I don't understand... isn't this the responsibility of the school board, not the town?
And how is it that North Wilkesboro elementary got the same federal funding for laptops as CC Wright, they chose to spend their money elsewhere, and now they're expecting the town to give them more money? That makes no sense to me.
Chromebook laptops
The board approved the purchase of 28 Chromebook laptop computers for $23,739 for North Wilkesboro Elementary School.
Hall said before this action, “I’d like to say, this is our school. I want everybody to know that’s what we’re spending it on. Our school.”
Michael Parsons said Downtown North Wilkesboro Partnership businesses were asked to fund computers for North Wilkesboro Elementary and encourage others in the private sector to do likewise. He said Michael’s Jewelry would participate.
Ferguson asked about a way to solicit support from private citizens. Business owner Otis Church, in the audience, suggested including this in town water bill newsletters.
“You’d better be careful, because C.C. Wright’s our school, too, in town, and they’re going to ask the same thing if they get wind of this,” said Nichols.
Church said children in North Wilkesboro also attend Mulberry Elementary School.
Commissioner Junior Goforth said North Wilkesboro Principal Delaina Smith came to the board to request funds for Chromebook laptops and no other schools requested help.
Smith made the request on Oct. 25, saying the school receives little funding for technology due to budget cuts. She told commissioners that the 84 laptops were needed “to get our students one-to-one (one laptop per student) with technology.”
Smith said C.C. Wright, the other elementary school in town, has one Chromebook laptop per student due to federal funding. She said North Wilkesboro Elementary used most of its federal funding for six tutors to help improve end-of-grand test scores instead of buying laptops.
