At the May 12 curriculum and technology meeting, English Department Chair Robyn Balsai provided a presentation on the steps made to ensure compliance with Common Core standards.

"Common Core is about more integration; it involves more thinking and practice by the students, more skill based than content based," Balsai said.

The department has spent the last two years putting a program together which will now undergo a curriculum review protocol.

"We had the student centered piece already," Balsai said. She said they asked "how can we integrate more, utilize technology more and help the kids who aren't keeping up."

Superintendent Michael Roth asked Balsai what the biggest change in student learning was from the 1980s to present.

"Kids are so tech savy now," Balsai said. "They want immediate answers; they don't want to wrestle with text. Teachers want them to wrestle with text a skill they will need for life."

Balsai said kids are more willing to revise their writing now because it is easier on the computer. "They can take it to more indepth levels," Balsai said.

Assistant Superintendent Randy Ziegenfuss thanked Balsai for her service 39 years with the district and 24 years as department chair. She will be retiring at the end of the school year.

A second presentation was given by members of Project Search, a program of the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit. The program instructs and teaches students with developmental disabilities how to seek competitive employment, use public transportation, complete chosen rotations, maintain a professional appearance, increase their independence and actively participate in team meetings and office instruction. The students 18 and over are immersed into businesses as interns, hopefully gaining full-time employment. Although there have been Salisbury students in the program, there are no students currently.

The next agenda item involved Superintendent Michael Roth, Ziegenfuss and Supervisor of Instructional Practice Lynn Fuini-Hetton detailing the administrative plan to move the district into the year 2020.

Roth began by quoting Peter Drucker, "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

Roth noted four goals for moving forward: continue the teaching and learning framework, increase the occurrences of higher learning; increase the opportunities for all students to keep learning current and relevant; and provide a readiness for college, work or any other opportunities available to them.

Coordinator of Technology Chris Smith detailed the plan of one-to-one iPads for students in kindergarten and first grade and Mac computers for students in grades two through five. All computers at the elementary level would stay in the school. Additional computer carts would be added as well as cases for the iPads and computers and Casper software for technical support.

"We want to be a district of choice not because of our one-to-one initiative but because we've made a commitment to provide services to better prepare them [students] for the future," Roth said.

Fuini-Hetton said other benefits include the ability to transform the writing process, read and write with different medium, increase engagement in choice and learning, meet the strategic planning goal for access to online learning, provide blended learning opportunties for students, increase access to digital content and utilize free e-textbooks.

Ziegenfuss also added the Pennsylvania Department of Education is rolling out resources on iTunesU for students. He said there is a massive amount of open online courses at the university level - some offering credit to students. He said the technology increases the opportunity for collaboration and creativity and assessments are looked at differently with the electronic display of projects.

Both elementary school principals explained the role of the devices at the elementary level to enhance the students' learning.

Director of Special Education Nora Perron-Jones said the technology gives access to students with disabilities and provides individualized learning. "There are amazing apps available for these students."

Ziegenfuss and Roth said the teachers are overwhelmingly positive about the prospect of 1:1 technology at the elementary level with one person concerned about additional classroom management.

Smith proposed updating the servers and purchasing additional laptops with $100,000 from the 2013-2014 budget which administrators say is available.

Board member Sam DeFrank noted equal access to learning for all students and said "the benefits are enormous. This is an opportunity we have to consider."

Board member George Gatanis agreed and said "we can't pass on this opportunity. Technology is a big part of business and a tremendous design tool. The earlier we get involved, the better."

Other board members agreed about the importance of technology. The concern was the cost of the endeavor which was discussed at the May operations meeting.

Board member Bob Fischer was last to provide his comments.

Talking about technology, he said, "it dehumanizes the entire educational process. We might as well put up a sign that says 'Salisbury Cyber School.'" Fischer said the current technology has not shown measurable gain. He suggested the district "stay with what we have and prove it is going to bear fruit before we go all in. Collaboration is best done face to face," he said. Fischer also said he is concerned about security issues and things posted in the grey cloud. "Banks can't protect our accounts; do we have the resources to protect our data? We need proof."

Roth said given the limited resources from the government and mandates, doing this 1:1 initiative district-wide will "limit our ability to expand anything such as adding activities."

Board members suggested Fischer visit the schools and see the technology in use.

"If you have good intentions, you are welcome," Roth said. He said he has experienced board members in other districts who visited the classrooms with bad intentions.