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Committee accepts $19,300 computer‑science professional development and device grant; district to buy iPads for teachers
Summary
The North Middlesex committee accepted a $19,300 DESE computer‑science professional development and device grant that will fund training for two teachers and purchase about 45 iPads for elementary classrooms; vote passed with several abstentions.
The North Middlesex Regional School Committee accepted a $19,300 computer‑science professional development and device grant and voted to use the funds for teacher training and classroom devices.
Under the grant, two teachers who currently teach technology courses will attend summer computer‑science coursework as part of professional development, and the district will purchase one iPad for each kindergarten through grade‑level teacher — roughly 45 devices — to expand computer‑science activities embedded in Project Lead The Way modules and to assist with early‑literacy screening assessments.
Presenting the item, the district said the iPads are the devices recommended by the Project Lead The Way computer‑science modules because those modules make use of iPad apps. “We are purchasing 1 iPad per kindergarten through grade teacher. So it's about 45 iPads that we purchased across the district,” a presenter said from the administration. The district emphasized the grant pays for the devices and the training this year; long‑term refresh and maintenance costs would be evaluated before committing to ongoing purchases.
Committee members expressed differing views about increased screen time and the district’s ability to sustain device refresh costs beyond the grant term. Several members said they support the instructional value of the grant but asked administration to return cost estimates for device refresh cycles. “Just because it's a grant and free today doesn't mean that it's a great idea” to adopt devices without planning for refresh costs, said Committee Member Randy Roche, who abstained from the final vote.
The committee voted to accept the computer‑science professional development and devices grant of $19,300. The motion was moved by Patrick McPhillips and carried with multiple abstentions recorded (Randy Roche, Alexander Bacuti and Lisa Bloom abstained); the remaining voting members approved the grant.
Administration will schedule the professional‑development coursework for summer and work with IT to procure and stage devices for classroom use. The district also agreed to provide the committee with an estimate of multi‑year maintenance and refresh costs before committing to further device purchases.
