KID Museum moving to Bethesda Metro?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Wow, why do they need three line items?

So these posters are against providing sports that disabled children can enjoy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Can you summarize this? Your post is making me fall asleep.

If I'm reading this ESSER III funding request correctly, maybe something like:

FRAUD. Any intentional act or omission for personal gain designed to deprive the county of its resources or assets to which the individual or person is not entitled. Fraud can occur through the spoken word or by an individual’s conduct and actions. Ex. setting up a Fraud hotline (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/fraudhotline/faq.aspx) for MCPS, but given MCPS contracted with Lighthouse Services, Inc., and whether those fraud reports go back to MCPS vs the Maryland IG?

WASTE. The careless expenditure of county funds or resources above and beyond the level that is reasonably required to meet the needs of the county, or the consumption or use of county resources that is not authorized. Ex. Buying Overpriced Equipment| Buying excessive goods or services| Inefficient use of resources, such as hundreds of thousands of dollars for $40 bocce ball sets?

ABUSE. The improper use of county resources in a manner contrary to law, policy or rules, or the improper use of one's position for private gain or advantage for himself or herself or any other person. Ex. using covid funding to pay for bocce balls?

It's too bad this puts you to sleep, but it's interesting reading for me for sure. Skimming over other entries, the tutoring, diversity training would also be of interest to see how many students actually benefitted and who the contracts were awarded to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Can you summarize this? Your post is making me fall asleep.

If I'm reading this ESSER III funding request correctly, maybe something like:

FRAUD. Any intentional act or omission for personal gain designed to deprive the county of its resources or assets to which the individual or person is not entitled. Fraud can occur through the spoken word or by an individual’s conduct and actions. Ex. setting up a Fraud hotline (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/fraudhotline/faq.aspx) for MCPS, but given MCPS contracted with Lighthouse Services, Inc., and whether those fraud reports go back to MCPS vs the Maryland IG?

WASTE. The careless expenditure of county funds or resources above and beyond the level that is reasonably required to meet the needs of the county, or the consumption or use of county resources that is not authorized. Ex. Buying Overpriced Equipment| Buying excessive goods or services| Inefficient use of resources, such as hundreds of thousands of dollars for $40 bocce ball sets?

ABUSE. The improper use of county resources in a manner contrary to law, policy or rules, or the improper use of one's position for private gain or advantage for himself or herself or any other person. Ex. using covid funding to pay for bocce balls?

It's too bad this puts you to sleep, but it's interesting reading for me for sure. Skimming over other entries, the tutoring, diversity training would also be of interest to see how many students actually benefitted and who the contracts were awarded to?

I’m with you PP. it should be of interest to most parents/taxpayers in Montgomery County. I mean, this money is coming out of our pay checks - whether at the local or the federal level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Wow, why do they need three line items?

So these posters are against providing sports that disabled children can enjoy?

Pathetic already had it in many schools and how many students is it impacting. Those kids need services.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Wow, why do they need three line items?

So these posters are against providing sports that disabled children can enjoy?

Yes, they'll rail against anything that they believe doesn't benefit just them and could care less about the welfare of others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Can you summarize this? Your post is making me fall asleep.

If I'm reading this ESSER III funding request correctly, maybe something like:

FRAUD. Any intentional act or omission for personal gain designed to deprive the county of its resources or assets to which the individual or person is not entitled. Fraud can occur through the spoken word or by an individual’s conduct and actions. Ex. setting up a Fraud hotline (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/fraudhotline/faq.aspx) for MCPS, but given MCPS contracted with Lighthouse Services, Inc., and whether those fraud reports go back to MCPS vs the Maryland IG?

WASTE. The careless expenditure of county funds or resources above and beyond the level that is reasonably required to meet the needs of the county, or the consumption or use of county resources that is not authorized. Ex. Buying Overpriced Equipment| Buying excessive goods or services| Inefficient use of resources, such as hundreds of thousands of dollars for $40 bocce ball sets?

ABUSE. The improper use of county resources in a manner contrary to law, policy or rules, or the improper use of one's position for private gain or advantage for himself or herself or any other person. Ex. using covid funding to pay for bocce balls?

