Minutes 04/22/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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224 WEDNESDAY, APRIl, 22, 1998 acquire this access at a greatly reduced cost, as much as 70% less than anticipated. He also stated that there were adequate funds, $150,000, set aside to accomplish implementation as soon as the application for the new E-Mail rate was approved. Dr. Trollinger also stated that there was $50,000 in place to provide connection of the High School to the City's new Sonnet Loop when it comes on line. Mr. Reynolds stated that the Sonnet Loop would be on line at the High School, Middle School and the Albert Harris Intermediate School this year. Mr. Teague noted that it looked as if good progress had been made in getting the computer labs in place throughout the schools, and that there now needed to be emphasis on getting a computer in each classroom. Dr. Trollinger agreed, stating that 8 new labs were in place, and that the two new Waterford Labs were proving very effective. He indicated that their priority effort was to continue putting computers in classrooms, as many as six per classroom in the Albert Harris School, and that of their five Technology staff two were devoted to this effort. Dr. Trollinger stated that another area of great priority was the training of teachers in the technology being brought in~ and that their efforts in this area were proving extremely successful. Vice-Mayor Crabtree then asked if his understanding that there was a computer in every homeroom classroom was correct, and was told that this was true. Dr. Trollinger went on to describe other goals of the technology efforts, which included creation of computer math labs in each school, six computers in each science classroom, and Waterford Labs in each Kindergarten class. Council Member Haskell then asked what the available budget for technology improvements in FY 97-98 had been and how much of this had been spent. Dr. Trollinger stated that they had had about $1.3 million for technology in the current fiscal year, had spent all but about $250,000, and expected to spend that balance before the end of the school year. He noted that they had created an award winning program which was now drawing the attention of school divisions around the State. When asked to compare the quality and accomplishments of the local school system with regard to technology to those of other school systems in the State Dr. Trollinger responded that ours was easily equal to most, and that he did not believe there was a school in the State that could compare to the Martinsville Middle School. Council Member Teague asked about the potential for acquiring more State fimds and grants for technology. He was told that about $150,000 had been received from the State to