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Technology and Testing Coordinator Kate Huggins and Instructional Leader Cathy Seale provided updates on equipment orders and school resources for the fall school year at the Marengo County Board of Education meeting on July 30.

Eight hundred Chromebooks were ordered for the upcoming school year, and 595 of them have been received. The remaining 205 have shipped and will be received before the first day of school. One thousand backpacks have been received, along with 1,000 headphones, and will be distributed to students. ID Badges and flash drives were ordered and have been received.

The technology team is working with Seale and principals to establish the best way to distribute Chromebooks and accessories to the Virtual School students. A date will be set for pick-up once the remaining 205 Chromebooks arrive.

The Marengo County school district is in the process of purchasing WiFi for six buses that will be placed in remote areas for students to have access to the Internet. The equipment has CIPA Compliance filters for safety in addition to the Security and iBoss filtering the district has purchased for the Chromebooks. The cost is approximately $15,000, and the district will apply for Greer’s grant money to cover it. Areas to place the buses include: Vineland, Nicholsville/Putnam, Nanafalia, Faunsdale, Beaver Creek Road, and Magnolia.

The district is in the process of purchasing ZOOM for teachers. ZOOM will allow live remote streaming for virtual students to be able to attend a class and get needed help.

A new website is currently in progress and will allow easy access to help files and videos for teachers, students, and parents. This information can be found at https://katehuggins0.wixsite.com/mcstechnologytips.

After school tutoring for students will continue with two tutors being available from 2:45 to 4:45 on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students will not be allowed to return to campus but will have to call their teacher or tutor, and questions will be answered over the phone.

Items approved by the board:

• The board approved the financial reports for June.

• The board approved bank statement reconciliations for June

• The board approved addendum No. 1 to milk bid.

For more information on virtual learning, a MCS Virtual Learning Student Handbook has been posted on the website https://www.marengo.k12.al.us/ for parents to reference.

The next meeting of the board will be Thursday, August 20, at 4 p.m.