The Haines Borough school board on Tuesday took a big step toward its “Engaging the Future” initiative, agreeing to spend $96,000 to buy 65 laptops and a half-dozen Smart Boards. The purchase will allow each student in grade 5 and above to have access to a laptop while at school.
Under the plan, students in grades 3-4 would share laptops and iPads, and K-2 students would share iPads.
The decision came on a 5-2 vote with members Sarah Swinton and Brian Clay opposed. Swinton raised questions about the cost of maintaining the machines. The school which is already $30,000 per year.
She spoke in favor of a $67,000 alternate proposal that she said would still engage children while allowing “teachers to get their feet wet” and “make sure everyone’s on board.”
Member Lisa Schwartz also expressed fears about hidden costs and cited problems with how the project was communicated to the public, but said she wanted students to have tools “of the world that they live in.”
Board chair Anne Marie Palmieri spoke strongly for the larger purchase. “When we first looked at this, we looked at our objectives, to engage students and change the way lessons happen and teaching occurs. I realize it’s a lot of money, but the ($67,000 proposal) didn’t look at how it would affect our objective. This would give the initiative every opportunity to succeed.”
Palmieri and member Mike Wilson cited the enthusiasm elementary teachers have expressed for the program. Member Tiffany DeWitt noted teacher support but said most parents she has spoken to are opposed to use of computers in lower grades.
“I’m totally against it up to third grade… I don’t think think K-2 iPads are going to make (education) any better,” DeWitt said. She referred to former teacher Julie Folta, saying Folta engaged students without electronics.
Member Sara Chapell also spoke for the larger amount, saying “making sure our teachers have the resources they ask for is the most important thing we can do.”
Teachers at previous meetings have said that even in lower grades use of computers can allow them to tailor lessons to individual students’ learning levels, save time on lesson plans and engage students who don’t respond to traditional teaching methods.