Video Courtesy USD 489

CORRECTION: The original version of the story listed Paul Adams as a dissenting vote for allowing Hays Middle School students the option to take district issued tablets home. The dissenting votes were board member Josh Waddell and board President Lance Bickle. Hays Post apologizes for the error. 

By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

The Hays USD 489 Board of Education took a serious look at technology at Monday night’s meeting, voting to allow Hays Middle School students to take district-issued tablets home, voting down new laptops for K-8 teachers and voting to increase district-wide internet speed.

Before taking action on allowing the tablets to travel, the board discussed the benefit to the students – and the potential cost to the district.

After receiving questions at the board’s work session earlier this month, Scott Summers, director of technology, informed the board that other districts he looked at allowed middle school students to take tablets home, a message carried later in the conversation by Martin Straub, Hays High principal.

“They learn it by touching it in our schools,” Straub, noting he has heard from students in other locations that students from Hays are not as tech-savvy as others.

While the board agreed that technology utilization is important for the students, members were not ready to fully jump into the measure.

“I do think it is moving somewhat fast,” said Josh Waddell, board member, noting he believes more development is needed in the plan before implementation, asking Craig Pallister, Hays Middle School principal, if he was 100 percent sure this is the right measure.

“I am,” Pallister responded.

Pallister also said he felt his staff is almost unanimously supportive.

“They’ve got the iPads. Let’s use it,” Pallister said. “We know kids are growing up on technology.”

Board member Paul Adams also shared concerns pushing ahead with a take-home plan for the devices, noting he would like metrics on usage and specifically what benefit would be achieved through the program.

The cost associated with traveling tablets was also of concern to the board, with the measure creating a $25 technology fee for middle school students, and potential cost increases as the district repairs equipment that could be damaged more frequently.

“I’m just not comfortable yet,” Waddell said, calling the plan “scattered and rushed.”

With Waddell and board President Lance Bickle in the dissent, the board approved the measure 4-2.

Board member Danielle Lang was absent.

A proposal that would have purchased new laptops for K-8 teachers, however, did not fare as well.

While the board acknowledged the need for the laptops – and different utilization of district-issued tablets – the cost was a hurdle the board could not overcome on the heels of a failed bond issue.

“We have so many other things we need to worry about,” Bickle said.

Waddell and Adams agreed.

“We’ve got a deferred maintenance problem we can’t get caught up on,” Waddell said. “I want to maximize what we have in-district.”

Adams said he would like to use up the current devices before replacements are considered.

While current district-issued laptops are beginning to show signs of their 6-year-old age, needing frequent repairs, Summers informed the board there are 300 to 400 laptops in the available pool for 153 staff members.

“I could see another year,” Summers said, but also said it is hard to tell as problems in the laptops run a gamut of problems.

The board voted down the measure 4-2, with board members Sarah Rankin and Luke Oborny in the dissent.

In the last technology-driven measure of the evening, the board also voted to alter its existing contract with Eagle Communications and increase district internet speed from the current 200 Mbps to 400 Mbps.

Other actions taken by the Board:

• The board unanimously approved the application of a Head Start Duration Grant as written.
• The board unanimously approved the milk bid from Hiland Dairy for the 2016-2017 school year.
• The board unanimously approved the move of the district insurance plan to the Kansas School Benefits Group Trust, administered by Greenbush Health, contingent upon benefit negotiations with the HNEA.
• The board unanimously approved revisions for the administrative and classified handbooks for the 2016-2017 school year.
• The board unanimously approved the purchase of K-5 classroom libraries for instructional use in implementing the Reading Workshop, for the beginning of the 2016- 17 school year.
• The board unanimously approved Ideal Refuse Removal as the district’s trash removal vendor for the 2016-2017 school year.

Disclosure: Eagle Communications is the parent company of Hays Post.

Hays-area garage sales

Scroll to the bottom for a map of garage sale locations. Hays Post offers FREE garage sale listings weekly. Having a sale next weekend? Click HERE for details.

