PCHS Planning 1-to-1 Computing Initiative
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Superintendent Jon Green has met with computer companies to hammer out an agreement to get a laptop computer into the hands of each PCHS student.
Green said he met with Apple this week.
"We're leaning towards Apple right now because we want the students to have cross-platform training (both PC and Mac)," Green said.
The one-to-one computer initiative would begin in either fall 2011 or fall 2012, depending upon when the agreement is reached.
Teachers would be trained on the new machines before they are issued to students.
Students should be moving into a new school in fall 2012, as well. Architect Dave Mevert reported on a meeting with the Capital Development Board last week.
PCHS should know within the next four weeks how much the state will fund for a new school. Once that is known, the design can be finalized and construction, hopefully, can begin in March.
In other business, the board:
discussed the 2010-2011tentative budget. The figures placed on file will be revised before the budget is approved. The tentative budget projects receipts of $3.56 million and expenditures of $3.89 million. The $400,000 deficit is on par with last year's budget. "If we weren't in the black last fiscal year, we were barely in the red," Green said, stressing that the aim is to finish in the black this year, as well. At the end of the fiscal year, the state owed PCHS about $300,000. Dist. 101 may receive $172,000 from the Jobs bill that must be used on salaries. The budget will be adjusted to reflect those funds.
heard that an Office of Civil Rights investigation found no wrongdoing on the part of the school in a student discrimination case.
discussed the school choice letter required by the state. PCHS did not make adequate yearly progress under the no child left behind act for two years in a row. As a result, the district was required to send a form letter to all parents stating that if there were another high school in the district, they could choose to send their children there.
heard that the damage to the football lights and P.A. system caused by lightning has been repaired. Insurance covered the cost of the repairs.
heard that an audit of General State Aid and a 2007 Grant show the district must repay $1,199. Of that, $1,192 will be deducted from future state aid payments to recoup the cost of a student who was determined to have been improperly claimed. The remaining $7 was from the grant.
heard that PCHS has a five-year average ACT score of 19.5 to 20.5, which is on par with the state average. Green said the district is working on several programs to help improve scores, which have been very consistent.
accepted the resignation of Guidance Counselor Eric Kirkpatrick.
hired Katie Hickam as a Guidance Counselor.
hired Sean Patrick as J.V. Girl's Basketball Coach., hired Patrick and Adrienne Wilson as Co-Asst. Softball Coaches and hired Susan Cannon and Rhonda Hicks as Jr. Class Sponsors and Scholar Bowl Sponsors.
hired Neil Kellerman as a part-time co-op student worker in the cafeteria.