SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPUTERIZES ITS RECORDS

Cape Girardeau Public Schools soon will be able to pinpoint students' homes on computer.

"We are replacing the old pin-head map with a computerized map," said George Baker, computer programmer with ABC Systems, Inc., of Osage Beach.

The first project for the new mapping program is to help re-map school bus routes and boundaries.

As part of a budget reduction package approved in March, the district will cut back bus service to save $57,000. Just how that savings will be achieved is still up in the air. The Board of Education approved expanding the boundaries to 1.5 miles from school for elementary students and 2 miles for secondary students.

School bus routes are just the beginning. The maps could be used for redistricting evaluation, building assignments and enrollment projections.

"The district is developing tools it needs to plan ahead," Baker said.

"The bottom line is that the local people will still have to make the decisions, but now those decisions can be based on fact, rather than sum

marization," Baker said. "It makes sure everyone is treated on a fair and equitable basis."

Baker said the software also helps reduce many hours spent by school personnel in record-keeping every year.

Baker was in Cape Girardeau Thursday and Friday training district personnel to use the computer program.

He said: "We already have all the students enrolled and promoted to the next grade. We are ready to add the pre-enrolled kindergarteners. We will also program the existing bus routes into the computer.

"The big advantage is that we can repaint the screen a lot easier than using a wall map," he said. "It allows the district to play `what if.'

"They can run different scenarios. I'll come up with a recommendation and also several scenarios.

"Decision can be made from there," Baker said. "I think it's too early to be alarmed."

Some parents have expressed concern about the change in bus service.

The program is based on maps developed by the U.S. census. Additional information from the census can be added to the computer.

"If in a few years the district decides it needs a new building, you can look at the computer and see the population trends of the students," Baker said. "I can already see a tremendous amount of growth in the northern part of the district."

The computerization will cost about $3,000, said school district Business Manager Larry Dew.