North Cook News

The Glencoe Board of Education recently received a presentation on the renewal of its technology program and its equipment. District Network Manager Randall Saeks recommended a three-year deal to replace the devices from the last round.

Saeks made the presentation at the Jan. 12 meeting of the board, and shared photos and projects of students who are using the technology. In February 2020 the board approved the start of the district’s iPad plan. This involved providing an iPad to every teacher, teacher's assistant and student district-wide, amounting to 1426 devices. This was to expand the learning environment to a hybrid- and technology-based model, which came at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“So obviously there's that huge thank you to the board for approving that and saying for everybody, 'Let's have technology for our teachers, let's have it for TA's, let's have it for students,'" Saeks said. "So everyone in a classroom can engage and support one another. And it's a really great spot to be in.”

This contract ends in June, and the devices are getting worn and old, Saeks said. He recommend a new three-year contract to begin in July to buy 1480 iPads. This replaces all the devices in the district and adds 30 more due to the district’s enrollment growth, as well as having extra devices if one gets damaged or lost.

The school district has annual payments throughout the lease of $221,378 for a total of $655,566, and will receive $175,000 in a trade-in value from the existing devices to help offset costs. 

The board will receive a final contract for the lease in February and will take a vote, and the first payment would be made in July.