By Nate Smith
ELNORA — Technology at North Daviess is moving forward on many fronts, according to administrators at Monday’s North Daviess School Board meeting.
Using three projectors and a multi-purpose “smart board,” administrators laid out plans to further incorporate new technology and data-driven education at the schools, including more computers for students.
During a lengthy presentation, Technology and Curriculum Coordinator Todd Whitlock and Elementary Principal Jodi Berry showed how Acuity, a computer program provided by the state Department of Education, is giving teachers signals where students are lacking.
North Daviess is one of many in the state that are using the Acuity software. But the computers don’t stop with the teachers and labs, as students starting with ninth grade have notebook computers, a “living notebook” project.
After the presentation, Superintendent Robert Bell gave the board options on purchasing more notebooks, for students in junior high and elementary schools. Bell said the school is pursuing grant dollars and had two options.
The first option, Bell said, was to continue purchasing new notebooks for ninth grade students and new computers for fifth and sixth grade students in lieu of new math textbooks. The math texts will be on the computer. The fifth and sixth grade parents would pay $20 a year for rental and follow the students up to the eighth grade. After the eighth grade, the computers would go back to the elementary and the new freshmen would get newer notebooks, which they will keep even after they graduate.
That option has no grant funding, Bell said, but the second option does. If the grant is obtained, notebooks would be purchased for seventh and eighth graders and seniors, charging them a $20 rental fee. After the school year, the senior notebooks would go to fifth grade and the eighth grade notebooks would go to the fourth grade. Also in that plan, fifth and sixth grade students would get new notebooks instead of new math textbooks and be charged the $20 rental fee.
The board will vote in April on purchasing notebooks. In other technology news, State Police Sgt. Chad Dick will be working with students this week on Internet safety. The sessions are required by federal law.
North Daviess has also joined the legions of writers on the popular micro-blogging site Twitter by starting accounts for the school, Berry, Junior-Senior High School Principal Jed Jerrels and Athletic Director Brent Dalrymple. Parents and other individuals can follow their twitter feeds and learn of upcoming events and happenings around the school, Whitlock said.
In other business:
EARLY RETIREMENT
In order to make up funds due to budget cuts, the board voted to offer early retirement to senior teachers.
Teachers that have a combined 85 years of age and work experience are eligible to receive two years of free single health insurance if they accept the offer by April 13. The school’s teacher’s association agreed to the proposal.
“We may have zero take this offer up and we might have three or four,” Bell said.
PERSONNEL
The board approved the appointments of Assistant Principal Jeff Doyle and teacher Martin Rebek as driver’s education instructors. Bell said the minimum number of students have signed up for the summer course.
Also approved were the following: Jessica Echavarria as varsity cheer coach, Makayla Wagler as assistant cheer coach, Tegan Parsons as junior high cheer coach, Megan Hoke as volunteer cheer coach assistant and Lucas Calhoun as volunteer assistant girls tennis coach.
STUDENT HANDBOOKS
A first reading of changes to the student handbooks were discussed. Among the changes is an increase of credits needed for graduation. Since the school went to an eight-period day last year, the number of credits could be up to 50 for current freshmen.
The 2011 graduating class will need 44 credits, since the schedule changed after they started high school. The board will hear a second reading and vote on the changes at its April 19 meeting.
