<p>SlackMomMD wrote</p>
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<p>This “pep rally” is not an uncommon event that occurs ONCE a YEAR to start the new academic year on a positive note. There is nothing even remotely like this at any other time. When I worked at Fairfax County Public Schools, one of the top school districts in the country, every August the system held a 2-3 day mini-conference for all teachers and support staff. I usually just went for one day because I was a planner (one of those ‘useless’ administrators) and the majority of sessions were directed toward teachers and counselors. The great thing about this was you got to meet people in other schools, buildings, fields within the school system and exchange ideas as well as put faces to emails and phone calls. BTW, this was a far less expensive solution than sending teachers out to national or even regional conventions.</p>
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<p>Typical. You realize money is fungible right? The money used to pay for this could easily cover 50 teaching assistants for the year. How the hell do you explain that you’d rather have a pep rally(at a professional arena) than give people jobs? In the real world (not government excess), when there are layoffs, none of this crap goes on. “Positive start to the year?” Is that a joke? These are supposed to be adults, not children. The state pays them and talent retention is not and has not ever been an issue. </p>
<p>I’m glad you got to meet people at other schools and that it was ‘great’ but you’ve done nothing to indicate that this conference added any value at taxpayer expense.</p>
<p>People like me scream about costs when the money is absurdly wasted, which it clearly, clearly is. I can identify tons of programs here in NC that are a complete waste of money. IPad programs and pep rallies for adults are particularly egregious considering the performance of a lot of these schools.</p>