Caledonia Argus

Technology plan unveiled; superintendent signs

Posted: 3/16/04

By David Heiller
Argus News Editor

The Caledonia School Board heard about an ambitious technology proposal at its March 8 meeting.

Technology director John Lukach discussed a 19-page, three-year technology plan that would cost $125,000 per year.

The district has $75,000 per year budgeted for this from the 2003 excess levy referendum, and that is likely all the district will be able to spend, superintendent Jim Tool said after the meeting.

Mary Frank asked Lukach how he proposed paying for it all. ìYou guys,î he responded.

He added that Caledonia is one of three finalists for a $150,000 Sun Academic Award of Excellence grant for 90 new Sun Ray computers, and that he would continue to seek outside funding. ìIím cheap, Iíll look for money,î he said.

The plan would help bring distance learning services such as interactive television (ITV) to District 299; there is no ITV at present. It also calls for installing a Sun ONE Communications bundle that would offer email and calendar services to everyone.

Student data, which is presently on three separate systems with no web access will be consolidated into one system called Power School, Lukach said. This service will provide things like grading, attendance, parent access, and student assignments, and will be accessible through the world wide web.

Lukach also plans to move the server infrastructure to Unix to allow for data security. The district has had multiple security and virus problems in the past.

Suzanne Roseler noted that she would like to see the library make some improvements in its software.

Chuck Schulte asked what the school had accomplished this year in technology. Lukach said that fiber was re-done in the high school end of the new building, and a new back-up system was installed so that there has been no lost data since October.

The three-year technology plan is something the State Department of Education requires all school districts, Tool said.

On a related matter, Lukach and teacher Jen Snook gave the board a brief demonstration of the schoolís web site proposals. The site is not up and running yet, and Snook said she was not sure when it would be. She said they want to put enough information on it initially to make it worthwhile.

Calendar objections

Caledonia Education Association representative Roger Knutson asked the board to explain why the proposed school calendar for 2004-2005 has a week-long Easter break. He said there were no advantages to such a long spring break, and that the staff wanted to do a meet-and-confer with the board on this.

Board members Charlie Wray said it was good for the students to get a long break at Easter. Barb Hurley said that some families take their kids out of school in March for vacations, and she didnít want to see the students lose credits. She also felt the time could be used for making up snow days.

Knutson said more people would be inconvenienced by the need for daycare than there would be people who would be traveling.

Wray felt that a 16-day vacation at Christmas such as occurred this school year was too much. Knutson responded that the long break helped the students and staff.

Schulte said it would be good to listen to the staff and get their general consensus. Board chairman Dave Klinski and Jim Tool said they would talk to the teachers about it on March 9.

Superintendent signs

Michael Moriarty made his new job as school superintendent official effective July 1 by signing a contract at the meeting.

The three year contract has a base salary of $90,000, with a 1-1/2 percent increase each year after that. He will receive about $11,000 in health and dental insurance premium coverage, and 30 days of paid vacation. The school will match $1,200 per year in a tax-sheltered annuity plan.

He will be eligible for 30 sick days his first year, and 15 each year after that to a maximum of 150 days. He will not be paid for accumulated sick days upon termination.

Other business

ï The board accepted the resignation of Al Dittmer, vocational ag. instructor who is retiring at the end of this school year after 30 years.

ï The board approved the hiring of Jon Flaten as a long term substitute for fifth grade teacher Angela Blair, who is on medical leave.

ï The board approved letting the Caledonia Sesquicentennial Committee hold a fireworks show on school property on Friday, June 11 at about 10 p.m. The motion was contingent on proper insurance coverage and adequate police and clean-up services by the committee.

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