Technology Director: STEM Academy Students Are Not Getting Laptops

Students worked among rows of computers set up in labs since technology and the Internet first caught on in public schools decades ago, but Supt. of Schools Dr. Colleen Palmer said Monroe has been going wireless.

"We're moving away from classrooms choc with computers at desks," she said at the Board of Education meeting earlier in the week. "The district will not be buying as much hardware in the future and that will open up lab space."

Masuk High School already has a wireless Internet connection, but Palmer said it will be upgraded, so students enrolled there and at the new Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy can use their own portable electronics.

"There seems to be a misconception out there that we're buying new laptops for STEM students," Donna Lane, a school board member said.

Several parents whose children are not enrolled in STEM had heard rumors that academy students were going to be given laptops and were concerned about fairness.

"We are not buying laptops for individual students," said Dr. Craig Tunks, director of technology for the school district.

Lane said she believed laptops would be brought to students on a mobile cart when needed.

"That's one model," Tunks said. "Another is having laptops be similar to library books."

In the latter model, if students forget to bring their laptop to school, Tunks said they would be able to check one out of the Masuk media center and return it at the end of the day.

"We are not buying laptops for individual students," he said.

Tunks said the school system will reduce costs by no longer buying computer hardware for labs. The wireless network will be phased into all of the buildings, he added, saying it's a "step by step pattern to get us to where we want to be."