CARNAHAN VISITS SCOTT CITY SCHOOLS

SCOTT CITY -- Second-grader Haley Davis knew exactly what Gov. Mel Carnahan would be doing when he visited her school Friday morning because it's what she would do if she were governor for a day.

He shook hands with visitors and talked to reporters. But the highlight of Haley's activities as governor would be to watch herself on the evening news after talking to reporters.

Other students suggested getting more computers for the classrooms and just helping the town in general. The lists were compiled on a bulletin board display outside their classrooms to welcome the governor.

Carnahan talked with reporters and it's a good bet he was seen somewhere on the evening news. But his visit to Scott City was aimed at seeing first hand the changes there since passage of the 1993 Outstanding Schools Act.

"What's happening at the schools is what true education is about," Carnahan said. "You can see tangible things in the case of computer labs, but it's not everything."

The act revamped the school foundation formula and expanded state revenue with a $310 million income tax increase.

It also provided more money for computer technology, teacher training and smaller classroom sizes. The education act has been Carnahan's biggest project since taking office. He will run for re-election this year.

Under the changes, Scott City received grants for several computer networks, equipment and Internet access. The school now has more than 20 new computers including a 10-computer network linked to the Internet. Before 1993, some classes were still using electric typewriters instead of computers.

High school students in Kay Hendrix's biology class were researching diseases and bacteria through the Internet when Gov. Carnahan visited.

"We got connected in October," said high school librarian Jeanette Mastin. "And it's constantly busy. It's really catching on."

Students can use the labs for research projects, word processing and even designing the yearbook, she said.

Other high school labs with both Macintosh and IBM computer networks are used to teach business courses. Adult evening classes began at the school this year, said Pat Andrews, who teaches the course.

When Martha Nothdurft began teaching 19 years ago, classes were using manual typewriters. Now the majority of students enroll in a computer course before graduation, she said.

In the elementary computer labs, third-grader Kacie Cartwright explained to the governor how a computer reading program operates. The remedial reading lab was installed five years ago at the school.

"You have to read and see which animal is the fastest," she said. The computer programs, like "The Waiting Game," help students with reading skills through the remedial program, said teacher Mary Berry.

Technology changes have been the focus of the Outstanding School Act changes in the district, said Superintendent Doug Berry. Since 1993, the school has invested about $60,000 in computer equipment. About half the funding came from state and federal grants.