It's too bad this puts you to sleep, but it's interesting reading for me for sure. Skimming over other entries, the tutoring, diversity training would also be of interest to see how many students actually benefitted and who the contracts were awarded to?

I’m with you PP. it should be of interest to most parents/taxpayers in Montgomery County. I mean, this money is coming out of our pay checks - whether at the local or the federal level.

Seems like they're against the use of funds that benefit the disabled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Can you summarize this? Your post is making me fall asleep.

If I'm reading this ESSER III funding request correctly, maybe something like:

FRAUD. Any intentional act or omission for personal gain designed to deprive the county of its resources or assets to which the individual or person is not entitled. Fraud can occur through the spoken word or by an individual’s conduct and actions. Ex. setting up a Fraud hotline (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/fraudhotline/faq.aspx) for MCPS, but given MCPS contracted with Lighthouse Services, Inc., and whether those fraud reports go back to MCPS vs the Maryland IG?

WASTE. The careless expenditure of county funds or resources above and beyond the level that is reasonably required to meet the needs of the county, or the consumption or use of county resources that is not authorized. Ex. Buying Overpriced Equipment| Buying excessive goods or services| Inefficient use of resources, such as hundreds of thousands of dollars for $40 bocce ball sets?

ABUSE. The improper use of county resources in a manner contrary to law, policy or rules, or the improper use of one's position for private gain or advantage for himself or herself or any other person. Ex. using covid funding to pay for bocce balls?

It's too bad this puts you to sleep, but it's interesting reading for me for sure. Skimming over other entries, the tutoring, diversity training would also be of interest to see how many students actually benefitted and who the contracts were awarded to?

I’m with you PP. it should be of interest to most parents/taxpayers in Montgomery County. I mean, this money is coming out of our pay checks - whether at the local or the federal level.

Seems like they're against the use of funds that benefit the disabled.

It's almost lunch time! Where is the gang headed today? Take a board member with you so you can charge MCPS for the meal. Mention the word "covid" for an easy "agenda" for the "lunch" and taxpayers will pick up the tab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Can you summarize this? Your post is making me fall asleep.

If I'm reading this ESSER III funding request correctly, maybe something like:

FRAUD. Any intentional act or omission for personal gain designed to deprive the county of its resources or assets to which the individual or person is not entitled. Fraud can occur through the spoken word or by an individual’s conduct and actions. Ex. setting up a Fraud hotline (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/fraudhotline/faq.aspx) for MCPS, but given MCPS contracted with Lighthouse Services, Inc., and whether those fraud reports go back to MCPS vs the Maryland IG?

WASTE. The careless expenditure of county funds or resources above and beyond the level that is reasonably required to meet the needs of the county, or the consumption or use of county resources that is not authorized. Ex. Buying Overpriced Equipment| Buying excessive goods or services| Inefficient use of resources, such as hundreds of thousands of dollars for $40 bocce ball sets?

ABUSE. The improper use of county resources in a manner contrary to law, policy or rules, or the improper use of one's position for private gain or advantage for himself or herself or any other person. Ex. using covid funding to pay for bocce balls?

It's too bad this puts you to sleep, but it's interesting reading for me for sure. Skimming over other entries, the tutoring, diversity training would also be of interest to see how many students actually benefitted and who the contracts were awarded to?

I’m with you PP. it should be of interest to most parents/taxpayers in Montgomery County. I mean, this money is coming out of our pay checks - whether at the local or the federal level.

Seems like they're against the use of funds that benefit the disabled.

It's almost lunch time! Where is the gang headed today? Take a board member with you so you can charge MCPS for the meal. Mention the word "covid" for an easy "agenda" for the "lunch" and taxpayers will pick up the tab.

The Troll is strong in this one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Can you summarize this? Your post is making me fall asleep.

If I'm reading this ESSER III funding request correctly, maybe something like:

FRAUD. Any intentional act or omission for personal gain designed to deprive the county of its resources or assets to which the individual or person is not entitled. Fraud can occur through the spoken word or by an individual’s conduct and actions. Ex. setting up a Fraud hotline (https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/fraudhotline/faq.aspx) for MCPS, but given MCPS contracted with Lighthouse Services, Inc., and whether those fraud reports go back to MCPS vs the Maryland IG?

