It's not a hoax. I was given a letter from The principal at Bucknell saying that his cluster director had directed him to attend The Model School Conference.

Not a hoax Wrote:
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> It's not a hoax. I was given a letter from The
> principal at Bucknell saying that his cluster
> director had directed him to attend The Model
> School Conference.

Same quality of evidence as everything offered above: FUCKING WORTHLESS

Agree with you!

All that ever comes of these admin conferences are school-based faculty meetings and trainings where we are "taught" how to implement the new best thing in education. We end up half-reading a new text that the school buys for us, listening to a couple of already trained teachers (admin-proteges) gush about how wonderful the new thing is, and then figure out on our own how to document our implementation of the new thing, all while continuing to try and teach the same way we always have.

Education doesn't change. Someone who knows how to do something figures out (with assistance from colleagues they trust and admire) how to be effective at teaching others how to do it. Simple.

FCPS should be in the practice of attracting effective teachers and staying out of their way in the classroom.

I came to FCPS because the salary/benefits were attractive and I had the opportunity to work with bright students. Getting in was competitive. I'm not certain that those coming after me are experiencing the same.

a challenge Wrote:
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> Somebody FOIA the travel approvals for this
> supposed trip extraordinaire-
>
> Frances Ivey (yes, she would have had to have her
> application approved)
> Mary McNamee
> Kristen McNamara
> Lori Barb
>
> and post them here. The reports should be back by
> mid-July.
>
> There are so damn many pro bono legal people out
> there who love to argue with the school system.
> Let's go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> If there isn't something here by mid-July you are
> all a bunch of wusses.


I am not doubting that his trip is happening, but Ivey does not oversee Lee high school anymore. Makes no sense.

Who paid for this trip.....instructional services, pla....has to come from some pot of money.

Ivey not heir boss Wrote:
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> Who paid for this trip...

Don't expect answers. Just more smoke an mirrors.
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When she became county director in 2007

Ivey said that her new position will provide the opportunity to work on a team committed to planning, implementing, and delivering curriculum services for the “world class” education that all Fairfax County Public School students deserve.

Happy Summer!
This thread is dunzo!

Relax and enjoy your life!

Not only did principals go but several other personnel from the schools went with them. Many stayed at the conference location which was the Swan/Dolphin or another Disney property. So yes the kids and teachers had to go to school the extra days but they opted for fun in the sun. At a time when Dr. Garza is cutting jobs because of the budget and withholding a raise until November (raises which Faixfax County employees haven't received in years) they go off and spend thousands!!!! Really Dr. Garza your calling for jobs and adding more kids to classrooms because of the budget yet you allow this expense. Some people didn't even make sure they purchased airline tickets in time to secure a cheaper fare. Obviously there must be no money issue. That was poor judgment on these principals who decided to go and leave the school behind on these added days. Oh and the principal at Stuart High School that is having all the problems took two of her buddies and went off for a good old Disney time.

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Not a hoax Wrote:
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> It's not a hoax. I was given a letter from The
> principal at Bucknell saying that his cluster
> director had directed him to attend The Model
> School Conference.


Post it.

Raise your aim Wrote:
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> brackets, anyone? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am guessing $1999.99 per person.
>
>
> Easy. I'll take the over at about $3,500 all-in
> as billed through.

"Travel exceeding $2000 for any single event must be approved by an assistant Superintendent."

This is a conference for the new Region 3.

May be a cost incurred under restructuring from Clusters to Regions

For all those saying it's a scam, are you back from FL yet?

CVS laid in a large supply of aloe after they heard about this.

I think CVS is going to take a bath on the aloe. This will be a non-issue within the week. Too many politically-correct people scared to rock the boat.

My admin arrived back today.

Laying low about the trip. Almost wonder if they were advised not to chat about it.

I got MY tan on a chaise lounge out in my driveway.

They are probably not chatting about it because this whole thing was a figment of someone's clever imagination. Senior prank???!!!

This thread is a total...
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I think there are bunch of fraidy cats out there.

"My admin arrived back today.

Laying low about the trip. Almost wonder if they were advised not to chat about it."


You got it. +1000

When the schools start declining more, they will say that we have not been paying enough for the schools and more money will make them better.

The truth is that more taxes make those who can move out to places with lower taxes AND better schools go. This is what urbanization looks like and it is why the schools are always better in the "suburban" areas. Meanwhile, the FCPS bureaucracy is looking pretty urban as well.

I think 300 foia questions about this would make a good senior prank.

class of 2014,

You seem to have a great deal of time on your hands.




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> I think 300 foia questions about this would make a
> good senior prank.

We do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And we are loving it.

Do we have the info for initiating FOIA? Lots of time on our hands, students, teachers, staff, need a project for the summer.

NothingChanges Wrote:
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> Not only did principals go but several other
> personnel from the schools went with them. Many
> stayed at the conference location which was the
> Swan/Dolphin or another Disney property.

That much is true.

But you miss the point on how these conferences work. Sure, FCPS will pay for some younger people to attend and fill in the seminar seats and go visit the amusement parks with their own kids, who of course were pulled from school early for the trip.

