligible to move to a Finance Tech III/IV after one year at each level. The pay you quote for all to read can only be obtained after working for 15 years and not necessarily reflective of the salary of most finance techs.

Then contact the DCCO and ask them how it is calculated. I don't have any control over what they charge for FOIA fees. I just send them a check. I think the fees are a bargain for what I get and what is accomplished by posting them. Have a nice weekend.

Take it up with Brandynn.
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Im interested to see how those Association receipts come out--I think that would go far to prove collusion as opposed to mere oversights

There is no reason "to take it up with Brandynn", just pointing out that the "facts" that you report do not always tell the correct story. Once again, distorting the information to fit your agenda.

^^^^^ You are obviously so naïve that you don't realize there is a big spread on what people are paid, everybody knows that, the school system is required to offer the information at reasonable cost to the citizens, they know that, and I think they have done this. I seriously doubt they would go through this much work for bottom dollar.

FYI, they probably have a list of standard hourly fees depending on who retrieves the information. I have paid principals, Gatehouse people, finance techs, and the numbers have been the same for each classification. I have also gotten a lot of stuff for free. I have also FOIA'd three other agencies and wasn't charged.

Dear Stingy-The Association numbers should be out this week. I pulled high school and middle school. I would bet there will be golfing, presents, and restaurants on there. We shall see.

What it all boils down to is if we are paying people to process $180 local hotel rooms, dinners at Capital Grille, Sunset Cruise Admins, massages, and $1800 ice cream bills, it doesn't matter if we are paying somebody $20 an hour or $40 an hour to do it. It is just a huge drain on resources from many angles and seriously questionable, to put it mildly.

On the Association receipts--its important to see if there's overlap between the resort partyiers and these events--that's malice aforethought.

lets bring in the media Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just wish the Washington Post would get a hold
> of this and run with it, name names, highlight
> specific illegal spending and interview some
> boards members why they rubber stamp huge
> increases in the school budget when this non sense
> is going on. The Post seems to be interested in
> much more frivolous government in appropriate
> behavior


TOM JACKMAN WHERE ARE YOU?????

ISN'T THIS MORE NEWSWORTHY THAN CARY'S CHIN WHISKERS?

Ok this is enormous. Just came out in September. Some things really are not any different than in the current regulations, as in $11.50/mileage if not receiving supplemental pay, no use of p-cards for non-local travel meals, use of p-cards for hotels and plane tickets, etc. etc. This publication summarizes and brings together several of the regulations I posted here. Although some of them are very old, the theories are essentially unchanged.

*********If anybody is interested, primarily focus on the sections on incidentals page 70, ECA usage page 138 (this was already presented), and use of p-cards page 180.****************

It is very clear that feeding all the troops during normal working hours is supposed to be the rare exception. Unless meetings are lasting several hours, or crossing over a meal time, there isn't supposed to be an automatic indication for treats. We'll see about that.

It is a little confusing as some of the information under usage of appropriated funds also applies to issues involving usage of ECA funds (non-appropriated funds). I will have to take a look at this more closely. It appears there are some limits on big staff functions. I would hope so. Come on.

The retreat situation still needs to be watched as all it takes is an approval from an Assistant Super. I just found another one from last year. They LOVE these things and I think they are very deeply ingrained into their culture. They probably think these are their right. And they like to go first-class, that's for sure. I would, too, if somebody else was footing the bill and wasn't given a choice about it. I still say there is plenty of county-owned real estate to use if you just look and adjust your expectations. If parents have to watch services for their children being cut, if teachers have to endure being told they can't have the supplies they need, the frills for the "chosen staff" can also be trimmed to a realistic level.

This will be a lot of work to implement and monitor.

I am still working on the restaurant tour. $4200 at Famous Dave's, Sakura, Indigo Landing....
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Ok here are the partial records (just expenditures) on the High School and Middle School Principals' "Associations". To review, these are not independent associations with a unique Tax ID number. The principals take money from the ECA account (the high school dues are $200), send it to one school, and the school finance staff watch over the account, there is a person designated as a fund manager (the principal) who writes the checks. There is also additional money spent on their big spring gathering (the high schools' was at Arundel Preserve, already presented here). That was almost $300 additional a person. Don't know if they got mileage or not. I also saw additional ECA/public money sent to the account for the golf outings. Probably at least $15,000 is pulled out of ECA accounts for all of this a year. The accounts are also covered under the school liability.

