School board examines paperless proposal

— Going paperless was a recommendation of Gentry School Board member Randall Bolinger at the Dec. 19 board meeting. The recommendation was made as a part of the regular round-robin discussion at the close of the agenda.

Bolinger said the suggestion was made as a result of visits with other board members from across the state at recent training sessions and could prove to be a cost-saving measure for the district.

Gentry School District superintendent Randy Barrett said the district could certainly pursue that by making board packets available to board members through the district’s wireless network or by loading them on iPads which board members could then take home and use to review information in the packets.

Even if the district would purchase iPads for school board members to use, it was estimated that the cost could quickly be offset by the savings from not printing the packets.

Board member Dani Cypert said she wouldn’t want to do anything which would take away from the money available for student education - a sentiment seconded by other board members - butthe recommendation was viewed as a way to save money for the district.

Currently, packets of 200-plus pages each month are printed for board members, administrators and for members of the press. That alone requires the printing and assembly into packets of approximately 3,000 pages each month.

The suggestion comes at a time when many school districts and government agencies are making the switch to digital and using iPads or laptops for members to access those documents.

A reduction in printing costs and personnel time to print and assemble documents, as well as a reduction in waste materials, are usually cited as the reason for going paperless.

Personal electronic devices

The board receivedtwo minor changes from the district’s personnel policy committee on its recommendation to allow students to bring personal electronic devices to school for use related to instructional purposes.

The PPC recommended allowing teachers to use texting, email or any means necessary to carry on school business. The second change was simply a correction to supply a word accidentally omitted from the board recommended policy.

The policy change would allow students to bring their personal electronic devices - items such as smart phones, iPads and e-readers - to use in facilitating instruction. The proposed policy includes strict guidelines on the use of personal electronic devices, such as muting ringtones and sounds, making their use in theschools and classrooms subject to principals' and teachers' guidelines and setting specific rules and guidelines for electronic communications and social networking.

The recommended policy change came about, at least in part, because of the lectures of Bill Daggett on improving education in the 21st century. Daggett suggests that personal electronic devices can be used to improve instruction and better prepare students to succeed in an age of technology. Daggett, a speaker for International Leadership in Education, is helping schools prepare for the implementation of the new Common Core Standards.

The board adopted the amended policy on its first reading. It will be brought back for a second reading in January. Policy changes will not go into effect until the next school year.

Bolinger said the suggestion was made as a result of visits with other board members from across the state at recent training sessions and could prove to be a cost-saving measure for the district.

Gentry School District superintendent Randy Barrett said the district could certainly pursue that by making board packets available to board members through the district’s wireless network or by loading them on iPads which board members could then take home and use to review information in the packets.

Even if the district would purchase iPads for school board members to use, it was estimated that the cost could quickly be offset by the savings from not printing the packets.

Board member DaniCypert said she wouldn’t want to do anything which would take away from the money available for student education - a sentiment seconded by other board members - but the recommendation was viewed as a way to save money for the district.

Currently, packets of 200-plus pages each month are printed for board members, administrators and for members of the press. That requires the printing and assembly into packets of approximately 3,000 pages each month.

The suggestion comes at a time when many school districts and government agencies are making the switch to digital and using iPads or laptops for members to access those documents.

A reduction in printing costs and personnel time to print and assemble documents, as well as a reduction in waste materials, are usually cited as the reason for going paperless.

News, Pages 1 on 12/28/2011