Kingsport school board buys Chromebooks, approves Sevier Middle gym floor change order

KINGSPORT — If you think today's technology is expensive, try multiplying the cost of a new Chromebook 1,000 times to serve thousands of elementary school students.The Kingsport City Schools Board of Education on Tuesday night voted 5-0 to buy 1,000 new Chromebooks for grades K-2 students at a cost of $353,000.That was among a smorgasbord of votes that also included budget amendments, such as adding $65,000 to the Sevier Middle School auxiliary gym floor project bringing it to almost $264,000.The board also honored some students.CHROMEBOOKS PURCHASEChief Finance Officer David Frye said the 1,000 Chromebook purchases, done through a statewide purchasing agreement, include licensing normally costing $25 or $30.Frye said the new machines will replace older ones in use by grades K-2 students that will no longer operate as needed. The student-to- Chromebook ratio is still not one-to-one since the purchase will provide only about 10 Chromebooks per classroom.The money will come from the 2023-24 fiscal year budget.SEVIER GYM FLOOR PROJECT TO COST MOREThe board also voted 5-0 to approve an amended agreement with Finchum Sports Floors for the Sevier Middle auxiliary gym floor work, increasing the price from $198,998 to $263,998.He said the extra money is needed to pour concrete over the uneven concrete floor under the old flooring, a more permanent solution than shimming for the new flooring.The change order will delay completion of that project until after school starts in August, but the main gym floor also being redone will be ready in time for the start of school, he said. Sevier is the original Dobyns-Bennett High, which opened in 1926.OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERSAmendments to the 2022-23 budget include accepting a donation of the Adams Parent Teacher Organization for playground equipment of $14,000, acceptance of Tennessee Arts Commission grants of $3,000 each to Johnson and Washington elementary schools for Barter Theatre or other performing arts trips; and acceptance of Tennessee Summer Learning grants of $893,088, made up for $755,975 for the summer learning operations and another $137,113 for transportation.The money includes funds provided because of the increased number of third graders because some had to compete a summer camp or have to repeat the third grade because of lagging reading scores, Frye said.Changes also included miscellaneous transfers between accounts at schools, use of unrestricted fund balance in the school nutrition budget and a revision of the federal project budget to replace additional grant funds, as well as an increase in the school special projects fund that, among other things, reflects Innovative Model Schools funds.In that later funding stream, Robinson and Sevier middle schools will receive $2 million each over four years.The board also approved putting $76,949 in unused project funds into a general capital projects fund to be used for the Sevier gym change order.STUDENT ACCOLADESThe board also:• Recognized Dobyns-Bennett High graduate Jack Carson for winning the Mountain Empire Chapter of the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete of the Year.Carson also was one of only 60 players in the United States to be named to the National Football Foundation's Team of Distinction. He plans to study biochemistry and play football at Centre College in Kentucky in the fall.• Recognized D-B school students Sydney Ridings and Mia Treadway, who did not attend, for winning the Tennessee champions in the Broadcast Journalism category of the Future Business Leaders of American competition in Chattanooga April 2-5, during their spring break.Treadway was absent, and the two are not competing at the national FBLA conference in Atlanta June 27-30.• Recognized Juliet Barton, who recently won the 2023 Congressional Art competition for the First Congressional District.Northeast Tennessee high school students in grades 9-12 throughout the First District had the chance to enter the competition to have their artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.The winning artwork of all House districts' competition will be displayed for one year in the Capitol. It will also be featured on the Congressional Art Competition page of the United States House of Representatives website, online at house.gov.