Yesterday our absent minded administrator struck again. I was in the middle of a lesson and a young man walked into my room with an armful of large brown envelopes stuffed with stapled papers. In a very polite way I asked, “Who the bleep are you and what the bleep are you doing in my room?” He apologize and told me that a long time ago our district had accepted some federal money for some nifty program and it was time to pay the piper. He had a survey to give the students and wondered if this was a good time. He confessed that this had been scheduled but it seems that our leaders forgot about it, let alone told us. It was another example of the situations in which we hear that phrase, “Let’s all be professional and work as a team. Remember we are in this together.” To be translated, “I have screwed up again and it is your job to bail me out while we all act like this is how it was supposed to go.”
He passed out the surveys. The students answered them. I collected them. He came back for them. I never did get the class back on track.
Later in the day as I was working on my conference period I was hunted down by the secretary for the administrator and asked to go to a “brief” meeting. They wanted to interview some teachers about the program that the survey was about. I was sent to a room that already had a meeting going on. We finally found a place to go. Four teachers showed up. Two interviewers were there. This is what was going on:
About two years ago our district received $3,000,000.00 in a Federal Grant (Tax dollars for those who are not paying attention). The money was to be used by six schools. (For those who went to public schools that comes to $500,000.00 per school.) Two people were hired to work with the students who were truant in attendance and tardies. The one who was labeled “full time” was at our school two days a week. They were supposed to work with these kids on their attendance issues and it was supposed to change their lives.
We were asked if we felt like it had made any difference. I pointed out that all the data was in the computer system and could be evaluated objectively. They ignored me. They did not want to know if it had made a difference, they wanted to know how we felt.
Did you get the numbers? $3,000,000.00 of your tax money to hire two people to interview kids about why they were cutting class. Over two years that breaks down to $250,000 a year per school for two part time people. Not bad money if you can get it.
I just want to thank you for your contribution to the cause. Every dime of it came out of your pocket.
Vote the suckers out.
homo unius libri
Do they have to teach Education management officials how to waste money and time, or does it just come with the job description.
ReplyDeleteOur principal told us at our last staff meeting that the school has been instructed to appoint a "Gender focal person". No one seems to know what this term means or entails.
We decided as a staff that we wanted "focal" to do with it.
Where do they find these ideas.
My theory is that they have a book called "Day by Day School Management." They read the item for the day and follow the steps outlined. At no time is the brain engaged. They do what they are told, so should we.
DeleteI have always wondered how the brain they seemed to have when they were teaching begins to dissolve when they move to administration.
We just had open house. It was supposed to start at 6:00. The principal arrived at 6:02. The manual probably did not tell her to get there early.
Grace and peace.