MY APPRAISAL OF THE 2013-2014 KATY ISD FOUNDATION GRANTS AWARDS AND EXAMPLES TO SUPPORT MY OPINION:
In the
March
20-26
Edition of
the
Chronicle's
Ultimate
Katy
section,
there is
an article
telling
abut the
Katy ISD
Education
Foundation
hosting
its "first
Jazz with
a Latin
Flair," a
reception
and dinner
at Palacio
Maria to
benefit
the
Foundation's
"Inspiring
Imagination
teacher
grant
program."
The
article
goes on to
say that
in its
"inaugural
grant
cycle, the
foundation
awarded
$88,000 to
117 KISD
teachers
for
"inspiring
innovative
classroom
projects"
that have
been
implemented
this
school
year.
The second
grant
cycle
began last
November
with
grants to
be awarded
to
teachers
in May."
Being
curious, I
asked
through an
Open
Records
Request
for a copy
of the
titles of
the grants
that won
awards,
what
teachers
they went
to and at
which
schools.
I think I
just fell
into proof
that I was
correct
all these
years in
opposing
foundations!
Here are
some of
the thirty
"classroom
projects"
that
exemplify,
according
to the
foundation's
director
and ousted
school
board
member,
Chris
Crockett,
"innovative
and
inspiring
and
imaginative"
activities
for KISD
students.
I will let
the reader
decide if
they
measure up
to the
trumpeting
rhetoric!
There were
30
grants.
There were
117
teachers
receiving
funding
for their
projects,
but some
of the
teachers
got funds
for more
than one
project.
I would
question
why the
money
couldn't
be spread
around a
bit more
as long as
this is
how it
will be
used.
The
brochure
sent to me
by the
School
District
had photos
of the
winning
teachers.
In almost
all of the
photos are
Chris
Crockett,
the
Foundation's
director,
but also
there is
Ann Hodge.
One may
wonder
about the
presence
of Ann
Hodge if
one does
not know
that she
is
currently
running
for public
office and
needs the
exposure.
Alton Frailey
only
appears
once that
I can find.
The
project
that
caught my
eye and
which, in
my humble
opinion,
is the one
that says
it all is
one that
"implements
an
all-inclusive
campus-wide
Science
Fair that
extends
student
classroom
experiences."
The "Key
Message"
is that
the
Science
Fair will
be a
school-wide
event
enabling
students
to exhibit
their
projects
and share
them with
teachers,
classmates,
and
families.
Teachers
are hoping
that this
project
will
launch an
annual
Science
Fair
tradition
at their
campus.
The
project
allows
students
to explore
and
satisfy
their
natural
curiosity
about the
world
around
them.
The
Science
Vertical
Team, one
Science
teacher
from each
grade
level,
will
oversee
the
project."
I am
greatly
amused by
this one!
Perhaps
these
teachers
don't know
that KATY
ISD used
to have
Science
Fairs in
every
school.
They were
dumped
when
"education
reform"
reared
it's ugly
head,
because,
in my opinion, when everyone has to be the "same," then we can't have competitions like
Science or History Fairs which ultimately have winners and losers.. Of course
believing that "everyone is just the same" would appear to me to be just
plain
idiotic.
But just
like "no
score"
soccer
games for
little
kids,
"no
winner"
Science
Fair
projects
will still
be judged,
analyzed,
and
winners
declared
by the
participants
(unless of
course
they've
been
brain-washed
already
into not
thinking
in terms
of winners
and
losers.)
Can't have
losers!
So don't
expect
this
"project"
to gain
traction.
And no,
it's not
very
innovative
as it's
been done
before--at
least the
part where
there are
Science
Fair
projects--but
the
innovation
is, of
course,
that there
are no
winners!
What a
great
concept on
which to
spend
$3,200!
The most
innovative
idea that
I see is
the one
where six
teachers
at Michael
Griffin
Elementary
and seven
teachers
at Bonnie
Holland
Elementary
managed to
get a
grant from
somewhere
else to
send them
all to
Italy and
France,
and then
the KISD
Foundation
is giving
them
$2,000 to
"share
their
experience
and
knowledge
acquired
with
students,
introducing
new
projects
and
techniques.
