HCS board 'disappointed' that iPad purchase detracted from district's $900K surplus

Members of the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education said that they are "disappointed" at recent community reaction and media attention on the board's decision to purchase iPads for use during their meetings. The "controversy" pulled focus from the work that has been done so that the school district could finish the 2011 fiscal year with a $900,000 surplus. 

Board member Ken Shull, who chairs the finance committee, said that compared to the $900,000, the $3,000 iPad purchase was small, and that it will ultimately save money.   

"We had a $900,000 surplus last year. That's great," Shull said, particularly because there have been financial problem in recent years. "That was through (district treasurer Debbie Lawwell's) efforts to refinance bonds. That's $500,000 in interest over the next 11 years. That's now our money. That's savings for the citizens in interest payments. That should be the focus. But I know controversy sells papers. We created controversy that should not exist."

During the board's July meeting, they voted to purchase iPads for each of the five board members, at an estimated $600 each, Shull said. "That's $3,000, roughly."

As he spoke about the surplus and the technology purchase, Shull stood up from his seat to illustrate the difference in $900,000 and $3,000, and how he didn't understand why the $3,000 got all the attention. 

He said he was "disappointed" the iPad purchase got the attention over the fiscal soundness the district has achieved.  

With 18 board meetings a year, and stacks of paper that can be inches thick each board member must have for each meeting, he said, "We can recapture that $3,000 costs within a year or less with our savings of the copy costs of the (board) packets." 

Shull said that he was notorious for shying away from technology, does not carry a cell phone and doesn't like to use a computer, and even he sees the need to try to go paperless. 

"To give the impression that this board is misspending funds is wrong and misleading," Shull said. "If you want to sell papers, perhaps your headline can be 'Ken Shull denies newspaper constitutional right for free speech.' I'm sorry, but I wanted to say that." 

Board president Laura Bagshaw said that the Hillsboro City Schools have been a leader in providing technology for students, which she says is to the students' benefit. 

According to Lawwell, she said, since 2005 the district has spent $1.2 million on technology hardware, not counting software programs and licensing.  

"I think this board has worked very hard to prioritize what the students need," Bagshaw said. "It may not be the way we learned, but it's the way they learn. It's not something we ask our teachers to do. We expect them to teach with the stuff. (The technology) is no good if it's not used."

Bagshaw said the fact that HCS is a technology leader is something the board is very proud of.  

"We expect it of our students and staff. We should expect it of ourselves," Bagshaw said. "

She said that there are many wonderful things that are happening in the district and she would like to be able to show more of that at board meetings. 

"We need to have a smartboard in here showing the things that are happening with faculty and students," Bagshaw said. "We can't do that, because I don't know how to run a smartboard. But I would like to be trained."

Bagshaw said the idea behind the iPads was to go paperless, for the environment and for the savings. 

"It's not a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. It's about keeping up with what our children need," Bagshaw said. 

Additionally, financially, Lawwell reported that the district's cash balance at the end of July was $4,464,976, compared to last year at that same time at $3,447,462. Expenditures for the month were $1,689,000.

Shull said that with July being the first month of the fiscal year, "there is very little to report. We normally run in a surplus in the first month of the fiscal year. Two years ago it was (a surplus of) $200,000, last year it was $250,000, and this year it's $300,000. So we're trending in the right direction." 

The board voted 4-0 to approve three transfers:

• In the amount of $546.22 from the Class of 2010 to the Class of 2012.

• In the amount of $150,821.48 from the interest earned on building project construction fund to the permanent improvement fund. 

• In the amount of $440,551.40 from the construction fund to the permanent improvement fund. 

"This is good news," Shull said regarding the transfers. 

The $400,000 transfer, Lawwell said was the "principal amount." The extra funds, she said, was partially due to coming in under budget. Permanent improvements are any purchase that has a life that lasts at least five years, and includes technology, structures and buses. 

Board member Sam Barnhouse was not present due to a recent hospitalization, and board members said they wished him a speedy recovery. 

In other business, Hillsboro Superintendent Rick Earley reported to the board on student test scores, and district performance scores.

Regarding student ACT scores, Earley said that the district has "shown improvement" but we're still 1/10 of a point below the state average."

Hillsboro High School has taken strides toward improving the scores, which included a change in curriculum a fews years ago. More students are now taking the test, he said, which is also a positive, Earley said.

On the district's state report card for school performance, he said the elementary school "missed AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) by one child." The high school and middle school both met AYP.  

The elementary school, kindergarten through third grade, was rated as an "excellent" school, while the middle school/high school and the district overall were rated "effective." The year before, he said, the district was rated "continuous improvement" so "every year performance has grown."

Board member Bill Myers said that he wanted to note for the record that he was very excited for the school year, which began this week. At the beginning of the meeting, Myers had led the board in a prayer for the new school year. 

"I think we have a great staff and administration in place. They're at an all-time high, morale wise. To see their enthusiasm is infectious," Myers said. 

Earley said he agreed, and that he is "really excited for the school year. I think we have a great administrative team that has great, fresh ideas. It's a matter of continuing to refine what we're doing."

