By Mike Caputo
Proposition No. 2, which will appear on the Hewlett-Woodmere school district budget ballot in May, would authorize utilization of the districtÕs technology reserve fund. Among the planned innovations is a program that would give Tablet PCs to Hewlett High School seniors for use until the end of the school year.
The proposition was approved to appear on the ballot by the Hewlett-Woodmere school board at its regular meeting on March 12.
The money in the technology reserve fun has accumulated as surplus funds have been set aside each year. Voters approved the fund in May 1999, authorizing the district to set aside surpluses for the replacement of technology and communications equipment and software.
If the public passes the proposition, the district will have nearly $2.9 million to spend on technology initiatives. Tablet PCs combine laptop and pocket computer technology. They have detachable keyboards, and allow users to write by hand on the screen. School officials say they would serve as an important preparatory tool for college and beyond.
ÒWe want to buy technology that is flexible, capable of being added to and is highly reliable,Ó said Dr. Peter Weber, assistant superintendent for business. Portable technology, he added, is Òmuch closer to life in college and adult life.Ó
The students would return the Tablet PCs at the end of the year. According to Weber, the units have an expected lifespan of three to five years.
The program would begin with seniors, and then the district would consider expanding it to the other high school grades, Weber explained. Of the $2.8 million that is expected to be available in the reserve fund come May, $750,000 would be appropriated for the computers and ancillary equipment.
According to the proposition, an additional $778,485 would be allotted for Òpurchase, installation and/or licensing of interactive instructional technology to facilitate teacher and student collaboration ...Ó The use of interactive ÒwhiteboardsÓ would be expanded throughout the district. Whiteboards are a presentation and learning tools for teachers and students that are already being used in portions of the district.
There would also be new iPod and media labs in Woodmere Middle School, and portable laptop labs in Hewlett and Ogden elementary schools.
The remaining $1.35 million would fund upgrades and an overhaul of the districtÕs technology infrastructure. The overhaul would require additional data storage, backups and upgrades of the network in order to implement the enhanced technologies.
ÒOutside of school, technology is pervasive,Ó Weber said. ÒThere is an expectation that [students] are connected, and it is important that they are comfortable with it.Ó
Capital reserve funds are not new to District 14. In January 2007, voters approved their use for the renovation project at Woodmere Middle School. For the technology reserve fund, a maximum of $400,000 a year was set aside from surplus funds. Most of the remaining surpluses were used to reduce taxes.
In addition to the technology reserve fund, a third proposition was introduced as an Athletic Facility Repair Reserve. This capital reserve fund is similar to the technology fund because it sets aside surplus funds for future use. In this case, the money would be appropriated for nonrecurring capital improvements and/or equipment Òinclusive of playgrounds, fields, synthetic turf fields, track facilities, tennis courts, basketball courts, pool facilities and gymnasiums.Ó
Weber cited the high schoolÕs synthetic field as a possible use for the funds in the reserve, if approved by the voters. Although there have yet to be major issues with the synthetic-turf field, Weber explained that it would eventually require replacement. ÒEvery now and again there is major work,Ó Weber said. ÒIf you havenÕt planned for it, then you have to raise the budget, and that has become increasingly difficult to do.Ó
He added, ÒThrough the creation of reserve funds, we have been able to plan for the future.Ó
The vote for the budget and the school board elections will take place Tuesday, May 20.
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 210.