As I thought, the money is spent on golf and restaurant gatherings, plus the fancy retreat that wasn't on here.

The big question here is, is this an appropriate use of ECA/public money? They are clearly spending it on themselves. If they have an evening meeting, it would seem that the $11.50 applies, or mileage. Is this considered part of their work or is it an semi-optional social type club where they can talk about issues and things? Then they are not entitled to a meal. They have to pay for it themselves (horrors).

If the principals decide to open a private bank account to handle this "association", is it appropriate to pull money out of the ECA and put it into this account, or should it be funded with personal funds (gasp)? Remember, we also pay for dues to the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals out of ECA money. $536 a year per member, plus conference expenses. This probably runs close to $1000 per school if they do the conference. There are 25+ high schools. There is a regulation regarding using public funds to pay these types of membership dues. I will post it later on. It can be done, with some restrictions. We are technically sending public funds to a non-profit, supporting whatever they think is interesting to them. We can't access their records to see what is being done with the public money, other than to look at their tax return and hope for the best. This would also be the case if the principals obtained a separate Tax ID number. They could just up the dues and take a cruise, paid for by us.

We (the public) are basically shelling out about $1500 per high school principal for associations. Is it an appropriate use of public funds? Comments?
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I can tell you no how no way they would spend this money on teachers professional memberships or conferences

More HSPA expenses I found on my restaurant tour.

1)Two dinners. One, at Grillfire, looks like it was associated with the retreat (boondoggle) at Arundel Preserve up in Maryland. The receipt says 12 people, I counted up about 14 entrees. Total bill was initially estimated to be $550, tallied up at $483. This was for "HSPA retreat and team building". I specified I wanted names on this, and the school "didn't have them". We paid for hotel rooms for about 24 people at this, if I remember correctly. Each school paid in for those.

2)A lovely evening at Morton's, for "HSPA meeting and team building". We all know just a piece of meat and a glass of water at Morton's will run you at least $50. The original estimate was for $180. It ended up costing $156. The gratuity was added in by the restaurant, which makes me think that this might have been a separate check at a large table. Oh, joy. Again. NO NAMES. The school didn't have them. Probably for two people, I am guessing. The receipt is illegible but probably not worth pursuing. It looks like they might have been drawing up plans for a planned meal at $84 a person. Good Heavens.

If public funds were used to purchase goods and services for individuals we have a right to know who they were. And they have a responsibility to keep those records. If they don't like keeping those kinds of records (and producing for FOIA requests) then I suggest quitting going out to dinners paid for by us.

I would bet I could find a mountain of these, adding to the REAL cost of the HSPA.

Our public dollars at work.

WE ARE BROKE!!!

Wendy's, anyone?
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The restaurant tour continues.

Again. no names. Some groups were too large (police, community members, students, etc. at Hard Times). The Holiday parties are for large groups. Cheesecake Factory was for 12 "support staff during staff development". That should have had names.

Notes-
Maggiano's 12/12-pasta and salad for about 180. Holiday lunch. The delivery fee alone was $256.52 and there was a $235 tip. Total of $2300. $13 per person.

Hard Times Café- Chili and hot dogs for 65. $872. $13.41 per person. Because it was a football game. There are LOTS of those.

Maggiano's 12/13- pasta and salad for ?143. $2300. Holiday lunch. $273 delivery fee and $100 tip this time. $16 per person.

Cheesecake Factory- $308.56 for 12 people (no names). $26 per person. 75% of GSA is $13.50 per person. This was during the work day, which probably also meant at least two hours to drive over, park, gather, order, drive back. To work. Note-this is not to be taken as a recommendation to have everything delivered. This is a good looking lunch, including eight desserts each of which cost more than I spent cooking dinner last night.

Good times don't come cheap.

Another Admin. This was at Mt. Vernon. There were some jokes about using Homewood Suites. This still ran about $170 per night per person, just for the hotel. Ten rooms. The names are on the hotel receipt. Times TWO nights. Plus food, projector, WiFi, screen, etc. About $4200. Somewhere in the midst of all this the school credit card was rejected (I can only imagine) and the principal put over $1000 on her personal credit card to close the deal. I noticed the large reimbursement to the principal and this came up.

This school is almost 60% FRM.

This school used a novel idea of using the Career and Technical Education Services to cater their special large meals. $7 a person. I noticed several "transfer to Culinary" entries. If you are going to allow them to do this, a win-win situation in my book. Do they deliver?????
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A mere sampling at Langley.
These are fairly well labeled.