Members of the Hillsboro City Schools Board of Education said that they are "disappointed" at recent community reaction and media attention on the board's decision to purchase iPads for use during their meetings. The "controversy" pulled focus from the work that has been done so that the school district could finish the 2011 fiscal year with a $900,000 surplus. 

Board member Ken Shull, who chairs the finance committee, said that compared to the $900,000, the $3,000 iPad purchase was small, and that it will ultimately save money.   

"We had a $900,000 surplus last year. That's great," Shull said, particularly because there have been financial problem in recent years. "That was through (district treasurer Debbie Lawwell's) efforts to refinance bonds. That's $500,000 in interest over the next 11 years. That's now our money. That's savings for the citizens in interest payments. That should be the focus. But I know controversy sells papers. We created controversy that should not exist."

During the board's July meeting, they voted to purchase iPads for each of the five board members, at an estimated $600 each, Shull said. "That's $3,000, roughly."

As he spoke about the surplus and the technology purchase, Shull stood up from his seat to illustrate the difference in $900,000 and $3,000, and how he didn't understand why the $3,000 got all the attention. 

He said he was "disappointed" the iPad purchase got the attention over the fiscal soundness the district has achieved.  

With 18 board meetings a year, and stacks of paper that can be inches thick each board member must have for each meeting, he said, "We can recapture that $3,000 costs within a year or less with our savings of the copy costs of the (board) packets." 

Shull said that he was notorious for shying away from technology, does not carry a cell phone and doesn't like to use a computer, and even he sees the need to try to go paperless. 

"To give the impression that this board is misspending funds is wrong and misleading," Shull said. "If you want to sell papers, perhaps your headline can be 'Ken Shull denies newspaper constitutional right for free speech.' I'm sorry, but I wanted to say that." 

Board president Laura Bagshaw said that the Hillsboro City Schools have been a leader in providing technology for students, which she says is to the students' benefit. 

According to Lawwell, she said, since 2005 the district has spent $1.2 million on technology hardware, not counting software programs and licensing.  

"I think this board has worked very hard to prioritize what the students need," Bagshaw said. "It may not be the way we learned, but it's the way they learn. It's not something we ask our teachers to do. We expect them to teach with the stuff. (The technology) is no good if it's not used."

Bagshaw said the fact that HCS is a technology leader is something the board is very proud of.  

"We expect it of our students and staff. We should expect it of ourselves," Bagshaw said. "

She said that there are many wonderful things that are happening in the district and she would like to be able to show more of that at board meetings. 

"We need to have a smartboard in here showing the things that are happening with faculty and students," Bagshaw said. "We can't do that, because I don't know how to run a smartboard. But I would like to be trained."

Bagshaw said the idea behind the iPads was to go paperless, for the environment and for the savings. 

"It's not a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. It's about keeping up with what our children need," Bagshaw said. 

Additionally, financially, Lawwell reported that the district's cash balance at the end of July was $4,464,976, compared to last year at that same time at $3,447,462. Expenditures for the month were $1,689,000.

Shull said that with July being the first month of the fiscal year, "there is very little to report. We normally run in a surplus in the first month of the fiscal year. Two years ago it was (a surplus of) $200,000, last year it was $250,000, and this year it's $300,000. So we're trending in the right direction." 

The board voted 4-0 to approve three transfers:

• In the amount of $546.22 from the Class of 2010 to the Class of 2012.

• In the amount of $150,821.48 from the interest earned on building project construction fund to the permanent improvement fund. 

• In the amount of $440,551.40 from the construction fund to the permanent improvement fund. 

"This is good news," Shull said regarding the transfers. 

The $400,000 transfer, Lawwell said was the "principal amount." The extra funds, she said, was partially due to coming in under budget. Permanent improvements are any purchase that has a life that lasts at least five years, and includes technology, structures and buses. 

Board member Sam Barnhouse was not present due to a recent hospitalization, and board members said they wished him a speedy recovery. 

In other business, Hillsboro Superintendent Rick Earley reported to the board on student test scores, and district performance scores.

Regarding student ACT scores, Earley said that the district has "shown improvement" but we're still 1/10 of a point below the state average."

Hillsboro High School has taken strides toward improving the scores, which included a change in curriculum a fews years ago. More students are now taking the test, he said, which is also a positive, Earley said.

On the district's state report card for school performance, he said the elementary school "missed AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) by one child." The high school and middle school both met AYP.  

The elementary school, kindergarten through third grade, was rated as an "excellent" school, while the middle school/high school and the district overall were rated "effective." The year before, he said, the district was rated "continuous improvement" so "every year performance has grown."

Board member Bill Myers said that he wanted to note for the record that he was very excited for the school year, which began this week. At the beginning of the meeting, Myers had led the board in a prayer for the new school year. 

"I think we have a great staff and administration in place. They're at an all-time high, morale wise. To see their enthusiasm is infectious," Myers said. 

Earley said he agreed, and that he is "really excited for the school year. I think we have a great administrative team that has great, fresh ideas. It's a matter of continuing to refine what we're doing."