ALLEGANY, N.Y. — A discussion about the purchase of state-funded computers and iPads for schools dominated Tuesday’s meeting for the Allegany-Limestone School Board at the middle/high school building on Five Mile Road.
Kevin Straub, technology coordinator, told the board the $220,517 funding for the equipment was provided through the Smart Schools Bond Act passed by the state in 2014. Straub said the funds are part of a larger package of $1,253,633 allocated to the school district by the state, which has set aside $2 billion statewide for school districts.
“I wanted to get what we needed,” Straub said of 265 Dell laptops, 50 iPads and 18 Microsoft Surface Pro 4s purchased.
Straub told the board that additional equipment can be purchased later, as there is no end date on when the funds have to be used.
He said the iPads are better for recording movies and facilitating artwork and technology needed for electronic media. In addition, the new equipment will help support some of the state standards for curriculum. The items will be provided to the elementary school and high school campuses.
Straub said the Dell laptops, which will include some touch-screen laptops, are expected to be more durable for use by students. He said many of the laptops will be distributed in the third- and fourth-grade classes.
“The majority of teachers are very much excited about this, especially the science teachers,” he said. “The purpose of (the purchase) is for the implementation of computer-based testing by 2020.”
The Microsoft Surface Pro 4s, which are lightweight computers that operate as a tablet, will be used by some of the teachers to grade the students’ work, Straub said.
“We’re hoping the teachers will be able to use these, they’re very excited about it,” he said. “The majority of the teachers (with the Pro 4s) teach science and math.”
Straub said he is hopeful of picking up the computers this week so the students and staff can begin using them soon.
Straub said the existing computers, which are leased to the district from BOCES, will continue to be used on campus.
Superintendent Dr. Karen Geelan said the district expects to use some of the funds left over from the state grant to purchase equipment during the upcoming capital project to upgrade the schools in the district.
“It will be used for some of those other school safety items, such as the PA system and (automated) door locks,” Geelan said.
Later in the meeting, Geelan discussed the capital project with the board. The project will include middle/high school energy efficient upgrades; an updated cafeteria line; sitework upgrades on the parking lots, sidewalks and athletic facilities; potentially combined middle and high school entrances; mechanical replacements of pumps and fixtures; and upgrades for the locker rooms, restrooms, gymnasium and high-use doors.
At the elementary school on Maple Avenue, work will include energy efficiency upgrades; cafeteria upgrades; an updated bus loop and vehicle cueing area; and security features at the main entrance. Also in the plans is replacement of the sanitary main and rooftop units.
Bus garage work will include energy efficiency upgrades; addressing acoustical issues; and bus wash bay updates that including finish work, ventilation and trench drain upgrades.
“We could go up to a $12 million project,” Geelan speculated. “There are possibilities of doing this with no tax increase to our taxpayers at all. That is our goal.”
She said the district should have more concrete figures on the costs this week, which will help “decide what we can and can’t do.”
Geelan has stated the district hopes to conduct a public referendum on the project in April to allow for an earlier construction start date that won’t impact students. Campus Construction Management Services of Pittsford and architecture company Clark Patterson Lee of Jamestown have been hired for the project.
