By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Hays school board will again consider the purchase of new computers for Hays Middle School at its meeting Monday night.
The district’s technology committee has recommended the district buy new iPads for $238,000 as part of a four-year technology replacement plan.
Some members of the school board have advocated for Chromebooks. However, the district Technology Committee in a report determined Chromebooks with the same capabilities as the iPads would cost more than the iPads — $267,048.
Some members of the board asked if the touchscreen capability was necessary.
The Technology Committee went back to the teachers to determine how often they use the touchscreen function and how eliminating touchscreens would affect student learning.
Of the 36 teachers surveyed, 21 of the 36 said their students used the touchscreen function hourly. Thirty-one of 36 teachers said student learning would be negatively impacted by the elimination of touchscreens.
The teachers were then asked to elaborate on how the touchscreens were used in their classes. Many of them said the students took notes or completed assignments by writing or drawing using the touchscreen function.
Capital improvement
The board also will review several capital projects Monday night.
The board is set to vote on Roosevelt and HMS roof bids. The low bid for the Roosevelt roof was $241,298 from High Plains Roofing. The low bid for the HMS roof was $46,120 from Wray Roofing of North Newton.
The HMS project will fix a leak over the cafeteria.
The board will review a plan to add secure entrances at Hays High School and HMS. The district has received more than $86,000 in grants for the project. The district’s portion of these projects is $16,693. The district hopes to have the entrance projects completed this summer.
The projects will funnel visitors through the schools’ offices after the start of the school day.
The board will also review bids for a project to pull wiring for new clock, phone and security camera systems at the high school. The low bid was from Nex-Tech for $129,337.
In other business, the board will:
• Discuss a possible bond issue
• Discuss dissolving the Oak Park Condominium Association
• Discuss the Oak Park Medical Complex tax-exemption application