Textbooks, technology discussed at school board meeting
By Jill Boomer
The Jersey County Star
JERSEYVILLE – Textbooks and technology was the focal point of discussion Wednesday at the Jersey Community School Board meeting.

District Administrator Alan Churchman provided the board with an outline of the current textbooks being used in the district for math, language arts, science and social studies. Also on the list was the publisher of the textbooks and the year they were adopted by the board.

Churchman noted to board members that the oldest textbook for math at the high school was published in 1993, languarge arts, 1980, science 1993 and social studies 1997.

Superintendent Colleen Legge told board members that several of the textbooks are outdated and the district needs to get into some type of “cycle” where they are reviewed each year.

“This will be a costly affair,” Legge said. “But now is the time to make it a priority.”

Churchman said that he is working on a plan for textbook review and will have it at the November meeting.

District Technology Director Keith Norman also provided an outline to the board of where the district stands with technology and its future needs.

Norman’s list showed the age of computers, etc. in the district noting that the district has approximately 800 computers in use.

The option of leasing computers was touched on with Norman saying that the estimates he received from Dell Computer Corp. for a lease program would cost the district about $100,000 per year.

“This amount could either be phased in over the four year rotation cycle with approximately 200 systems per year,” he added, “or we could full implement the updates with the lease cycle staggered on approximately 200 systems each year.”

District business manager Tammy Steckel said that the district could levy this amount, such as 5 cents, which would being in roughly $135,000 a year.

Board president John Copley said the district needs to find an “injection of funds” for not only technology but textbooks.

Norman and Steckel will meet to put something together and present it to the board at a later meeting.

In other board action:
•A three-year contract with Superintendent Colleen Legge was approved with two members, Angie Cory and Pete Hatfill, voting no.

Cory said she cast a no vote because of the proposed 2% salary increase that went with the contract.

“The district’s financial situation does not promote 2% at this time,” she added.