Address: 1312 Donald Drive
Friday, June 24th 4-7 pm and Saturday, June 25th 8 am – 1 pm

MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE SALE: Lawn Mower, Trailer Tires, Coffee Table, Vintage Household Items, Wall Decor, Picture Frames, Complete Punch Bowl Set, Quilting Fabric and Notions, Craft Items, Wooden Sewing Box, FHSU t-shirts, KU sweatshirt, Men’s new 4XL shirts, and much more . . . Cash only, please.

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Address: 108 N. Maple Russell, KS
Saturday, June 25 8:00- 3:00

Items for sale: Teacher bulletin board supplies, canning jars, holiday items, electronics, fabric,
kitchen items, hand weights, bedding, curtains, teen name brand clothing, books, 3 room tent, childrens organ.

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Address: 211 W. 35th, Hays
Friday evening 6pm – dark & Saturday 7:30am – 10am

Items for sale: *5ft Bathroom vanity with counter top, vessel bowl sink & faucet
*Bathroom Accessories
*Large desk with cabinets & counter top
*Ottomans
*60 Slot 12×12 Scrapbooking paper holder
*Huge lot of scrapbooking supplies
*Miscellaneous Computer Supplies
*Jewelry
*kids toys
*other miscellaneous items

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Address: 1307 E 32nd Street, Hays
Friday, 6/24 noon to 7pm. Saturday, 6/25 8am-1pm

Moving Sale! Bunches of baby & toddler items. Clothes, toys, baby swing, strollers, nursery décor, booster seats, and more. Lots of great books and puzzles for teachers! New towels, down comforter, board games, and a few other household items.

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Address: 327 N. 13th, WaKeeney, KS
June 24 4:00 – 8:00, June 25 8:00-noon

Items for sale: Furniture, knitting and sewing items,kitchen items,treadmill,New player piano with rolls,decorative items, office desk, misc. Items. No checks.

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Address: 1701 Agnes Hays, KS
Friday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Items for sale: Baseball equipment (bats, helmets, ball gloves, batting gloves, etc.), pitch back, sofa and loveseat, Razor scooter, Chief’s bedding, exercise bike, Meccanoid Robot, boy’s clothes sizes 8-16, girls clothes sizes 8-10, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, various household items, toys

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Address: 100 W. 36th St., Hays
Saturday June 25th from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm

This is a Moving Sale with very motivated sellers. There is a bit of everything at this sale from Men’s and Women’s clothes to Baby stuff. Hunting and fishing stuff. 5 gallon bucket full of once fired trap grade high brass 12 ga. shotgun hulls great for reloading! Assorted décor, Candles, DVDs, CDs, CD/DVD carrying cases, Board games, Men’s Watch, iPod, Small bookcase/bedside table, Assorted glassware and vases, Precious Moments Ornaments. If you need it, we will have it, along with a few things you didn’t even know you needed! Car battery charger, quilting fabric, kitchen step stool, beads for making jewelry, candles, blender, George Foreman grill, microwave, and a stone fireplace setting that retails for $180 new marked down to $50!

Designer Clothes!!!

The last hour of the sale, 12:00 to 1:00 everything is half off the sticker price, we will not hold items, if you want it half price you need to show up.

LOTS of good stuff, won’t all fit in the moving truck! Please come shop around and buy some quality items!

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Address: 1205 East 32nd, Hays, KS
Friday 6/24/16 5-7pm Saturday 6/25/16 9-11 am

Huge Estate Sale. 88 years of collecting. ABSOLUTELY NO EARLY BIRDS!!

Complete household liquidation. Living and Bedroom Furniture. Piano. Coffee/End Tables. Living room Chairs.

Huge collection of Antiques, Crystal, China, Glassware, Primitives, Linens, Household, Tools, Automotive, Lawn & Garden Items. Décor, Holiday, Teacher supplie. Large collection of Red and Black Rimmed Enamelware. Fire King glassware, Pyrex, Stand Mixer. Fiber Optic Christmas Tree, Boxes of Holiday Decor

All from non-smoking home. Everything you can imagine and more. New items Added Saturday!

