Along with discussing the school district’s FY ’15 budget Wednesday, the Ketchikan School Board will vote on funding for online learning programs and on a 3-D printer for Ketchikan High School.
School district officials hope to upgrade the virtual school software to increase its capacity. In the first semester this year that the “Edgenuity” online classes were used, more than 250 courses were taken, and a higher capacity system is needed.
The Board will vote on a $95,000, three-year contract with Edgenuity.
The Board also will vote whether to spend nearly $29,000 on a 3-D printer for career and technical programs at Kayhi. In her funding request, Curriculum Director Linda Hardin wrote that 3-D printers are “quickly becoming a manufacturing standard.”
Kayhi Construction, Drafting and Computer Technology teacher Steve Thomas said teaching students how to use a 3-D printer will give them an “edge up” in the job market. He said the printer could be used in STEM, robotics, calculus, geometry, history and computer classes.
Wednesday’s School Board Meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly chambers at the White Cliff building. Public comment will be heard at the start and end of the meeting.
The school district is also looking for members to serve on the newly formed Student Safety Committee. The committee will examine district policies that deal with student safety, and make recommendations about those policies to the School Board. For more information, call the superintendent’s office at 247-2109.
