Union County board backs transfer of unused bus to USC Union for $250,000 STEM mobile lab

The Union County School Board on Sept. 22 heard that USC Union has secured an Appalachian Regional Commission grant to create a mobile STEM lab and the board agreed to the district's recommendation to transfer an unused district bus to the university.

Superintendent (presenting) told the board the $250,000 grant will fund a "STEM mobile lab" equipped with robotics kits, 3D printers and virtual-reality systems to bring hands-on science, technology, engineering and math activities to schools, community centers and public events across Union County. The district proposed transferring a 1998 International bus that has been parked and unused to USC Union to serve as the activity bus to be converted into the STEM mobile lab.

The presenter described planned programming as tailored to state standards, including engineering challenges and portable astronomy demonstrations, and said the bus will travel between schools and community locations and take part in summer events. The board discussed the recommendation and the chair called for a motion; the motion to approve the recommendation was carried, and the chair announced the motion approved.

The board packet lists the grant amount as $250,000 and specifies the vehicle proposed for transfer as a 1998 International bus currently not used for student activities. The board did not discuss or record in the transcript a detailed timetable for the transfer, staff assignment for the project, or a finalized memorandum of understanding with USC Union; those implementation details were not specified.

The board's action at the meeting was the approval of the recommendation to transfer the bus; the district and USC Union will need to complete any required transfer paperwork and any grant-related reporting before the STEM mobile begins operation.