Atkins to have new technology
The Atkins School Board Monday of last week decided to purchase technology costing approximately $99,709.70 to be paid for mostly by grants and restricted federal funding. A distance learning grant will almost totally pay for a high school computer lab where students can learn and interact with teachers and classes far away. This is one of the ways schools can offer courses without hiring someone to be on campus to teach the courses. The board approved AT&T as the provider and installer of the equipment for about $28,000. The board approved the purchase of six more sympodiums from Smart Concepts, Inc. for $29,855. The sympodium enables teachers to show presentations on their own computers projected on an LCD screen. These six sympodiums mean that almost all high school classrooms are equipped with one. The board also approved the purchase of three SmartBoards that will allow teachers to show computer presentations on a 4'x5' white screen to the class and also to project additional hand-written information. This equipment will cost $18,925 installed. The board also approved the purchase of 25 computers from Dell, the state contract provider, for $21,067.70. These will be used for a lab in the middle school. All these technological purchases are part of the goals of long-range planning the district has done. The board granted a leave of absence to Jeanna Denton, elementary teacher, for the rest of the school year and accepted the resignation of Bill Hicks as bus driver. The board voted to help the After Prom group with up to $1,000. The board adopted the school calendar for 2007-08, setting the first day of classes for Aug. 20 and the end of the spring semester at May 22. The calendar shows Thanksgiving holiday Nov. 21-23, Christmas holiday Dec. 20-Jan. 2. School will also be dismissed for Labor Day Sept. 3, day after parent-teacher conferences Oct. 26 and Feb. 8. Progress reports for K-8 will be issued on Sept. 20, Nov. 20, Feb. 7 and April 18. Progress reports will go out to 9-12 students Sept. 6, Sept. 27, Nov. 8, Nov. 29, Jan. 17, Feb. 7, April 3, and April 24. Superintendent Boyce Watkins began the meeting by recognizing the senior girls basketball team for hard work and diligence as they developed into conference champions and went to the regional tournament. He also praised elementary art teacher Jennifer Cates for receiving honorable mention for her work as editor of the state art association news letter. He praised Betsy Hays and the GT program for the recent AGATE award that came along with a $1,000 grant for a project at the elementary school. Watkins told the board the balance of money in the operating fund at the end of February was $1,761,974.40.
