Our School District wanted, and the School Board quickly approved, the installation of new Turf Fields at a cost of over $2,000,000. However, Smart Boards, a tool that can significantly assist in the education of our children in the classroom, were not purchased for the appropriate classrooms. Instead, while the District spent all that tax money on the Turf Fields, they asked the parents, via the PTOs, to buy Smart Boards for the classrooms.
What is wrong with this picture?
What is a Smart Board ?
The Smart Board is a touch-sensitive display on a large interactive whiteboard that displays a computer image. By merely touching the board, a teacher or student can control computer applications, write notes, complete math problems, pull up charts and images, search the Internet and play videos for the whole class to see. They cost approximately $2,000 each, according to the School District.
At the December 1, 2008 School Board meeting a presentation was given on a Smart Board by a very enthusiastic and innovative teacher from General Wayne Elementary. She demonstrated how the Smart Board can significantly improve the learning environment for our children, assist the teacher in presenting lessons, provide unlimited access to the internet directly to the class, store lessons, allow the students to actively participate in the learning, and allow the teachers to send lessons home via the internet.
Why aren’t Smart Boards in our classrooms ?
We have learned that Smart Boards are used extensively in other School Districts. We have also heard from our teachers that it is a very valuable tool which they would like to use. We have found that the Smart Boards that we do have are not equally dispersed in our schools. Some elementary schools have over 25 Smart Boards, yet one elementary school has only 2 or 3. Some PTOs were more successful than others in raising money for the equipment. Some principals purchased some equipment with their school funds, while others did not.
Superintendent Jones stated at the December 1 meeting that the Smart Boards are very valuable tools, but then stated that they will not be in all classrooms for another 3 to 4 years. She acknowledged that the PTOs were providing money for Smart Boards.
There has been no significant improvement in academic results in our District in years. Yet, the District spent millions on athletic fields and then they asked the parents in the PTOs to raise more money which will give our teachers access to 21st century technology to improve the education of our children.
Ridiculous, don’t you think?
Despite spending more tax dollars per student than a great majority of the School Districts in the State, we are now being asked to take more money out of our pockets to help the PTOs fund educational technology for our children. This is unacceptable and demonstrates a lack of fiscal responsibility and poor planning by the District and the School Board.
School Board was asked to review this issue and resolve it
At the School Board meeting on December 15, 2008 the School Board was asked to review this issue. They were asked to ensure that the Smart Boards are dispersed equally in each school and to find a way to fund more Smart Boards with their current budget in order to have enough for all the appropriate classes. It is not acceptable to wait 3 to 4 years per the plan of the Superintendent and it is not acceptable to expect the PTOs to continue to raise thousands of dollars to buy this equipment.
We will follow up with the School Board to see what action has been taken on this important issue.
School Board Responds
The School Board President responded on December 18 and stated that the Board has requested and will be reviewing the School District's technology plan. She said the Board will be updating the public on the status of the plan.
