How do you share what you learn?

October has been a month in transition for me...at home, career, and community and for many reasons. While I have not been as active on my blog or through Twitter, I am thankful for my RSS feed reader to keep me up to date on personal and professional information. For that, my PLN is awarded the ABCD (Above & Beyond the Call of Digital Duty) Award.


For those of you who blog, tweet, or share through the Internet keep up the great work, regardless of the post...you never know when that one tidbit of information will bring value or provide a reference point when someone is looking for something. Using Google and Google's social search I can quickly access tweets, posts, or other items of interest from those I am connected to virtually. Keep sharing what you learn or whatever you are passionate about because you never know when you may be helping someone who needs a unique perspective.


November brings the opportunity for me to return to the local branch of my community library, Diamond Lakes Library and give the computer workshops using Google products, scholarship searches and even start up the BYOT (Bring Your Own Tech) workshops initially starting with Twitter. I enjoy these workshops because the audience is only limited by their ability to acquire a free library card and register for the free workshops. This audience is very different from our local public (Richmond County GA) school students where social media and cell phones are banned and from the military audience who may or may not have grown up with social media and work within the Department of Defense's regulatory guidance.


So for those of you who share via social media, you are awarded the ABCD Award for going Above and Beyond the Call of Digital Duty.

Keep up the great job and many thanks to the participants of my PLN!

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do...

For those who noticed my lack of participation in the online world, it is simply a hiatus. I am in a transition period...job, school, family for a variety of reasons.


I won't go into all the details but sometimes you have to do what you have to do for the sake of family. This time it meant disconnecting digitally and reconnecting F2F. While I was in the military sometimes family took a sideline for the sake of the mission and at this point I had to make the tough decisions in support of my family.


But on a high note, the library director at Diamond Lakes library welcomed me back and I will return to the library computer lab to teach Google products (November) and scholarship searches and workshops (December). Since I last volunteered to give these workshops in 2008, the library has wireless access and I am going to give 2 BYOT (Bring Your Own Tech) workshops with Twitter. Thanks Mr. Lee.


The new career position is challenging but keeps me busy and connecting with military leaders in one phase of their Professional Military Education (PME) is great.


School - I had to take a short leave of absence. Another tough decision but some issues require one to sacrifice personal and professional goals to ensure the health and happiness of family.


But I am thankful for the opportunities to share what I have learned with a variety of people, from techno-phobes to techno-geeks.


So thanks to those who continue to subscribe, support, and virtually connect. The thoughts, prayers, and emails are great tidbits of support.

Do you really know where the money goes? How do you know?

Every year people question the funding about their school, system, district, organization, or agency and every state provides the information differently. Georgia has the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounting (DOAA) where Internet users can access various reports. 

Every year someone in an authoritative position tries to have the GA DOAA site and/or information blocked or strongly discourages individuals from viewing the information available. The RCSS website states, "The Mission of the Richmond County School System is to educate students to become lifelong learners and productive citizens".

1. Every person has the right to a quality education.

2. Education is the shared responsibility of the individual, home, school, and community.

3. Every person can learn.

4. Respect and acceptance are essential for learning and personal development.

5. A safe, healthy and orderly environment is essential to learning.

6. Communication is the key to understanding among people.

7. Excellence cannot be compromised.

The Augusta Chronicle has a section for the local (Richmond, Columbia County [GA] and Aiken, SC) boards of education, which links associated articles about schools and events for the district.

RCSS has the eBoard site. 

Richmond County tax information can be found here and selecting the county.

Augusta, GA Government provides access to GIS online where you can view properties and associated taxes with that property.

Georgia property tax information.

So here is the Open Georgia about us description:

Open Georgia is a gateway for obtaining information and key documents about how the State of Georgia spends tax dollars and other revenues to provide services to Georgians. The information maintained on this site comes from various state agencies and is updated annually.

Here is a screen shot of the search for Richmond County Board of Education, where Internet users can view, sort columns of data, and download annual reports in csv or pdf formats based on the determined fiscal year dates.  Here is the link for the pdf shared in Google Docs for the Richmond County Board of Education, July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010.

Options are available to create reports for: State Agencies, Boards, Authorities and Commissions, Units of the University System and Georgia Military College, Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESA), Technical Colleges, Local Boards of Education. Go ahead and learn about your local board of education, community and technical colleges and/or RESAs by creating your own report.

Are you quick to jump on the hype presented by media or do you conduct some type of analysis before jumping into the blame game of educational funding? How do you know where the educational funds are being spent for your local educational organization? Do you really know how and where the money is being spent? How much of the state, local, and/or property taxes that you pay are dedicated to education?

I know we did not learn this in school, but how do you learn where your pennies go whatever your role in the community may be?

JMHO...comments are always welcome.