District leases 700 laptops
The Hamilton School Board voted to approve leasing 700 laptop computers at its Feb. 18 meeting, reducing the previous student-to-computer ratio from 5-to-1 to 3-to-1.
The new laptops were acquired to help students get used to learning in an online environment, which the state's new Smarter Balanced Assessments will require.
The four-year lease of the laptops is $399,026, which will come from the district's technology equipment budget. At an additional cost of $112,719, the district will also own 47 mobile carts that house 15 computers each.
Information Technology Manager Ryan McMillan said the computer labs in the district are booked solid during the school day. Having the laptops available on mobile carts that can be wheeled into classrooms will make technology more accessible for students and staff.
Breakdown of laptop distribution by school is: 150 each at Hamilton High School and Templeton Middle School, 135 at Woodside, 120 at Marcy, 75 at Lannon, 60 at Maple and 10 extra machines.
School Board member Michael Hyland said he appreciated the IT department's work securing the leasing agreement, but he was uncomfortable voting in favor of the plan because it represents another unfunded mandate from the state. The state will implement its new Smarter Balanced Assessments in 2014-15 and will require them to be taken online.
He said people at the state are making decisions for local school districts, but they don't have any money invested in it.
"I feel we are doing too much testing and it means teachers are spending less time with students in the classroom," Hyland said.
Board member Deborah Briggs said she agreed that testing is overemphasized, but she saw greater access to technology as beneficial to the students.
"Part of the reason we are doing this is because of testing, but the requirement for kids is to be proficient and able to use technology in all areas," Briggs said.
State requirements may have motivated the school to lease the laptops, Board member Gerald Schmitz said, but the technology is still being used for learning.
"It's really the students who will gain in the long run," Schmitz said.
E-mail Newsletter
Top stories from the Lake Country area. Tuesday afternoons and Thursday mornings.
Enter your e-mail address above and click "Sign Up Now!" to begin receiving your e-mail newsletter
Get the Newsletter!
MORE: See full gallery
SUBMIT: Post Your Photos now
Do you have news or a nonprofit event that you would like to share with the community? Whether it's a community organization, a business, a local school, or a notable neighbor, we'd love to hear about it.
- MainStage Dancers Perform at OAC May 26th
- FREE Organic Lawn Care Workshops This Saturday!
- Little Treasures Launches Summer Camp June 10-August 30th, 2013
- Hamilton announces April students of the month
- Learn to skate
- Christ the King Church Announces Vacation Bible School Schedule
- Birth to 3 Walk on June 1st Frame Park
- Waukesha County HeartChase is June 22
MORE: See the rest of Your Stories
SUBMIT: Post Your Story now
Lake Country residents share their views on news, happenings and current events.
LivingLakeCountry.com features more than a dozen community bloggers - a group of volunteer conversation leaders who are up on the latest topics and never short on an opinion. Just a few are pictured here. Check out the rest and see what they have to say!
View All Blogs
Discussion Guidelines
Do you want to become a Community Blogger? LivingLakeCountry.com welcomes your thoughts and opinions. Contact us for more information:
I want to blog
Information on Mukwonago Publications
Find metroparent locations
We encourage your comments but will strive to remove discussion that contains personal attacks, racial slurs, profanity or other inappropriate material as outlined in our guidelines. We post-moderate comments on most content, but may choose to pre-moderate some comments so please be patient if you don't see yours appear right way. We also ask for your help by reporting comments you think are inappropriate.
Please login or register to post a comment.