By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post
The Hays USD 489 Technology Committee is recommending a technology device put in the hands of every student and is asking the board to approve spending the $400,000 already budgeted for the next four years.
Director of Technology Brian Drennon told board members at Monday’s work session the four-year plan will lease Apple devices for grades K-8, and Windows devices for grades 9-12.
Drennon said the recommendation comes after months of research and input from teachers in every school building and grade level in the district.
Board members Sarah Rankin, Greg Schwartz, Marty Patterson and Lance Bickle all wondered if the plan could be scaled back.
“Could we look at the elementary level not one-to-one?” Schwartz asked, suggesting K-5 classes could share devices.
“I have been (at the elementary schools) and have had these conversations with various staff members and, once you start talking with (the teachers) and hearing their justification, its gets hard to judge them for that,” Drennon said. “I am telling you the tech committee is recommending one-to-one and if that is not going to be in the cards, we need to sit the down and have a conversation.”
Mark Hauptman, assistant superintendent of special services, said the the technology committee has been going by the current $400,000 budget that has been in place for several years.
“We understand the board can say no at any time, but that is what we have been predicating a lot of this upon,” Hauptman said. “That is why we are now at the point saying we are ready at $400,000 and we have a plan and let’s move forward.”
Board member Josh Waddell said he agreed a lot of time and effort had gone into the technology plan.
“The money is the money. We see the projections we know what we can spend over the next several years,” he said. “I think it is our duty to come up with a budget for them to work with that and put together the best plan within that budget constraint.”
Drennon said the committee needs a dollar figure approved before it can move forward, adding he hopes to bid devices in April or May.
Even with state budget concerns, Superintendent Dean Katt said he felt comfortable with the $400,000 budget figure.
“Everything I hear coming from Topeka is capital outlay is local and (legislators) are not going to mess with that,” Katt said. “I think ($400,000) is the max, we need to look at efficiencies. … Do we need iPads for every 3-8 grader or are mini-iPads an option and those types of things?”
Board members asked the technology committee to present other options at Monday’s BOE meeting including what a $200,000 and $300,000 plan would look like and invited every principal in the district to present their input.