Pulcinella for Curriculum night. I think this might fall under the $11.50 classification?

Listranis for the Admin team. $14.40 a person. Ragone, Amico, Bowerman, Meier, Noto, Rogers, Statz, Williams.

Cheescake Factory for the counselors. $15.38 a person. (The names are listed but my fingers are tired. It's probably 13 counselors.)

Pulcinella- Lunch for new teachers, with the rest of the faculty who were in the building invited.

Westwood Country Club-Prom Night! Dinner at the Country Club! The aforementioned Admin team plus the class sponsor, Gilman. I know they had their work cut out for them. The Rotunda was saved for them! $32 a person. I am sure the hearing exams they needed after that night fall under the health plan.
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I pulled several generic charges on several thousands dollars. I saw lots and lots of generic charges on multiple schools. This means that the individual records have to be pulled on each entry. Lots of work. This isn't free for me.

Mostly restaurants, including $3500 at Red, Hot, and Blue that is probably a big lunch for the staff. Pretty typical stuff.

Multiply this times 6 or more for some schools. Per year. I can't pull everything.
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the facts-McLeanHS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The restaurant tour continues.
>
> Again. no names. Some groups were too large
> (police, community members, students, etc. at Hard
> Times). The Holiday parties are for large groups.
> Cheesecake Factory was for 12 "support staff
> during staff development". That should have had
> names.
>
> Notes-
> Maggiano's 12/12-pasta and salad for about 180.
> Holiday lunch. The delivery fee alone was $256.52
> and there was a $235 tip. Total of $2300. $13 per
> person.
>
> Hard Times Café- Chili and hot dogs for 65.
> $872. $13.41 per person. Because it was a football
> game. There are LOTS of those.
>
> Maggiano's 12/13- pasta and salad for ?143. $2300.
> Holiday lunch. $273 delivery fee and $100 tip this
> time. $16 per person.
>
> Cheesecake Factory- $308.56 for 12 people (no
> names). $26 per person. 75% of GSA is $13.50 per
> person. This was during the work day, which
> probably also meant at least two hours to drive
> over, park, gather, order, drive back. To work.
> Note-this is not to be taken as a recommendation
> to have everything delivered. This is a good
> looking lunch, including eight desserts each of
> which cost more than I spent cooking dinner last
> night.
>
> Good times don't come cheap.

The attachment. Sorry.
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I pulled a few generic charges at Annandale. Lots of restaurants, parties, lots of trips to the nearby gift shop, things like 45 dozen donuts.... I thought it was interesting that they sent out for lunch on Bosses Day and bought the Admin team lunch. The principal basically threw his own party using public funds. Well, it's true!

Found an Admin retreat at an interesting location. Greenspring Village. A retirement community down in Springfield. Lovely place. I know it very well. Wonder how they picked it. Not quite as exciting as checking into a swanky hotel....The locals must have gotten a kick out of watching a pack of FCPS employees set up shop in their card room.
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Good job pointing out some things that should be addressed. Point made. When you say, "I can't do it all" who exactly is asking you to? Do you feel like you have constituents in your own fictitious political party? If you really are just "the facts" why the need for the snarky, judgmental comments? You lose me there. Just post what you find and let people decide whether or not they really care and leave the hyperbole out of it - you'd be far more credible that you are trying to do a good thing and not just on a witch hunt.

Barbara Brown- you still have not answered our questions

Do you fOIA your bosses accounts?
Has Reston Hospital even given you a free t-shirt, meal, etc?
Why do you begrudge teachers getting a free ice cream, shirt, or lunch?

^^^^^^^^above poster has it

The stuff you're finding is worth being public. And to an extent, your explanations are very helpful. But, unfortunately, support for public education has become hyper-politicized and your snarky comments draw readers toward viewing all school employees as moochers of public funds who do little in return.

Give us the facts and tell us who was responsible. It isn't necessary to paint all teachers, including Joe first-year math teacher, as gluttons for free lunches.

Let me clarify now that the post went to thread: I was agreeing with "So Angry, So Angry," not "Barbarab"

^I think the mentality of some of the above is that they don't want this information put out. Period. I never said people didn't work hard. But, they work for the government. They chose to work for the government. And part of that is restrictions on what you can do with public funds. Deal with it.

I will say anything I darn well please. I shell out thousands of dollars a year that goes into this system.

Have a nice weekend.