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BY RUTH EPSTEIN
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
FALLS VILLAGE — The first iteration of the proposed 2015-16 spending plan for Housatonic Valley Regional High School shows an increase of 2.6 percent.
During an initial workshop held Wednesday, Region 1 Business Manager Samuel Herrick gave a brief overview before turning the discussion over to Principal Jose Martinez.
Herrick said the gross total at this point is $8,925,096 and will reflect a per pupil cost of $26,333.
Martinez, noting that the school will be preparing for its 2017 New England School Development Council’s accreditation process, has categorized some objectives. He said some funding will be used toward improving the school’s curriculum to maintain its standards.
He will try to reduce textbook costs by using more electronics and has ideas about how to implement additional technology. Martinez plans a two-year phase in of having every student have his/her own electronic devise. He talked about three possibilities: have each child bring his own device; supply a device with an accompanying fee or provide a device without charge.
He favors charging an annual $25 fee and at the end of their senior year, students would own them. During the first year of the program, ninth graders would receive them and in year two, 12th graders would be the recipients.
Policies would have to be devised to spell out what happens if a device is lost or broken, but he said they would never deny access to a student. Estimating costs of the program would be challenging, since some students would be bringing their own.