SCOTT CITY SCHOOLS SEEK NEW TECHNOLOGY

SCOTT CITY -- Senate Bill 380, passed by the Missouri Legislature in 1993, contains provisions for public schools to upgrade classroom technology.

Although the money will not be available until the 1994-95 school year, Scott City is already making plans for its share of the funding.

Superintendent Doug Berry believes the top two considerations for the use of any technology grant money the district may receive should be to purchase 18 computers for the high school keyboarding classes to replace existing electric typewriters. The district will also need to purchase a few printers for the class.

Berry would also like to add six computers to the business department's computer class, to allow more students to take advantage of the course. Currently, the course can only be open to 12 students at a time, due to the limited number of computers.

"Even if we don't get the technology grant, we consider these things top priorities for our schools," said Berry. "If we cannot get state money to improve the technology in the classroom, we will look to fund the upgrade locally."

The amount of money which will be available in the technology grants under SB 380 has not yet been determined. Berry said that money will be given to the schools on a matching-funds basis.

"We just received information that this money will be available for all the public schools in the state," said Berry. "We'll get something out of it -- I'm not sure how much, but it will be something."

Last year, the state legislature also restored the Incentive Grant program which was established with the Excellence in Education Act of 1985.

The Scott City school district had received money previously under this program, but funding had been cut during the past few years to the point that Scott City had not been able to receive any funds, Berry said.

"Hopefully, we will have teachers and principals who will apply for some of the Incentive Grant money," said Berry. "It's a real opportunity for teachers to do something for their students that the district might otherwise not be able to afford."

In other business during a recent school board meeting, Berry announced that the renovations to the schools system are finally finished.

Bridger Construction was hired by the district last year to renovate the high school gymnasium and to make all its buildings handicapped-accessible.

"The bulk of the renovations are now finished," said Berry. "We are totally accessible in all areas for the handicapped. It is a real comforting feeling, knowing several students in this area will benefit from the improvements."

The high school gymnasium now has a new wooden floor, new lighting, new stage curtains, an improved sound system and 400 chair-backed seats. Berry said the seats "are like the ones at the Show Me Center, only ours are blue."

The school system is putting out for bids on a new school bus which will be purchased for the start of the next school year.

In addition, Berry said the school district should be able to compensate for the four days of school lost last week, due to the inclement weather. If more than one more snow-day is used, time lost will have to be tacked on to the end of the school year.