Warsaw School Board to Consider Vehicle Replacements
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
During the public work session, the board heared details about items they will be asked to consider at their regular monthly school board meeting the following meeting.
Monday, Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott will ask the board for permission to seek quotes for the replacement of the corporation’s 16-year-old mail truck and Director of Transportation Della Swain’s vehicle. The projected estimated costs are $50,000 and $25,000.
Scott told the board Tuesday that while looking at the general fund at the end of 2012, there was a need seen for replacement vehicles. Money was encumbered from 2012 for 2013 for the vehicles.
The mail truck is 16 years old and severely rusted.
Jay Baumgartner, board member, asked why the transportation director needed a company car.
In inclement weather, Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz answered, the transportation director uses it to go out in the mornings to look at roads to help determine cancellations or delays. She also checks out addresses for bus drivers if there’s an issue.
Hintz said the transportation director does a lot of driving back and forth and goes to many meetings.
“She’s on the move quite a bit,” he said.
Board member and former Harrison Elementary Principal Randy Polston said she’s out there all over the corporation quite a bit.
Scott said the school district is divided into four quadrants. At 4 a.m., during inclement weather, she goes out on the road to check them out. The vehicle is a four-wheel drive SUV.
The transportation director, board member Dan Metzger said, also works with the county highway in determining closings.
Later in the meeting, Chief Technology Officer Brad Hagg gave the board a “12,000-foot view” of technology in the school district.
Warsaw Community Schools has more than 5,000 computers and more than 400 printers, he said. The hope is that eventually printers will be used less as classes go more digital.
After giving a rundown of some of the software the district uses, Hagg said there are hundreds of other software programs behind those the district is using.
The school corporation has more than 1,100 iPads, and that has gone up recently. He tried counting the number of apps downloaded on the iPads, but gave up because there were so many.
WCS has more than 8,300 user accounts, including students and staff, and more than 524 wireless access points. There are more than 8,480 wired network ports.
As for personnel, there are eight building technicians, five Level 1 technicians and seven specialists positions, though the help desk manager position needs filled. All 21 employees of the technology department report directly to Hagg.
As the chief technology officer, Hagg said he also has the media specialists reporting to him. There are 12 of them, including the coordinator of media services, Wendy Kovach.
In 2012, the technology department responded to 9,000 formal requests for help, but Hagg said he knew there were many instances of help not tracked.
As for the department’s budget, 40.27 percent of it was for salary and benefits. Hardware accounted for 24.25 percent, while software and maintenance accounted for 26.36 percent. The rest of the budget included wireless, connectivity, professional development and professional services.
All of the technology department’s budget comes out of the Capital Projects Fund, and no General Fund money is spent, “which makes it very unique,” Hagg said.
Hintz asked Hagg what he’s learned in the time he’s been at Warsaw.
“Probably the biggest thing is technology integration is our biggest need,” Hagg answered. “We’re dealing with 21st Century learners who have never dealt with anything that wasn’t technology based.”
Hagg also reported all teachers who didn’t have iPads before now have them.
Baumgartner asked if there was a long-range technology plan. Hagg said not yet, but it’s his goal to get a good one in place. The current plan is reaching the end of its third and final year.
In one other matter before the board, Scott reported WCS’s investment earnings for 2012 were $126,758.54. That exceeds the $82,597 in investment earnings for 2011.
“We’ve been able to significantly increase our investment earnings over the last two years,” Scott said.[[In-content Ad]]
During the public work session, the board heared details about items they will be asked to consider at their regular monthly school board meeting the following meeting.
Monday, Chief Financial Officer Kevin Scott will ask the board for permission to seek quotes for the replacement of the corporation’s 16-year-old mail truck and Director of Transportation Della Swain’s vehicle. The projected estimated costs are $50,000 and $25,000.
Scott told the board Tuesday that while looking at the general fund at the end of 2012, there was a need seen for replacement vehicles. Money was encumbered from 2012 for 2013 for the vehicles.
The mail truck is 16 years old and severely rusted.
Jay Baumgartner, board member, asked why the transportation director needed a company car.
In inclement weather, Superintendent Dr. Craig Hintz answered, the transportation director uses it to go out in the mornings to look at roads to help determine cancellations or delays. She also checks out addresses for bus drivers if there’s an issue.
Hintz said the transportation director does a lot of driving back and forth and goes to many meetings.
“She’s on the move quite a bit,” he said.
Board member and former Harrison Elementary Principal Randy Polston said she’s out there all over the corporation quite a bit.
Scott said the school district is divided into four quadrants. At 4 a.m., during inclement weather, she goes out on the road to check them out. The vehicle is a four-wheel drive SUV.
The transportation director, board member Dan Metzger said, also works with the county highway in determining closings.
Later in the meeting, Chief Technology Officer Brad Hagg gave the board a “12,000-foot view” of technology in the school district.
Warsaw Community Schools has more than 5,000 computers and more than 400 printers, he said. The hope is that eventually printers will be used less as classes go more digital.
After giving a rundown of some of the software the district uses, Hagg said there are hundreds of other software programs behind those the district is using.
The school corporation has more than 1,100 iPads, and that has gone up recently. He tried counting the number of apps downloaded on the iPads, but gave up because there were so many.
WCS has more than 8,300 user accounts, including students and staff, and more than 524 wireless access points. There are more than 8,480 wired network ports.
As for personnel, there are eight building technicians, five Level 1 technicians and seven specialists positions, though the help desk manager position needs filled. All 21 employees of the technology department report directly to Hagg.
As the chief technology officer, Hagg said he also has the media specialists reporting to him. There are 12 of them, including the coordinator of media services, Wendy Kovach.
In 2012, the technology department responded to 9,000 formal requests for help, but Hagg said he knew there were many instances of help not tracked.
As for the department’s budget, 40.27 percent of it was for salary and benefits. Hardware accounted for 24.25 percent, while software and maintenance accounted for 26.36 percent. The rest of the budget included wireless, connectivity, professional development and professional services.
All of the technology department’s budget comes out of the Capital Projects Fund, and no General Fund money is spent, “which makes it very unique,” Hagg said.
Hintz asked Hagg what he’s learned in the time he’s been at Warsaw.
“Probably the biggest thing is technology integration is our biggest need,” Hagg answered. “We’re dealing with 21st Century learners who have never dealt with anything that wasn’t technology based.”
Hagg also reported all teachers who didn’t have iPads before now have them.
Baumgartner asked if there was a long-range technology plan. Hagg said not yet, but it’s his goal to get a good one in place. The current plan is reaching the end of its third and final year.
In one other matter before the board, Scott reported WCS’s investment earnings for 2012 were $126,758.54. That exceeds the $82,597 in investment earnings for 2011.
“We’ve been able to significantly increase our investment earnings over the last two years,” Scott said.[[In-content Ad]]
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