WASTE. The careless expenditure of county funds or resources above and beyond the level that is reasonably required to meet the needs of the county, or the consumption or use of county resources that is not authorized. Ex. Buying Overpriced Equipment| Buying excessive goods or services| Inefficient use of resources, such as hundreds of thousands of dollars for $40 bocce ball sets?

ABUSE. The improper use of county resources in a manner contrary to law, policy or rules, or the improper use of one's position for private gain or advantage for himself or herself or any other person. Ex. using covid funding to pay for bocce balls?

It's too bad this puts you to sleep, but it's interesting reading for me for sure. Skimming over other entries, the tutoring, diversity training would also be of interest to see how many students actually benefitted and who the contracts were awarded to?

I’m with you PP. it should be of interest to most parents/taxpayers in Montgomery County. I mean, this money is coming out of our pay checks - whether at the local or the federal level.

Seems like they're against the use of funds that benefit the disabled.

It's almost lunch time! Where is the gang headed today? Take a board member with you so you can charge MCPS for the meal. Mention the word "covid" for an easy "agenda" for the "lunch" and taxpayers will pick up the tab.

The Troll is strong in this one.

It's hard to accept the truth when lies are what you wanted to hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a thread on this a few months ago. I have had 4 kids go through MCPS and my youngest is now in MS. How many field trips did your MCPS kid do pre-covid? How many post-covid? There has been a huge reduction in field trips over the years. Teachers don't want to organize. Principals don't consider them part of the curriculum. Now Covid is STILL a reason. All sorts of excuses. MCPS will barely use this museum. Must be someone on the board or leadership of the museum who knows someone in MCPS Central Office to advocate for this. I'd like to know who.

It’s one of the BOE members’ wives who founded it and runs it and the former superintendent (starr’s wife) is director of communications. We need an inspector general now!

Absolutely. MCPS desperately needs more oversight. It’s an incredibly corrupt system that wastes an incredible amount of taxpayer money.

I get that you like saying these things over and over but without any tangible proof, it's kind of meaningless.

Every couple days the same poster goes on a tired about the BOE and McKnight and spending. For example, they started the 10-page thread about a recruiting trip to an HBCU and I can't even remember the one after that because I stopped reading their nonsense.

By corruption, they mean they disagree with their spending priorities but hope by using a pejorative term to insinuate something nefarious which is apparently not the case.

Why is funding a private business a spending priority of a public school system? Shouldn't public school funding go to fund actual public schools?

They're paying them for services rendered, not investing capital. Kid Museum provides educational events for the MCPS kids.

Also Kid Museum is a non-profit.

What $2.5M in services for Bethesda students?

Our Bethesda kid went once at Davis. Stop with this. Purple line will provide excellent access.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a thread on this a few months ago. I have had 4 kids go through MCPS and my youngest is now in MS. How many field trips did your MCPS kid do pre-covid? How many post-covid? There has been a huge reduction in field trips over the years. Teachers don't want to organize. Principals don't consider them part of the curriculum. Now Covid is STILL a reason. All sorts of excuses. MCPS will barely use this museum. Must be someone on the board or leadership of the museum who knows someone in MCPS Central Office to advocate for this. I'd like to know who.

It’s one of the BOE members’ wives who founded it and runs it and the former superintendent (starr’s wife) is director of communications. We need an inspector general now!

Absolutely. MCPS desperately needs more oversight. It’s an incredibly corrupt system that wastes an incredible amount of taxpayer money.

I get that you like saying these things over and over but without any tangible proof, it's kind of meaningless.

Every couple days the same poster goes on a tired about the BOE and McKnight and spending. For example, they started the 10-page thread about a recruiting trip to an HBCU and I can't even remember the one after that because I stopped reading their nonsense.

By corruption, they mean they disagree with their spending priorities but hope by using a pejorative term to insinuate something nefarious which is apparently not the case.

Why is funding a private business a spending priority of a public school system? Shouldn't public school funding go to fund actual public schools?

They're paying them for services rendered, not investing capital. Kid Museum provides educational events for the MCPS kids.

Also Kid Museum is a non-profit.

