HCS donates computers to elementary students

More than 200 computers went home with the families of Hillsboro students following an open house at Hillsboro Elementary. 

Diane Michael, director of education at the school, told the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education during their regular meeting Wednesday that the open house event last Thursday was one of the most well-attended events they'd had. 

The district had 207 computers they had to get rid of after machines were replaced, so a raffle was held during the open house, she told the board. Michael said that 202 people signed up for the raffle.

"It was great that everyone who signed up got a computer. It would break your heart. The kids were so excited," she said. "The kids were so proud helping their families carry the computers out to the car."

Board members agreed that donating the computers turned out to be the best option of dealing with the equipment.

Board president Laura Bagshaw said she had been asked why the computers were not given to older students. 

"I believe that the younger we get computers into the hands of these students the better," she said. 

Michael said that families had a to fill out a form to receive the computers, and they had to list all family members in the household. 

"There were some families who had older students in the middle school," she said. "Some of the computers did go to some middle school students."

"Well done," said board member Ken Shull. 

In other business, the board passed two resolutions toward resolving litigation with a contractor regarding the construction of the middle school and high school. 

According to Bagshaw, who sat in on mediation with attorneys and former superintendent Art Reiber, J & H Reinforcing and Structural Erectors felt they were entitled to more funds for various work during the construction. The initial suit, she said, was for approximately $1.6 million and mediation entailed going line by line through contracts and line items of work completed. 

The two resolutions passed by the board, according to Superintendent Rick Earley, are steps in a process of resolving the litigation. The resolutions stated Hillsboro City Schools accepted a settlement of $475,000 with the company. The next step in the process is having the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission sign off on the settlement, before it is presented to the construction company.

It was noted that the school district's passage of the resolution does not mean the matter is resolved.