SMETHPORT — Smethport Area School District Superintendent David London presented a report Monday to the school board about two virtual learning programs, one of which is already used in the district.
London said the school directors heard a presentation last week about the Virtual Learning Network, which provides blended learning solutions and cyber education programs for elementary and secondary students.
The district now uses a similar program, Waterfront Learning, developed by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3 and accessed through Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit Nine, London explained.
“We’re not dissatisfied with Waterfront Learning,” London emphasized. “We like it, but we’re looking at VLN as another option for our students. We can use both.”
London has prepared a comparative analysis of the two programs and will present it to the directors.
At the board’s March meeting, directors will consider approval of the VLN contract. If that agreement is OK’d, it would begin with the 2017-18 academic year.
In his superintendent’s report, London said Gov. Tom Wolf’s recently-released budget shows increased funding for basic education, “but unfortunately it may not be enough.”
London also pointed to a state Senate bill that would eliminate property taxes by shifting lost revenue sources to an increase in both the sales tax and personal income tax.
“By eliminating school districts’ largest source of funding, all educational funding would go through Harrisburg, and many districts send more money to the state than they receive,” said London.
London also informed the directors about some upcoming major expenditures, including a new HVAC control system, restroom renovations at the elementary school, a new mower and new doors re-keyed for security.
Since the elementary and secondary schools have met their goal in collecting 7,000 items in the recent canned goods drive for the local food pantry, schools will be dismissed at noon Thursday.
The board met in an executive session shortly before the meeting.
Adam Jack and Tyler Alexis, students in Kelly Tarbox’s enrichment class, showed a model of and explained their Future Cities project that was entered in the competition recently at the Carnegie Museum of Natural Science in Pittsburgh.
