‘SMART Board’ Joins Pearl City School District

Ryan Ekvall For The Prairie Advocate News

PEARL CITY – School Board members were given a brief demonstration of the SMART Board, one of the new technology additions to Pearl City schools, Wednesday, August 18th at Pearl City High School. Christina Wallace, principal of the elementary school, and Jay Mullens, principal of the Junior/Senior high school, showed the board members some of the features the SMART Board has to offer.

The SMART Board is an interactive, electronic whiteboard that expands the capabilities of the traditional classroom. Teachers will be able to develop and import lesson plans to the SMART Board, while students will interact with the touch screen in a number of ways. The school board demonstration was limited to showing some functions from the toolbar, which still impressed. In addition to the SMART Boards, the school district also secured three similar Promethean boards and five sets of Mobi tablets. Wallace commented, “There are some very excited teachers to use the new technology.”

In the Principal’s report, Wallace reported the enrollment numbers at the elementary school totaled 270 students. Mullens reported 255 total students at the junior and senior high school. The 2010 senior class ACT scores came back to the school, with the seniors scoring 22.7 on their ACTs, two points above the state average.

Superintendent Tim Thrill then brought up a discussion on the old Lion’s Park. City Board has been in negotiations with the Park District for the deed to the vacated land with the intent of signing the deed over to the school. The School Board decided to table the discussion until they receive more information.

Teacher’s this year will have the opportunity to choose between a Health Savings Account and a Preferred Provider Organization plan for their health care benefits. Superintendent Thrill anticipates half of the teachers will select the Health Savings Account, and the other half will select the PPO plan.

Mrs. Hanson, high school Spanish teacher, received board approval to begin the planning phase for a potential Spring 2012 Spanish Club Trip to Spain. No commitment to the trip has been made at this time.

State needs to pay its bills

This fiscal year’s budget is balanced despite payment issues from the state. The state also reduced the transportation budget for schools by 41.6%, which will result in $53,000 less funding for the school. Special education costs in the district are also rising rapidly. The school board expects $40,000 more in expenses from the special education program this year.

Another unforeseen cost increase in the district is “homeless” costs. State law mandates that families displaced from home for one night due to flooding are eligible for the free lunch program, supplies, and are exempt from various school fees. A number of Pearl City families were displaced due to last month’s flooding. Superintendent Thrill said he felt good about the budget, but that a lot of school districts are going to be hurting if the state doesn’t make their payments. There will be a budget hearing on Tuesday, September 21 at the high school library, and the budget will go on display for thirty days following the hearing.