JACKSON BOARD REVIEWS COMPUTER CURRICULUM

JACKSON -- For about $200,000, Jackson Public Schools would bring its computer classes into the next century.

Assistant Superintendent Fred Jones told the Jackson Board of Education Tuesday that students' computer education isn't consistent with the current curriculum.

That's because they learn on Apple computers in junior high and then change to IBM compatibles in high school.

The new middle school has an empty computer lab because there wasn't enough money in the building fund to furnish it.

And the current curriculum can't keep up with demand. More students sign up for computer classes than there are openings, so sophomores have to sit out a year.

Under a proposed curriculum change, the middle school lab would be furnished, and seventh-grade students would be required to take one quarter of computer keyboarding.

The junior high would offer Introduction to Computers and Computers 1, and the senior high Computers 1-4 as elective semester classes.

"The proposal involves a significant capital expense for our school district and an additional staff member for the middle school," Jones said. "But our sense is that the time has come to do this."

He suggested taking funds from this year's budget and combining them with next year's budget to finance the changes. He and school staff also are looking to Jackson businesses to donate money for new computers.

If everyone can come together on the funding, the computers may be in place by August.

School board members said they wanted to follow Jones' proposal and asked him to look into funding.

In other action, the board reorganized and appointed Larry Koenig as president and Marvin Adams, who was re-elected to the board last week, as vice-president.

Adams and Jeanette Bollinger, who also was re-elected, were sworn in by school business manager Howard Alexander.

Koenig oversaw board approval of a measure to get the Missouri Highway Department involved with traffic lights at Jackson Middle School, located at Route D and Broadridge Drive.

Superintendent Wayne Maupin said he would like to see the department put a stoplight at the intersection.

But he conceded that isn't likely to happen immediately. The first step would be school warning lights east and west of the middle school on Route D.

JACKSON BOARD OF EDUCATION

Tuesday, April 11

7:30 p.m.

Action Items

Awarded a bid to Pyramid Roofing to repair the roof at West Lane Elementary.

Admitted a non-resident foreign exchange student, Hedda Tegnemo of Sweden, for the 1995-96 school year.

Accepted the resignation of Gail Cranmer, a third-grade teacher at Orchard Elementary.

Approved three incentive grant proposals for library and classroom materials at the Gordonville and Millersville elementary attendance centers. Two grants would call for matching district funds.

Informative Items

Shannon Perry and Ryan Kasten were invited to the prestigious Missouri Scholars Academy this summer.