School Committee Votes Unanimously to Seek $562,000 for Technology Upgrades
School Committee voted unanimously to proceed with technology upgrades within the District and will seek a total of $562,000 at Annual Town Meetings of Groton and Dunstable to fund the initiative. The vote was taken at a school committee meeting March 13 following a discussion on technology needs of the school district.
Under the proposal, the School District will seek the funds through two special articles which will be placed on warrants at Groton's Annual Town Meeting and Dunstable's Annual town Meeting. Groton's share of the $562,000 will total approximately $425,307 while Dunstable's will total $136,748. The special articles are expenditures outside the proposed operating budget for the school district and must be approved by majority vote at the town meeting's in Groton and Dunstable.
While it appears that Groton will have funds necessary to meet the proposed expenditure if approved by voters, Dunstable's funding situation has yet to be determined. Dunstable School Committee member Jim Frey said he has not yet met with Dunstable officials on how to proceed with their share of the cost.
One alternative is for Dunstable to seek an override of Proposition 2 1/2 and raise the town's tax levy by $136,748. Another is for Dunstable officials to review their proposed operating budget and other proposed expenditures to determine if they have sufficient funds available without an override of Proposition 2 1/2. Frey indicated those discussions will take place in the next few weeks.
Director of Business and Finance Jerry Martin said the funds, if approved, would be used to improve technology infrastructure and purchase computers for teachers and students. Martin said $164,000 of the $562,000 would be used for infrastructure upgrades at the middle school and elementary schools. Those upgrades would address shortcomings in wireless access at the middle school and elementary schools. The remaining funds, he noted, would be used to purchase computer equipment for classroom teachers and students.
Among the computer equipment to be purchase would be what is called "laptop carts." Laptop carts carry 30 laptop computers and can move from classroom to classroom.
The School District will also propose creation of a new position of Technology Director which will be funded through the District's proposed 2014 operating budget. The Technology Director will oversee technology efforts district wide including the classroom use of computers in the district's curriculum.
The school district's proposed operating budget will be voted as part of the town's operating budget at Annual Town Meeting. Groton's Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for April 22 and Dunstable's Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for May 13. Dunstable's Town Elections are scheduled for May 20.
