The biggest crowd I have seen at a Hamilton Southeastern School Board meeting packed into a large room at Fishers Junior High School to watch the board approve the iPad rollout this fall for grades kindergarten through 4th grade, with some special provisions included in the final plan.  In grades K-2, parents can choose whether to have there child bring the iPad tablet home.  There will also be rules implemented not allowing iPad use during recess, lunch or on the school bus, in a move to limit screen time in the lower grades.  No iPad use for gaming will be allowed.

A long procession of parents and educators signed up to speak for and against the proposal.  In the end, the board unanimously voted to support the administration’s recommendation.  The final version of that recommended rollout plan was not totally complete until about 2 hours before the meeting began, according to board members.

Part of the approved plan will create 3 parent advisory boards to monitor the progress of the iPad K-4 rollout.  HSE School Superintendent Allen Bourff told the board and the assembled crowd the HSE21 plan is not about iPads, it’s about learning.  The tablets are just a tool to achieve learning.

Parents will receive updates from the school on what apps are being used on the iPad devices.

The plan approved by the board will reduce iPad rental costs from $125 to $90 and calls for a reduction of textbook and other fees.