But the real focus is on those administrators near the "transition" stage of their careers, to "network" with potential future employers. Happens all the time, and not just in academia. If your conference is in Orlando, Las Vegas, or (gasp) Branson, it's the little side meetings that matter most.

summer is a perfect time Wrote:
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> Do we have the info for initiating FOIA? Lots of
> time on our hands, students, teachers, staff, need
> a project for the summer.


This thread is probably a hoax that has gone viral.

But, if you want to give it a whirl, the instructions are back on June 23rd and June 24th. Everybody has to have a travel claim, which needs to be approved. The approval probably has the source of funding on it. Start with that. The receipts don't have to be turned in for a few weeks.

It is hard to chase what could very well be a product of a student's imagination-they probably thought they would have some fun with the 'rents, and this has been very entertaining. I liked the airport scenes and the bake sale requests, myself.

The foia contact is Brandynn.Reaves@fcps.edu.

The worst that can happen is that you get a notice that this did not exist. Nothing to lose.

Philosophical Question Wrote:
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> If a tree fell in an empty schoolhouse, which
> residents were being taxed to keep open, would it
> make a sound?


+1000

Almost every FCPS employees were upset that the six figure employees had an all expense paid trip to Disney World for a conference the last few days of school for a conference. Probably drinking champagne and laughing off of at the people they fired who are packing their bags. Garza has just cleaned the house with a fresh batch of cronies.

Working for FCPS I witnessed so much wasteful spending, I can not imagine how much worse our local and federal government spends our money.

The fact is that these people are public servants and they should not be making six figures. You do not become a public servant to live in a luxurious house and drive a luxury car...it is very self serving...while the real public servants who work under these six figure salaried arm chair commanders struggle.

Did anybody ever attempt to get any records or are you just going to sit around and whine about something that nobody has proven yet?

It happened. Got a letter from my admin today talking about the new school-wide approach we're going to start using that he learned at the Model Schools conference he attended in June.

I don't want to post the letter, because I don't want it to come back and bite me in the ass. If you're a parent, I say go for it and request via FOIA. And tell the media... T Rees Shapiro covers FCPS for the Washington Post, for example.

In addition to not being at school for sone of the most trying days of the school year, getting an all-expenses paid trip to Florida when we haven't gotten a meaningful raise in years, now we're going to have to once again re-invent the wheel through another whole school approach next year? This whole thing leave a bad taste in my mouth, and in many other teachers' too.

Mr. Shapiro can get his own records. He does this all the time.

The foia contact is Brandynn.Reaves@fcps.edu.

I can say she has gotten at least 1 POIA because I sent a request last week. From what I understand everyone else's FOIA request on this is free now. Par---teeee!

see June 23rd Wrote:
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> It is hard to chase what could very well be a
> product of a student's imagination-they probably
> thought they would have some fun with the 'rents,
> and this has been very entertaining. I liked the
> airport scenes and the bake sale requests, myself.

That's because you WROTE them, you useless assfuck.

This is the place for useless...
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Teacher Wrote:
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> It happened. Got a letter from my admin today
> talking about the new school-wide approach we're
> going to start using that he learned at the Model
> Schools conference he attended in June.
>
> I don't want to post the letter, because I don't
> want it to come back and bite me in the ass. If
> you're a parent, I say go for it and request via
> FOIA. And tell the media... T Rees Shapiro covers
> FCPS for the Washington Post, for example.
>
> In addition to not being at school for sone of
> the most trying days of the school year, getting
> an all-expenses paid trip to Florida when we
> haven't gotten a meaningful raise in years, now
> we're going to have to once again re-invent the
> wheel through another whole school approach next
> year? This whole thing leave a bad taste in my
> mouth, and in many other teachers' too.


Do you think any of the admins care what taste it left in your mouth? They have done it for decades and will do for many many more. Garza in all probability is already crying about next years budget and the board is scrambling to see how much higher they can raise your real estate taxes without being run out of town. The only question left is do they do a conference in Las Vegas or New York next year?

where is the ammount they spend?

Most of the School Board goes to Nashville in March for their national convention.

edwin Wrote:
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> where is the ammount they spend?

We will take a look...........Happy New Year.

Wonder if the AD's (at least at South County) will be enjoying a winter break like the one 2 of them went to in California some time ago? Always something going on in FFX County! Tax dollars at work. Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah!

So much traveling... Wrote:
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> Wonder if the AD's (at least at South County) will
> be enjoying a winter break like the one 2 of them
> went to in California some time ago? Always
> something going on in FFX County! Tax dollars at
> work. Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah!


Great restaurants in San Diego.

About 100 went down to Orlando. Confirmed. See the new thread.

Nosing around Wrote:
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> About 100 went down to Orlando. Confirmed. See the
> new thread.


Maybe the taxpayers will get a thank you note.

Check out the non-local travel thread. Report Number 1. Orlando. The Swan and Dolphin looks like quite a place.

Where is the link to the non local thread?





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> Check out the non-local travel thread. Report
> Number 1. Orlando. The Swan and Dolphin looks like
> quite a place.

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/2/1766399.html