SWR track & technology proposition goes up for vote
Shoreham-Wading River School District residents go to the polls Tuesday to vote on a $1.64 million proposition to upgrade the district’s computer systems and make resurfacing repairs to the high school track.
Voting will be held at the high school auxiliary gym between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
The district would use prior year state aid money to pay for the plan if voters approved the proposition, school officials said.
Taxes would not be increased for district residents.
According to a presentation by technology committee member Anthony DeLouise at last Monday’s school board meeting, if the measure is approved, about $449,000 would pay for a districtwide wireless system and any necessary upgrades to conform with upcoming state-mandated testing requirements for the 2013-14 school year.
More than 70 percent of classroom computers are more than five years old and run obsolete versions of Windows — like Windows 95 or Windows XP — that are incapable of running the latest educational software or maintaining streaming video, according to the presentation.
An additional $267,000 would be used to virtualize computer labs, $349,000 would pay for for classroom computing solutions, $105,000 for Smartboards for classrooms and $86,000 for Microsoft software licensing.
The resurfacing and subsurface repairs to the high school track, the other part of the proposition, would cost $286,000, Mr. DeLouise added.
Students said the track is only narrowly passing inspection at local track meets and in addition to complaints from sports officials about faded lines, cracks and uneven surfaces, the condition of the track also presents a risk for injury.
“We can’t run too far into the first lane or we’ll twist our ankles,” said sophomore Matt Gladysz.
The results of the proposition vote will be announced at Tuesday night’s school board meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. in the Shoreham-Wading River High School library. Check back at riverheadnewsreview.com for coverage from the meeting.