Schools/PTA's have to pay additional fees to use the Kid Museum and their events. Its not free for MCPS schools/PTA's. And, they don't have fee waivers either. I tried earlier this year.

Both of these things can be true. MCPS pays Kid Museum for STEM programs for a finite number of students.

Finite? How many Bethesda kids? What you are saying is it an exclusive “school” in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a thread on this a few months ago. I have had 4 kids go through MCPS and my youngest is now in MS. How many field trips did your MCPS kid do pre-covid? How many post-covid? There has been a huge reduction in field trips over the years. Teachers don't want to organize. Principals don't consider them part of the curriculum. Now Covid is STILL a reason. All sorts of excuses. MCPS will barely use this museum. Must be someone on the board or leadership of the museum who knows someone in MCPS Central Office to advocate for this. I'd like to know who.

It’s one of the BOE members’ wives who founded it and runs it and the former superintendent (starr’s wife) is director of communications. We need an inspector general now!

Absolutely. MCPS desperately needs more oversight. It’s an incredibly corrupt system that wastes an incredible amount of taxpayer money.

I get that you like saying these things over and over but without any tangible proof, it's kind of meaningless.

Every couple days the same poster goes on a tired about the BOE and McKnight and spending. For example, they started the 10-page thread about a recruiting trip to an HBCU and I can't even remember the one after that because I stopped reading their nonsense.

By corruption, they mean they disagree with their spending priorities but hope by using a pejorative term to insinuate something nefarious which is apparently not the case.

Why is funding a private business a spending priority of a public school system? Shouldn't public school funding go to fund actual public schools?

They're paying them for services rendered, not investing capital. Kid Museum provides educational events for the MCPS kids.

Also Kid Museum is a non-profit.

What $2.5M in services for Bethesda students?

Our Bethesda kid went once at Davis. Stop with this. Purple line will provide excellent access.

Our not Bethesda schools have never been. I contacted them to see if they’d do a zoom field trip for free as we did not have the money and was told no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a thread on this a few months ago. I have had 4 kids go through MCPS and my youngest is now in MS. How many field trips did your MCPS kid do pre-covid? How many post-covid? There has been a huge reduction in field trips over the years. Teachers don't want to organize. Principals don't consider them part of the curriculum. Now Covid is STILL a reason. All sorts of excuses. MCPS will barely use this museum. Must be someone on the board or leadership of the museum who knows someone in MCPS Central Office to advocate for this. I'd like to know who.

It’s one of the BOE members’ wives who founded it and runs it and the former superintendent (starr’s wife) is director of communications. We need an inspector general now!

Absolutely. MCPS desperately needs more oversight. It’s an incredibly corrupt system that wastes an incredible amount of taxpayer money.

I get that you like saying these things over and over but without any tangible proof, it's kind of meaningless.

Every couple days the same poster goes on a tired about the BOE and McKnight and spending. For example, they started the 10-page thread about a recruiting trip to an HBCU and I can't even remember the one after that because I stopped reading their nonsense.

By corruption, they mean they disagree with their spending priorities but hope by using a pejorative term to insinuate something nefarious which is apparently not the case.

Why is funding a private business a spending priority of a public school system? Shouldn't public school funding go to fund actual public schools?

They're paying them for services rendered, not investing capital. Kid Museum provides educational events for the MCPS kids.

Also Kid Museum is a non-profit.

What $2.5M in services for Bethesda students?

Our Bethesda kid went once at Davis. Stop with this. Purple line will provide excellent access.

How do the schools not in walking distance of the metro get there on the metro?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a thread on this a few months ago. I have had 4 kids go through MCPS and my youngest is now in MS. How many field trips did your MCPS kid do pre-covid? How many post-covid? There has been a huge reduction in field trips over the years. Teachers don't want to organize. Principals don't consider them part of the curriculum. Now Covid is STILL a reason. All sorts of excuses. MCPS will barely use this museum. Must be someone on the board or leadership of the museum who knows someone in MCPS Central Office to advocate for this. I'd like to know who.

It’s one of the BOE members’ wives who founded it and runs it and the former superintendent (starr’s wife) is director of communications. We need an inspector general now!

Absolutely. MCPS desperately needs more oversight. It’s an incredibly corrupt system that wastes an incredible amount of taxpayer money.

