Waterville Central School District plans to apply to use $760,000 in state funds to enhance technology in the district.
Joe Riley, a consultant with Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, outlined to the WCS Board of Education last week the plan to use the rest of Waterville’s Smart Schools Initiative money. Waterville was awarded $997,805 of the $2 billion approved by state voters in November 2014 to spend on technology in schools.
Riley outlined the six categories allowed for spending the money: School networking, Classroom technology, Community connection, Pre-K classroom improvements, Elimination of temporary classrooms and School security and safety. He said the last one was the most popular choice for spending.
Waterville spent $153,000 in 2016 for network upgrades, safety and security and classroom devices.
The district’s plans call for building a bathroom for the Pre-K classroom, adding security lighting and cameras, door monitoring sensors and an improved phone system that would help with emergency communication.
People can see details of the plans at the district’s website, www.watervillecsd.org until mid-December. At the board’s Dec. 17 meeting, members of the public can comment on the plan, with the Board possibly approving a final version that night.
Once the Board approves the project, it will be submitted to the State Education Department. Riley said it will take 10 months for SED to review the plan, although it took almost two years for the first phase to be approved.
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