The East Grand Forks school board voted Monday to buy 128 new Apple computers and accompanying equipment and software for students at a total cost of just less than $160,000. High School Principal Brian Loer showed the board a video promotion from Apple to think big and boldly in adapting to educational change. Loer said he had gotten a $20,000 discount from Apple for buying directly from Apple's California central office rather than from a local vendor.
"You can't have too many computers in school," Loer told the board.
The money will come from a special fund originally set up through an education foundation and now designated especially for technology needs in the schools. The board voted to pay the $159,542 total bill for new lap top computers, which will be evenly spread among the district's four school buildings, out of the $432,000 in unassigned dollars in the fund. The total bill includes warranties on the computers, software, and installing wireless access in all four school buildings.
The board also set the annual "truth in taxation" public hearing on the school's budget and tax levy plans for 6 p.m. Dec. 14.
Superintendent David Pace told the board it looks like the district's tax levy will go up 1 to 2 percent, based on preliminary figuring.