WISE, Va. – Wise County
students could find themselves more engaged in the classrooms in the upcoming
school year if the school system gets approval to use a one-time state
reimbursement to purchase new interactive technology.
The money is slated to
develop wireless networks at several schools and to purchase remote-control
devices so students can answer teacher’s questions electronically when the new
technology is used in classrooms.
Smartboards and other
technology to project information electronically is also in the proposed
purchase.
Superintendent Gregory
Killough asked the Wise County Board of Supervisors on Thursday to reallocate
nearly $500,000 the state reimbursed the school system for money the county
spent in the Virginia Virtual Advanced Placement program. Wise County
was the state’s base of operations for the social science program for the
statewide distance learning project.
School systems from across
Virginia and
in some foreign countries participated in the distance learning program.
Wise County
received the one-time reimbursement after Virginia decided to take over the popular
statewide program. Counties that taught the courses were reimbursed.
Wise County expected its money to arrive in
the current fiscal year, but the reimbursement actually arrived a few days
before the previous fiscal year ended on June 30. The School Board had to ask
county supervisors to allow them to use the money since any money carried over
to a new fiscal year goes back to the local government.
School system staff
explained that the reimbursement would be divvied up based on enrollment. The
final tally basically means $61 per student.
The supervisors could not
act on the reallocation request since Thursday’s meeting was a non-voting
session.
Most of the supervisors
said the proposal would give students a valuable educational asset.
"It’s a good-looking
plan," Supervisor John Peace said.
The superintendent also
asked for permission to use $20,000 left over from the previous fiscal year
budget for various equipment purchases for high school science labs.
The supervisors could take
action on the request at next Thursday’s voting session.