Students
will
create
their own
fresco and
sculptures."
I won't
even
comment on
what's
wrong with
this
picture!
But way to
go,
teachers!
It's great
to get to
go to
Europe on
someone
else's
dime! Of
course,
I think you would
have
enjoyed it
more if
you had
worked
hard and
paid for
it
yourselves.
The
project
that is
for all
grades at
Wolman
Elementary
to create
an
"outdoor
learning
classroom"
to
"connect
student
[s] to
nature and
the world
around
them"
brings to
mind that
the
Wolman's,
for whom
the school
is named,
should
have told
them about
KISD's own
"Outdoor
Learning
Center"
(seems
like Mr.Wolman
used to
have
something
to do with
that
place)
that is a
high-priced
garden
just full
of native
plants
that these
students
could all
visit
quite
regularly
using the
$5,000
grant for
bus
service
instead of
to buy "(
seeds,
soil,
plants,
materials
for a
gazebo,
rain water
barrels,
lady bugs
and
earthworms.")
I'm
guessing that the
Outdoor
Learning
Center
already
HAS all
that
stuff.
Probably
the
project
that is
the most
curious is
the $5,000
grant to
eight
teachers
at King
Elementary
for a rug.
This
special
rug allows
students
to "build
a strong
foundation
in
numeracy
and the
patterns
in our
number
system by
having a
learning
carpet in
their
classroom.
The "Key
Message"
says that
the
"learning
carpet is
a
permanently
gridded,
one-hundred
chart on a
six foot
square
rug.
Students
can
physically
walk
through
the
numbers
while
recognizing
the
patterns
of one and
ten.
The carpet
allows
multi-curricular
use for
telling
time,
measurement,
geometry,
graphing,
creating
patterns,
mapping
skills and
language
concepts.
The
project
will serve
600
students."
Might I
suggest
that
$5,000 for
a six foot
square rug
is a
pretty
steep
price.
Couldn't
these
ladies
have just
drawn one
themselves
on the
floor?
It also
might be a
good idea
to buy
more than
one of
these rugs
if 600 are
going to
be "using"
it. Also
just
playing
hop-scotch
on the
playground
might
do more
for
student
numeracy!
And of
course,
I'm
unalterably
opposed to
teaching
math in
this way
that is so
confusing
to
students.
That's why
teachers
have to
teach
Algebra I
for two
years when
these
students
get to
high
school--because
of the
inane way
math is
being
taught, in
my opinion,
in
elementary
school.
May I also
suggest
that the
$5,000 be
used to
buy
instead
two 8 x 11
Heriz
carpets
for the
Teachers'
lounges.
They will
be
infinitely
more
appreciated!
Probably
the
project
that takes
the cake,
though, is
the grant
for
$793.51
for the
purpose of
allowing
"students
to improve
focus and
stimulate
their
brains by
sitting on
a
stability
ball
instead of
a chair."
The "Key
Message"
says that
the
"project
is
research-supported
and is
targeted
for
special
needs
students.
Research
indicates
use of the
balls
instead of
chairs
will allow
students
[to] be
more
attentive
in their
learning,
resulting
in better
performance."
I'm not
buying
that!
Research
based on
the
results of
EIGHT
students'
experiences
isn't
really
"research"
at all.
http://ajot.aotapress.net/content/65/4/393.abstract
But you
all have
fun with
those
balls!
Funny how
I'm not
seeing
"innovation"
with all
this
money!
But thanks
to all of
you for
proving my
long held
opinion,
that
Foundations
are a
waste,
that they
take in
money from
the
unsuspecting
and use it
in ways
that a
normal
school
board
would not
endorse,
and the
funds for which are
placed and
used
without
the
oversight
of the
school
board.
This activity is
not the
way things
have been
done in
our state
until just
recently
or in our
school
district
until
Chris
Crockett
came
along.