More laptops on the way to St. Mary students

CENTERVILLE — Laptops are nearly ready to be distributed to students for the upcoming school year, which was delayed recently until Sept. 8, the board learned during Thursday’s regular monthly meeting.
“Pretty much this time next week, over half of the laptops will be deployed to the students,” Chief Technology Officer Kevin Derise said. “It will probably take us about seven full days.”
Derise also reported that the district has received the second half of its computers for elementary students.
The technology was purchased using Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act funds to provide a 1-to-1 ratio between students and teachers following the early closure of in-person instruction in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The technology will allow those parents who would rather their students work virtually this year to do so, while the remainder of the school district’s students will attend classes twice per week in person and work online the remainder of the school week.
Currently, St. Mary Superintendent Teresa Bagwell said about 35% of students will be using the school system’s virtual program when the 2020-2021 school year begins.
Under the application for virtual learning, parents will be responsible for providing internet access for their students first, and then the district will work on isolated problems with access, Derise said. He noted the first remedy for that would be providing internet ac-cess at schools.
Also during Thursday’s meeting, the board held extensive discussion about approving an updated set of job descriptions. Most of the discussion centered around the coordinator of special services-elementary schools position, which the board will have to readvertise for after an incorrect version of the job description previous-ly had been approved by the board in error and the job awarded.
Board member Sylvia Lockett expressed concerned with wording in the job description that said someone can lead as the coordinator of special services-elementary schools without special services experience.
Fellow board member Alaina Black, who works as a special education facilitator in Terrebonne Parish, agreed with Lockett.
Director of Federal Programs Debra McClarity said that when job descriptions are formulated for the district, they are done so using state and educational leadership requirements.
Black recommended adding the requirement of special education experience to the de-scription.
“It’s a Special Ed coordinator position,” she said, noting that even with her background in special education, she sometimes has difficulty with aspects of the programs.
McClarity said that some of the decisions involving special education are not just made by one person but are based on several people.
The board passed the measure with the wording that special education experience was preferred. Lockett voted against the measure. While Black voted for it, she asked that one of the individual job descriptions approved, Coordinator of Pupil Appraisal Services and 504, be put on next month’s agenda with more updates she will recommend.