Just send the bill to . . .

Jen Taylor at Wootton HS.

Jen is such a great person.  She is the guidance counselor without equal at Wootton HS in Rockville, the Student Government Association Sponsor, and she has a connection with BBYO!  So - she decided to use all these talents and agreed to run the big Tuned In Concert at Wootton High School on April 28, 2012.  Look at the signatures - all appear to be from BBYO.

Phil Hill?  He's the Wootton Business Manager, but that's not his signature below the line listing him as the contact.  Looks like the same signature from BBYO.

BBYO signed all the contracts - thus skipping that annoying provision of MCPS policies requiring that all contracts over $25,000 be approved by the Board of Education.  Just send the invoices over to Wootton. 

Don't you wish you could spend money and just send the invoice to someone else?

Note that this blogger asked for copies of all contracts and agreements involving the concert - and was not supplied with any agreement between BBYO and MCPS.  Jen is also creative - don't sign anything but the checks.

But - is this really a school supported activity or just a sham to let BBYO use the facilities and let Wootton HS front the facilities?

What a great lesson in civic disengagement we are teaching the kids.  Thanks MCPS and the Board of Education for turning a truly blind eye!


Send the Invoice to Jen


TEB TEB1 Timeflies Having Fun

What the Wootton Kids Really Learned from TunedIn

As I posted before, the Wootton-BBYO concert went on as scheduled - in somewhat rainy, somewhat cold environs.

In my next to last post on this subject (yes, there is still one more piece in the pipeline), I'd like to share some of the lessons learned.

Civic Engagement - according to Dr. Doran and Ms. Taylor, all you need is a party. Doesn't matter what you have to get to do to have the party, just party along and you will be engaged. The louder the better.

Don't worry about the rules - yes, you can have a large party in school facilities, even if you need to import or borrow attendees from outside your school to come to the party. Noise permits, police, traffic control - who needs them? Certainly not a high performing school with well connected parents who can arrange to have things your way.

Run the event after school hours, at a cost that could be prohibitive to some of your school community. After all, the student government raised the funds. School activities are much more fun if you need a ticket on a Saturday night to attend.

Don't forget to bring in a partner, even if the partner's goals aren't your own. So what if its a faith based organization, and its name is on every website. Its great publicity. And if some members of your community feel excluded? The material has no religious content! OK, we'll take off that part about synagogue affiliation from the ticket order form.

Also be sure to include fencing with barbed wire to keep out the undesirables. That way you won't spend as much money on security.

The only folks with any sense during this concert seemed to be the featured attraction. During the afternoon, the sound checks rocked the neighborhood. However, during the concert, the actual noise level did not shake the walls in the neighbors homes. Thanks to Third Eye Blind for recognizing this wasn't your usual commercial venue.

Thanks to the combination of weather and sparse ticket sales, the last lesson learned - the one about parking and traffic - didn't seem to be an issue last night. Attendance at the event was modest, so traffic was not an issue. But another lesson that Dr. Doran and Ms. Taylor need to know for the next event - be sure that you plan for adequate parking, especially if you invite teens from across the county. Maps would be helpful. Telling the Northern Virginia VIPs to park at Frost doesn't mean much.

Which brings us to the next rule. Only plan events that will excite and engage your own students. If you have to count on ticket sales to other "partners" or reach out to other schools, you have failed big time in your key objective with your own students and community.

And for those of you who can't wait for my final post on this topic, I'll give you a hint. I'm waiting for the contracts and the budget information from the various county offices involved in the event. Almost everyone has responded to my request - except for Montgomery County Public Schools. As with Wootton, the rules don't apply to MCPS, so they are holding the materials to the last possible moment at 5 pm before they release anything.  

TunedIn and Cross your Legs

Here is some additional advice to folks attending the April 28 TunedIn BBYO concert at Wootton High School in Rockville.

Don't drink a lot of fluids before you enter the stadium.  Alcohol is not permitted for those under the age of 21, and as a civic engagement activity, we expect the students to obey the law. 

But - we caution you not to drink soda, juices or even water before you go.

For a crowd of 3000, estimates on various calculators indicate that an event should have approximately 20 portapotties. 

Wootton's concession stand has some facilities - we estimate that they have about six.

Wootton's budget for the event allows for $500 for portapotties.

According to costowl.com, an event should have one portapotty for every 50 people, and portapotties cost $75 to $150 for a one time event.

Wootton parents and guests - do the math.  Will an additional six portapotties be enough for the crowd?  What about the politicians and the BBYO VIPs from Northern Virginia?

Nice try, Mr. Doran and Ms. Taylor.

You should let your guests know that in addition to not parking in the neighborhoods, they need to cut down on their liquids too.

The Neighbors Tune Out on TunedIn at Wootton

Here is the email sent around to members of one the the homeowners associations adjacent to Wootton HS and its TunedIn/ BBYO concert this Saturday April 28.

On Saturday, April 28th, Wootton High School will be holding a concert  
titled "Tuned In: Be the Voice that Rocks the World," a concert  
promoting political activism and civic engagement. This concert will  
be featuring many politicians, CNN's John King, and the musical groups  
Timeflies and Third Eye Blind. The Wootton High School Student Council  
is sponsoring this event and has informed us that there will be a  
higher than normal noise level through the evening.  The event will  
start at 8 p.m. and be over by 11:30 p.m.  Please plan accordingly.   
We will be locking the pool parking lot gate to prevent unnecessary  
traffic through the community that evening.

Yes, you are reading it right.  Bring earplugs, lock the gates, the kids from Wootton are coming!!

Wootton HS is such a good neighbor.  Civic engagement?  Political activism?  Not needed, just lock the doors and look the other way.

Two questions.

1.  Why isn't the community selling parking spots for this concert?  I bet the communities could raise enough money from parking at $25 a car to completely fund and outfit the swim team in new gear for the season?

2.  What type of notice went out to the adjacent communities that do not have a homeowners association?   Individual emails or no notice?  Bet those families off Scott Drive and Monterra Court will be surprised - unless they are planning on selling parking spots.