ANOTHER BOOST FOR ASD

Austin Area School District students will benefit from 'SMART' board technology this school year. Smart board images are project from a computer. The board itself has a touch-sensitive display that enables an instructor to control computer applications directly from the display. Here, Superintendent Matt Hutcheson disussing the SMART Boards with school board members. Students will be learning interactively in all classrooms when the Austin school doors open for the 2008/2009 school year.

Thanks to grants and the support of Williams Transco, every educational room in the school will have either a SMART Board or a Promethium Board. The boards allow for teachers and students to work interactively with a computer from the screen.

Staff members attended a national conference on the boards over the summer, and the school will host training for teachers in the Intermediate Unit this fall.

"We are significantly ahead of the other schools," Superintendent Matt Hutcheson said of the technology and trained teachers behind it. "We would like to have our staff present at the national level."

Blood was also on the Aug. 7 school board agenda.

It was recently learned that the Red Cross was no longer supplying blood to Charles Cole Memorial Hospital, despite the fact that it was still collecting blood from within the hospital's coverage area. Erie Blood Bank will be the new supplier.

"Within this community we should be supportive of the blood bank," said Hutcheson.

Blood drives at the school generate over 200 units of blood per year, he said, adding that the hospital reportedly needs around 700 units per year. Hutcheson also said he believes the blood should be donated to the blood bank, but other donations should continue to be made to the Red Cross.

He added that the blood bank would be hosting scholarships and activities comparable to those that had been supplied by the Red Cross.

The board accepted the resignation of member Kim VanHorn, who is moving out of the area. The position will be advertised and filled by appointment until the next election.

Several advisor positions were filled during the meeting, but the positions of Freshmen class advisor, newspaper advisor and play/ drama advisor remain vacant.