Warsaw Community Schools is moving toward expanding its 1:1 tablet program to kindergarten through fourth grade.
The plan was presented by Chief Technology Officer Brad Hagg at Monday’s school board work session.
WCS already uses a 1:1 system for fifth through 12th grades, and the corporation wants to expand it to all grades. The system gives students an iPad to use for homework and other classroom activities.
For kindergarten to fourth grade, the iPads will stay in the classroom, but can be checked out if necessary.
Superintendent Dr. David Hoffert said the cost of the program is unknown at this point, but he expects the cost to parents to be the same as what it has been in the past.
The proposal will not be voted on for a few months, to allow time for WCS officials to get quotes, Hoffert said.
In other business, Human Resources Director Jeannie Corson presented a plan to switch the corporation’s substitute teacher provider.
The proposal would move WCS to Edustaff, a company based in Grand Rapids, Mich., from its current provider known as Region 8.
The switch would be cost neutral, Hoffert said, but would allow for more benefits for the teachers.
With Edustaff, subs could work five days a week instead of the current limit of four. The five-days-a-week work schedule would allow the substitute teachers to get health care benefits. The benefits would be paid by Edustaff.
It also would create a tiered pay system rather than the current flat rate of $81 a day. The tiered system would pay substitute based on their experience.
“Teachers would make more money in the third year,” Corson said.
The plan is expected to be voted on at next month’s meeting.
