School Board Allocates $30,000 For Computers

Clarkstown School Board members voted unanimously Thursday night to spend $30,000 for new computer hardware.  The equipment will be used to run the Achieve 3000 computer reading program for additional students attending Felix Festa Middle School.

Board Member Joe Malgieri asked for the funds after attending a technology meeting and learning that old equipment was being repurposed to run the program.  The additional equipment was needed because it was determined 300 more students would benefit from the .  At its Dec. 12 meeting, the board approved the usage of $47,000 from surplus to pay for “student improvement initiatives” including Achieve 3000 licenses for general education students at the middle school.

“As I understand it this is going to be a three-year program with our kids,” said Malgieri. 

District Director of Informational Technology John Krouskoff said three labs had been established after his department learned of the expanded need.  That will allow for more computer-based instruction at the middle school and make it easier to schedule classes.

“…We have begun using Achieve 3000 for literacy enrichment and support and it requires students to have access to computers for a portion of that instruction,” said Superintendent Margaret Keller-Cogan.  “The $30,000 will be used for additional hardware and wiring for a lab space so the technology that is used is more up to date and reliable.  There are about 2200 students at the middle school and the computer rooms are beyond capacity now.”