RV board OKs purchase of touch screen communication system
The Royal Valley Board of Education approved the purchase of a touch screen video communication system Monday evening as a tool to showcase projects by elementary school students.
The equipment will be purchased and installed by SectorNow of Lincoln, Neb. at a total cost of $14,087.30 for the first year of service.
The price includes a 55-inch touch screen and digital pages customized for each classroom at the school, according to Noah Slay, RVES principal.
The touch screen will be installed in the entryway at the elementary school and will allow visitors to view videos of projects put together by elementary students as part of their class work. Slay said that new videos would be uploaded each quarter.
“It’s an interactive way to put some of these iPad projects and other items on display digitally,” Slay said. “We spend a lot of time doing projects and having students present their knowledge, but we don’t have a clean way to put that up somewhere in a centralized area of the school. This would serve that purpose.”
Locally, the company has installed screens at Shawnee Heights and Perry LeCompton, which are used for historical purposes like displaying yearbook photos.
Slay said that elementary project videos could also be archived each year.
“What makes me excited is getting people in our building,” Slay said. “There’s a large portion of our community that don’t come in our building, and they don’t understand what we’re doing with iPads and the way in which students are learning. I think giving them a visual right there in the entryway will help. As a parent, you want to see what your kids are doing in school.”
Slay said he often invites parents to come into the school but that he doesn’t receive a big response.
“This will give them a brief glimpse of what’s happening,” he said. “There’s a million different things to do with it.”
Annual technical support and costs associated with hosting the system are estimated at $1,450 starting the second year.
“I don’t think we spend a lot to promote what our kids our doing,” said board member Ann Kelly. “Although spending money is always a tough decision, I think the kids would get people to come to the elementary school to look at what they are doing. I think it would speak really highly of our school and faculty and what our kids can do. We’ve invested a lot in our technology, and I would like to show it off.”
The board voted 6-1 in favor of the purchase, with board member Jeff Stithem voting against.
Also during the meeting, the board accepted the recommended bid of $22,303 for the purchase of a 2016 Dodge Caravan from Briggs Dodge of Topeka. The price includes the district trading in its 2006 Ford Freestar, according to Jeff Gustin, transportation coordinator.
“We were really looking for something that could be easily coverted to haul equipment and transport three to seven people,” Gustin said. “These seats fold into the van so we don’t have to worry about moving them in and out.”
The bids submitted by Foster Ford ($25,200) and Briggs KIA ($25,288) did not meet the district’s specifications. Clark Chevrolet did not have a vehicle that matched the district’s specifications, Gustin said.
In other business, the board:
* Approved consent items.
* Met with Randy Weseman, Kansas Association of School Boards assistant executive director, for 30 minutes to discuss the results from several recent meetings with district staff, students and patrons regarding the search for a new superintendent (see article in Monday’s edition).
* Received a legislative update from Superintendent John Rundle.
* Set plans to recognize staff members for their efforts by serving them ice cream sundaes in April.
* Approved regalia purchases for the Native American Singers and Dancers. The items totaled $800 and will be paid for by Impact Aid funds.
* Received an update on the district’s technology initiative and equipment from Mark Haefke, district tech coordinator.
* Agreed to keep the district’s textbook rental fees the same for the 2016-2017 school year. The fees are $65 per student or $195 maximum per family.
* Approved a request submitted by Nathan McAlister, RVMS social studies teacher, to utilize a Civil War cannon at the school’s history fair in April.
* Received a district budget update from Rundle.
* Approved the lease purchase refunding payment of $393,899.83 to Security Bank of Topeka.
* Accepted the bid of $14,555 from 1st Nation Painting Inc. of Mayetta to paint the interior of the RVMS gym.
The board also accepted the bid of $18,483.55 from Pitsco Education of Pittsburg to purchase new software for the RVMS technology lab.
* Set the Impact Aid and Title VII hearing budget for 8 p.m. on Monday, April 11, at the district office in Mayetta.
* Accepted the resignation of Denise Visocsky as a coach and teacher effective the end of the school year. The board also agreed to offer a contract to Cindy Dahl, current assistant secretary, to serve as the head secretary at RVES next year.
* Met in executive session for 10 minutes to discuss teacher salary negotiations and non-elected personnel with Rundle and Susan Pfrang, director of curriculum and instruction.
Back in open session, the board approved a contract with Nathan Smith as a high school math teacher for the 2016-2017 school year. The board also approved summer teacher contracts with Kyle Porter (drivers’ education) Terri Moore (drivers’ education) and Brenda Lambrecht (drivers’ education paraprofessional).
* Adjourned the meeting at 9:45 p.m. All board members were present.