I get that you like saying these things over and over but without any tangible proof, it's kind of meaningless.

Every couple days the same poster goes on a tired about the BOE and McKnight and spending. For example, they started the 10-page thread about a recruiting trip to an HBCU and I can't even remember the one after that because I stopped reading their nonsense.

By corruption, they mean they disagree with their spending priorities but hope by using a pejorative term to insinuate something nefarious which is apparently not the case.

Why is funding a private business a spending priority of a public school system? Shouldn't public school funding go to fund actual public schools?

They're paying them for services rendered, not investing capital. Kid Museum provides educational events for the MCPS kids.

Also Kid Museum is a non-profit.

What $2.5M in services for Bethesda students?

Our Bethesda kid went once at Davis. Stop with this. Purple line will provide excellent access.

How do the schools not in walking distance of the metro get there on the metro?

They could take the metro if they wanted to but I think MCPS has a fleet of electric busses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools are scrambling to use Covid funds, as it’s a lot of temporarily available money. The challenge is that the money will not be there in a few years. Maybe the central admin thought getting bocce equipment is a good use of funds because they’d be start up costs as opposed to something they’d need to sustain. That doesn’t mean it’s the best use, but that might be the reasoning.

There are lots of ways to spend that money responsibly. This was not one.

OK, well they actually did propose to spend the ESSER III funds in lots of ways. According to the grant application linked earlier, only $223,800 was specified for bocce. The overall total amount of the grant was $252.2 million:


• The requested funds will be used to provide for:
o Position salaries;
o Non-position salaries;
o Stipends;
o Associated employee benefits;
o Contractual services;
o Special education compensatory services;
o Instructional materials and technology support and resources.

• The requested grant funds will support a total of 271 additional positions. The positions to be
added include: 113 teachers; 32 paraeducators; 50 social workers; 40 counselors; and a range of
other positions.

Given the half-a**ed analysis, you must work for the Central Office? Try again.

Page 28, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $527,400—In order to expand and enhance engagement opportunities for middle school
students, with particular emphasis on students with disabilities and targeted focus groups, program
offerings in the middle school interscholastic athletics program will expand to include bocce and
an additional sport to be offered during the course of the school year. Examples of possible sport
offerings include futsal, flag football, and tennis. Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities

Description Cost
Bocce—Stipends (3 years x 1 x $1,215 per
school x 40 sites)
$145,800
Additional Support—Stipends (3 years x 2 x
$1,215 per school x 40 sites)
$291,600

Page 35, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement Through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $453,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities. The
additional sport offering will be identified through a collaborative process of stakeholders across
the middle school athletics program, with the focus of increasing participation opportunities for
targeted populations, including African American and Hispanic students. Contractual services
necessary for both programs are listed below.

Description Cost
Bocce—Officials (3 years x $175 per school
x 40 sites)
$21,000
Additional Support—Officials (3 years x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$42,000
Additional Support—Transportation (3 years
x 5 x $650 per school x 40 sites)
$390,000
Total Cost $453,000

Page 40, Supporting Social-Emotional Engagement through Sports for Special Education and Focus
Groups: $197,000—Bocce will be offered as the first corollary sport offering at the middle school
level, providing opportunities for all students, in particular students with disabilities.

Description Cost
Bocce—Balls (3 years x 1 x $145 per school
x 40 sites)
$17,400
Bocce—Startup costs—Courts (3 years x 2 x
$350 per school x 40 sites)
$28,000
Bocce—Startup costs—Balls (3 years x 2 x
$145 per school x 40 sites)
$11,600
Additional Support—Equipment (3 years x
$500 per school x 40 sites)
$60,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Uniforms ($1,000 per school x 40 sites)
$40,000
Additional Support—Startup costs—
Equipment (3 years x 2 x $1,215 per school x
40 sites)
$40,000
Total Cost $197,000

Wow, why do they need three line items?

So these posters are against providing sports that disabled children can enjoy?

Yes, they'll rail against anything that they believe doesn't benefit just them and could care less about the welfare of others.

Right, because bocci ball is far more important than things like reading specialists, para's, speech pathologists, OT's, social workers.....