Keystone Charter Academy to purchase 75 more Chromebooks

About 20 teachers attended the Dec. 12 meeting of the Keystone Academy school board to lobby for more Chromebooks for their students to use in grades 4-8.
They wanted each student to have a computer to use in class sessions instead of having to share.
After a long discussion, the item was tabled in order to seek legal counsel. Board president Vesta Losen said she was working on a way to get it through the PTO with the board paying for some of the PTO projects.
But, the next day, Principal Jorvonna Drain alerted board president Losen that she had found the money needed in her principal’s budget because of a funded, unfilled position.
She said she called NHA and it said OK and the Chromebooks requested will be purchased.
At the board meeting, Sloan Leppen said the students in Kindergarten through third grade have 20 Chromebooks per classroom because of a reading grant, but students in classes 4-8 don’t have 20 per classroom and she asked for five additional Chromebooks per classroom.
She said technology is needed by students more than ever before. She said Keystone’s competition, McBride Middle School in the Van Buren Public Schools, has one computer per student and the students are able to take them home.
She said the Chromebooks are supportive of the curriculum and allows Keystone to become a Green School which had been taken away from them.
Jill Cannon said students need to be able to type on computers and another teacher said students need to learn to do research in a formatted way which is difficult with three to four kids on one Chromebook.
Tracy Kaminski, who teaches math, said now there is a lot of CAD (computer aided design) and with Cromebooks students can explore this and become more excited about learning.
Board president Losen said these were all good ideas and good things. She said some months ago, National Heritage Academies made sure Keystone had a copy of the service agreement and it stressed that NHA would provide all education and the labor, equipment, and materials for education and such items cannot come out of the board funds.
Losen said the service agreement stresses that everything “necessary for delivery of the educational program” will be covered by NHA and not by the board.
“Our attorney went through this and found this was not a permissible use of board funds,” Losen said, noting the NHA budget controls most of the budget. “This is an impermissible gift,” she said.
She listed permissible expenditures such as athletics, band uniforms, special field trips, school plays, and the like.
“I disagree,” said Andrew Roth, NHA representative. “It’s not an absolute necessity, like water and lights. Chromebooks are an appropriate use for board funds.” He said he had a list of schools that had bought Chromebooks with board funds.
“Our attorney says different,” Losen said. She pointed out the Michigan Legislature just put back the $240 per pupil the governor took out of the budget for charter schools and since NHA is getting that money, they could buy the Chromebooks for Keystone, at a cost of $232 each. “I say this is the way to spend it.”
Board secretary Connie Shull said the teachers would have to wait while this gets straightened out and she doesn’t want to have a delay.
“You can spend it on Chromebooks,” Roth insisted.
Principal Drain said that NHA said Chromebooks are not an essential part of their educational program.
“They say it’s not essential part of the curriculum, but the teachers would like them. It would improve their teaching,” Drain said.
Leppen said the middle school had very high scores because of the use of technology.
Drain said NHA paid for ten for each classroom and the board could pay for more.
Roth said these are extras for the school.
Leppen said McBride Middle School is a competitor for Keystone and McBride students are telling Keystone students that they can take their Chromebooks home. “And, they’re 10 minutes down the road.”
Another teacher said she wants to keep Keystone teachers and it’s important for them to have the technology.
Yet another teacher said this is an enhancement to what NHA has provided to Keystone. “It’s not a curriculum necessity and they can’t use the funds if it’s a necessity.”
Losen read from the service agreement again stating the funds can be spent for a “compelling” reason. “We have the money, that’s not the problem,” she said.
Losen said NHA already put extra money into the budget and, “I’ll have our attorney hash it out with the NHA attorney. I would think we’d have an answer by the next meeting.”
Secretary Shull asked how long it will take in all, pushing for the computers the teachers want.
Principal Drain said 75 Chromebooks are needed.
“There have been times we’ve overstepped our bounds” with spending of the funds and she didn’t want to do it again, Losen said
“NHA is obligated and I’m willing to ask,” Losen said.
“You can buy it!” insisted Roth.
“You said it’s an important part of the program and I think we should try to get NHA to buy them,” Losen said. “I’d like to go by the law.”
Shull said when they start calling in the lawyers, they should talk about the shed that was approved last summer and still is not built.
Roth said NHA is still waiting for paperwork from the contractor.
“I think we should get our attorney’s opinion” on the Chromebooks, said board treasurer Charlene Derrick.
“Our lawyers say you have no problem,” Roth insisted.
Later in the meeting Losen said McBride students get to take their Chromebooks home, but their scores aren’t any better.
In other business at the 75-minute meeting, the board:
• Heard fourth-grade president Shawn Derrick ask the board for funding for equipment for games and recess. He said when he ran for president, he made a promise to approach the board for funds for this use and he estimated $175 to $200 would do it. The equipment is to be used by the whole school. Shull made the motion to set aside $200 for the equipment and the motion was seconded by Derrick, Shawn’s mother, and approved;
• Discussed the shed to store athletic equipment that is yet to be built. Losen said the local contractor was doing it at cost. “But, he’s not doing it,” Shull said. Roth said they have time to figure it out in time for construction season;
• Heard Drain announce that Keystone has seen a decrease in students considered chronically absent year to date. Last year at this time 14.1% of the students were considered chronically absent and now it is down to 8.7%. She called that a huge decrease. She said they honored 189 students who had perfect attendance for the month of November;
• Heard Drain announce that the school acknowledged more than 40 veterans at the annual Veterans Day assembly;
• Heard Losen encourage everyone to read the State of Michigan Compulsory School Attendance Policy. “We don’t have an attendance officer because we don’t have 1,000 students, but 10 days unexcused absence is considered enough.”
She said there are rules in the school handbook that the board approved and, “So, there we are.” She said 10 days is considered chronic. She said a year ago a mother in Muskegon was jailed. “Our parents should take it seriously. You might want to go on line and read that policy,” she said; and
• Tabled for further study a new protocol for accounts payable from the board budget, proposed by Roth. He said he is trying to speed things up.