Governing board OKs spending upwards of $700K for Chromebooks Newhall approves new tech purchase
Newhall School District officials held a special meeting Friday to approve the purchase of technology upgrades aimed at helping thousands of students, officials said.
The governing board approved the approximately $705,000 purchase, which will bring 2,300 digital notebooks to the district, at a price of $255 per unit for the touchscreen Lenovo Chromebooks. (The purchase also requires about $54,000 to pay for licensing of
the units.)
The new technology not only increases access for students and gets the district closer to a 1:1 ratio for all grades districtwide, but also will improve the interface and use of the technology for the younger grades, said Superintendent Jeff Pelzel.
Pelzel also noted the fifth- and sixth-grade student population was already at a 1:1 ratio, and since they have relatively new devices, the new units would be primarily for the younger grades.
“For your primary (students), our younger kids, they’ll be able to interact with the touch of a screen and I think just from a fundamental (perspective) of where they’re at ... it’ll make it more authentic in terms of what they’re able to do,” Pelzel said. From a software-hardware integration standpoint, it’s advantageous to get the Chromebooks, because virtual classrooms the district uses are licensed through Google, he added.
The purchase helps address a big demand that districts like Newhall and others throughout the state are facing in light of the statewide push for virtual classrooms in the fall semester, which started Aug. 13 for Newhall.
The district was able to make this purchase, as well as another significant upgrade — 500 more unlimited WiFi hotspots, or internet access points — with funds from Measure E, said governing board President Suzan Solomon. Measure E was supported by voters in November 2011, and provided $60 million for infrastructure and equipment upgrades.
The technology upgrades are part of plans the district has had in place for years as a result of the bond; however, COVID-19 and subsequent Public Health protocols have greatly accelerated the timeline, she noted.
“Parents and teachers and all staff are working so hard to try and make this education journey on distance learning as seamless as possible,” Solomon said, “and it’s not without glitches, but everyone is working hard on these issues.”
Solomon added she was especially proud the district is continuing virtual music and arts programs through “unprecedented” challenges that all schools, staff and families are facing.
“We’re committed to supporting our families and our students and our staff,” she said, “as we continue to navigate through these unprecedented times.”