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Address: 2217 Henry Drive, Hays
Friday from 2-7PM and Saturday from 8-11AM

Items for sale: Nice Mens Big and Tall 4XLT clothing, Women’s Plus Clothing 2X-3X (22/24), Computers, Household Decor, Cookbooks, Christmas Decorations, Name Brand Juniors Clothing Size Small (Buckle, Bling, American Eagle), Miss Me Jeans, KC Chiefs Coat, Handbags/Purses, Sofa/Couch, Computer Desk, End Tables, Exercise Recombent Bike, Cordless Worx Weed Eater, Wii Gaming Console

Last week’s inspection results from the Kansas Department of Agriculture:

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Clarity Consulting 230 E. 8th, Hays – June 16

An inspection following a complaint found no violations.

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Gambino’s Pizza 2102 Vine, Hays – June 16

A first operational inspection following licensure found two violations. 

• The cut lettuce, shredded cheese, cut tomatoes, and cottage cheese were all out of temperature in the salad bar area. Cut lettuce-52 F, shredded cheese-50 F, cut tomatoes-51 F, cottage cheese-48 F.
• Three plastic storage containers that were cleaned and put away had dried food particles present and sticker residue present.

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Horseshoe Bar and Grill 1002 E. Eighth, Hays – June 14

A standardization inspection found 22 violations.

• Package of deli sliced ham are stored in the kitchen reach-in-cooler and they have no date mark.
• The lid of the plastic bucket used for storing prepared on site raw french fries has a build up of pink scum. The outside surface, of the plastic food storage containers, use for dry ingredients, has a build up of grime.
• A container of dry flour, as identified by the cook, has no common label on the storage container.
• Dry flour is in direct contact with an unapproved plastic storage container.
• The cutting blades of the wall mounted, commercial french fry cutter has dried food debris. The cutting blade of the counter top mounted, commercial can opener has dried food debris. One knife of four has dried food debris and is stored as clean. The inside cavity ceiling, of the kitchen microwave, has dried food debris and the cook said it did not look like they had cleaned it last night.
• An aerosol can of mosquito spray, EPA illegible, is stored on a shelf in the north store room. The owner had no knowledge of it being in the store room and did not answer where the spray was used in the business.
• In the kitchen reach-in-cooler raw shell eggs, no cracked or leaking, are stored on a shelf directly over ready to eat sliced ham.
• The special today was a breakfast burger which had the egg cooked according to the consumer order. The cook prepared a special today and the egg was ordered over easy. The business does not have a consumer advisory or reminder on the menu.
• A case of single-use lids and single-use cups is stored with direct contact to the floor in storage closet east of the pool table. The blades of four cutting knives are stored between a metal strip that has been bolted to the edge of a wooden counter top. Clean reusable silverware is stored in a gray tote and there is an accumulation of debris in the bottom of the containers.
• The floor area behind the bar has no finish and the porous concrete is exposed.
• The outside door latch, of the walk-in cooler, is loose from a screw needing to be tightened.
• A wet mop is stored with direct contact to the floor in the storage closet next to the men’s restroom.
• Business does not have a chlorine test kit available.
• In the kitchen reach-in-cooler, a container of raw ground beef patties is stored on a shelf directly over ready to eat fresh sliced tomatoes and shredded lettuce.
• The cook said there is no thermometer available for taking food temperatures.
• The east door of the walk-in cooler opens to the outside. There are gaps at the bottom corners which are large enough to allow entrance of pests and rodents.
• There is no hand cleanser at the kitchen hand sink.
• There is a build up of grime on the floor underneath the bar three vat sink, the bar counter and along the base of the east wall of the bar.
• The cook came in from taking a break where she was smoking a cigarette. She did not wash her hands and she donned gloves then handled a raw ground beef pattie.
• There is not hand drying provision at the kitchen hand sink.
• In the store room, next to the men’s restroom, there is an accumulation of unused chemical and empty boxes.
• Stored below the three vat sink is a spray bottle of liquid, identified by the cook as sanitizer, which has no common label.