73° F
8 Scholarships covered the lion’s share of the cost of a recent trip to China by three top Eanes school district administrators.
The district accounting department reports that scholarships from the Hanban Confucius Institute and the College Board covered approximately $27,000 of the expense of the summer journey. The district will cover an additional $3,585 in expenses relating to the trip.
Superintendent Nola Wellman, Westlake High School Principal Linda Rawlings and the district coordinator of math and science Jerri LaMirand embarked on a weeklong trip to China from June 22-July 1, part of a delegation of 400 U.S. educators who met with Chinese education leaders. District educators say the trip afforded a valuable opportunity to expand thinking on global education, learn about other cultures and expand the Chinese language program in U.S. schools.
“One of our district goals focuses on instilling a global perspective into our curriculum, and the (school) board has directed us to seek grant opportunities that support our mission and goals,” Wellman said. “The College Board-Hanban-sponsored trip is an excellent example of a program with great value for a minimal district commitment. We were honored to be selected as scholarship recipients.”
The College Board started the Chinese Bridge Delegation scholarship fund in 2006 to help educators get first-hand experience with the education system in China and gather knowledge and contacts to help start a Chinese language program. Each year, the College Board accepts applications from education leaders throughout the U.S. to fund the majority of the expenses associated with the trip. Priority is given to secondary school professionals.
“We receive thousands of applications for each trip, and we award about 400,” Sheila Jameson with the College Board said.
Educators at the school district say China is a country that is rapidly changing and rising on the global stage.
“Our vision at Westlake is to help all of our students become the global citizens they will need to be in their future world of work,” Rawlings said. “I came back to the U.S. with a clearer picture of what we can do to better prepare our students for that environment.”
All three Eanes educators received scholarships worth approximately $9,000 apiece to cover the costs of roundtrip airfare to China, airfare within China, and ground transportation, lodging and admission fees incurred there.
The district will cover three $295 roundtrip airfares from Austin to New York City and three $900 participation fees required for the College Board/Hanban scholarship, said district communications director Dale Whitaker. Other reimbursement may be requested later for the cost of meals incurred by administrators during a delay in the return flight.
Oh really…and you say the district accounting office reported that? So for about the cost of ice for a Friday night football game, our top 3 administrators were able to participate in a program in China that will hopefully benefit our children? Like I said Anonymous…I’m the dog—you’re the fire hydrant………..again.
I challenge Nola Wellman to post (on the district website) detailed expense reports and related expenditures for this and any other trip involving Eanes ISD administrators in 08/09 and forward.
While class sizes rise and teacher positions and academic programs are threatened, Nola Wellman has added many new central administrative positions and increased administrative salaries by a whopping 50%.
Link here:
http://www.keepeanesinformed.com/why_can%27t_we_fund_teachers.htm
Uh…you should probably read the next article about Eanes…
Rex,
Whether it’s ‘ice for a Friday night football game’ or better yet basic classroom supplies, these administrative junkets add up. $3,500 and counting isn’t pocket change for those teachers spending their own money to stock classrooms for our kids. Can you provide concrete examples illustrating how this trip taken by three administrators is going to trickle down to our kids on a daily basis, if at all? We all hear the district rhetoric, but we’re failing to see true and meaningful benefit extending to our kids. I bet teachers would love to provide a long list showing how they could have better spent this money in their classrooms.
Isn’t there something a bit disturbing about a Communist totalitarian state paying to bring US educators in to “expand perspectives?” I hope the American educators take the opportunity to help Chinese leaders understand the value of human rights and especially, the importance of females in society.
First off, it’s not OK with me that my tax dollars were spent to send 3 administrators on an extravagant trip to Asia.
Secondy, everything on the internet that I can find for the Hanban Confucius Institute scholarship says that it is intended for students or teachers who will be teaching chinese as a second language. Did they award the scholarships to Westlake High School (and then the administrators decided who would enjoy their largesse), or did they award the scholarships to the individuals? How much time did our administrators spend in educational conferences, and how much time did they spend sightseeing? Did they fly business class? The ultra luxurious tour company Abercrombie and Kent offers 13-day private tours of China starting at $6415/person plus air. Our administrators just enjoyed a vacation that cost $11,000/person, — $11,000/person. Did their husbands accompany them? I’m sure that their trip enriched their lives and provided them with memories that they will enjoy for the rest of their lives. Maybe the great trip should have been reserved for the actual teachers who will be teaching our children — which appears to be the intent of the Institute.
Does anyone know who paid for Linda Rawlings to go to Korea in September? Are we planning on offering Korean as a language? Who is writing all of these scholarship applications? On district time?
Who’s minding the store?
You should be grateful you have a Chinese language program. Here is Iowa the program is being cut even though we need it now more than ever.
I think the Chinese program is great but would prefer to see one Administrator attend with two Lead teachers who are actually teaching the programs. The feet on the street are the ones who benefit most from these types of experiences- you only need one Admin.