anybody affected or have opinions?

i have heard plenty of grumbling, but am curious if the announcement of a campus full of ipads for every student changes the perception.

Jags, I would kill for a smart board and for a computer in my second ESL classroom for teacher use. I don't know HOW Belton is funding all this in the middle of epic budget cuts, but God Bless you for doing it.

Me either. Tech Allotment is on the chopping block (entirely, like no tech money for schools at all) for the state and it makes my insides hurt to hear that and be involved in all the $$$ coming up.

we have a great administration and i trust their leadership. i am pumped for all the stuff they're doing though. going to be an exciting year come fall.

[This message has been edited by c-jags (edited 1/25/2011 11:54a).]

Why the hell would you spend that kind of money on ipads for every kid? Does a kid really need an ipad for school? And why should the taxpayers have to fund it?

Pablo, the state in order to be "green" and save money is pushing for the adoption of electronic text books rather than hard copies of paper books that have to be transported and stored.

In addition much of the support material for the more recent hard copy adoptions is online. So classroom access to technology is essential. All kids do not own their own laptops.

At the same time that the state is cutting the tech budget, they have given almost all grade levels and subjects parts of our curriculum that require teaching different aspect of technology.

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Why the hell would you spend that kind of money on ipads for every kid? Does a kid really need an ipad for school? And why should the taxpayers have to fund it?

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it doesn't quite work like that. You don't just say "hey we want ipads. let's get them and charge the tax payer."

don't quote me as i don't speak for the school at all. we're given specific funds and can allocate them where necessary. whereas we may normally be spending XXX amount of dollars for books, mobile labs, you name it.... that money gets spend instead for iPads and then school books are potentially loaded on iPads instead.

also the student has a web browser and other education apps at their hands.

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At the same time that the state is cutting the tech budget, they have given almost all grade levels and subjects parts of our curriculum that require teaching different aspect of technology.

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this is a big deal that's frustrating with the state right now. BCIS and the like isn't required any more from my understanding... and the state has technology funds on the cutting block. yet they require more and more technology every year (testing, records, etc.)

I pads were for high-school kids I thought? I guess I'm affected my daughter will goto the new school but by that time we bms will be a 9 th grade school.

Hey c-jags, what is involved with the redistricting? Just middle schools?

The iPads initiative sounds cool. I hope Belton has a quality technology department ready to support all of the technology from the instructional and hardware support side. I think the iPad can be an amazing device in the classroom if used properly.

redistricting only affects middle school attendance. mainly some BMS students that will have to be at a new school next year.


The tech department has done a pretty good job i think (i'm in it,) but it has been a rough go at some points. lot new implementations (student wireless, student record system, etc) that hit a few bumps. Now it's out of the frying pan and into the fire as we're unfortunately out a technician and soon to be a tech director. so hopefully those can both be transitioned smoothly and quickly.

when we pull it off this summer and fall it will be a huge credit to the tech staff here.

[This message has been edited by c-jags (edited 1/27/2011 7:45a).]

When you say "out" do you mean they are just leaving to go somewhere else, or they will not fill the spots? Did these guys get forced out because of the upcoming state budget cuts to technology or they're just headed elsewhere? If they aren't replacing them then I could see that being a big challenge!

one retired and the other is moving over to UMHB