Publisher’s Perspective

By Tim Douglass, Publisher of the Pope County Tribune

There is an important decision to be made this fall for the Minnewaska Area School District.  District residents will be voting to renew and/or increase the tech levy for the Minnewaska Area Schools.

Technology changes faster than most of us want to realize and it’s important that our school district keeps up with those necessary changes.  That’s why the district is asking residents to renew and increase the current levy that was soundly passed by local voters in 2014.

In-person voting will take place in the Minnewaska Area High School Auditorium from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Auditorium.

There will be two questions regarding the tech levy on the ballot — one about renewal and one about an increase. We hope residents will vote for the renewal and then vote yes again for the increase.  The questions can be found in Public Notices this week on Page 9B.

As the dedicated source of funding for MAS technology solutions for the next decade, the tech levy represents a critical investment for MAS students and staff.

If approved to be renewed, the tech levy would continue to provide MAS with $350,000 annually over the next 10 years. If approved for renewal plus increase, this would provide the renewal amount plus an additional $500,000 annually over the next 10 years. This level of funding would enable the district to purchase, upgrade and support a wide range of technology over the next decade, ensuring that students have the tools necessary for success in an increasingly digital world.

Why is MAS asking for the funding amount

to be increased to $500,000 annually?

According to MAS, Investments in some classroom-related items, like furniture, can last for many years or decades. The digital world moves much faster than that. Technology is an ever-present and ever-changing part of this world, and it requires more frequent upgrading in order to be effective.

At the same time, inflation is driving the cost of technology upwards. Chromebooks that once cost $250 each are now $375 each. To continue upgrading the technology tools we currently provide to our MAS students — and to fund new technology to help students succeed — a large amount of funding is needed.

Cost to taxpayers is minimal and worth it

The cost to each member of our community would be relatively small. A family living in a $200,000 home would pay $34 per year in taxes towards the levy, which would make a hugely impactful contribution toward our children and their future.

If the tech levy isn’t renewed, MAS will run out of funds from the current tech levy by 2025. Without tech-specific funds available to update and maintain technology throughout MAS, the district would have to pull from general funds usually reserved to pay for teachers, transportation, classroom supplies and other resources. This could result in substantial cuts to these resources and technology across the district over the next decade.

The 2014 tech levy helped fund these technology solutions and resources for MAS:

Devices & Other Technology Hardware

•Expansion and update of student computing devices in the classroom and for home use by students

•Support for classrooms with smart tv systems that would better allow teachers and students in classrooms to connect with students who are learning remotely

•Upgrade for the point-of-sale system used by Food & Nutrition Services, as well as modernization of the associated hardware used for the system

• lanned: Funding to purchase both the expansion and refresh of staff computing devices

Software

• Annual maintenance fees associated with online applications, subscriptions, and software licenses

• Implementation, licensing, maintenance, and training of the District’s learning management system Schoology, as well as Google Classroom, Zoom, and other tools for distance learning

• Sustaining the District’s prior investment in instructional presentation systems for the classroom, including audio and presentation tools

• Modernization of the time clock software system, including migration of the service to the Frontline

• Planned: Standardization and expansion of the assistive technologies and adaptive tools used by students to assist with their individual learning needs, particularly those with special needs

Professional Development & Staffing

• Staff professional development related to new classroom technologies, particularly the shift to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Central office staffing associated with supporting technology projects