The Ketchikan Gateway Borough School Board will vote on a delayed motion Wednesday to purchase 60 laptop computers.
The decision to vote on the computers was pushed off from last meeting so more research could be done on the cost of Apple computers versus other brands. Some board members, particularly Misty Archibald, had asked whether a cheaper alternative could be found. Prior research done by school district staff points out that much of the district’s technology infrastructure and curriculum were built with Apple products in mind.
The purchasing request on tomorrow’s agenda will be for Apples. Half of the 60 computers are slated for Houghtaling Elementary School, with the other half going to Point Higgins Elementary. The total estimated cost is a little bit more than $63,000.
Also tomorrow, Superintendent Robert Boyle will discuss home Internet filtering of school computers with the board. The Board is under pressure to address Internet filtering and security issues in light of an incident last week when students at Schoenbar Middle School were able to hack into computers at that school.
The Board also received a request from a parent during a recent meeting that the body address ways to limit what students could access via the Internet while using school-issued computers at home.
The School Board meeting starts at 6 p.m. in Borough Assembly Chambers in the White Cliff Building. Public comment will be heard at the beginning and end of the meeting.
