SD 202 Board Refunds Building Bonds to Save $2.3 Million

The  board on Monday approved refunding several bonds to take advantage of lower interest rates.

The board approved issuing $16.7 million in bonds to refinance 2003 and 2004 building bonds, and is anticipating saving about $1.5 million over the next 10 years due to lower interest rates.

The board also approved refunding debt certificates that once bought 195 acres of land for , and to save about $800,000.

Altogether, the district is anticipating saving up to $2.3 million, district officials said.

Technology update

In other news, the district is planning to buy about $2 million in computers to replace those that are aging.

The district once replaced its computers about every four years, but budget restraints caused the district to delay purchasing new computers to about every six years, officials said.

When the district replaced its computers every four years, it would sell the used computers to the community and use the proceeds to invest in new technology, district spokesman Tom Hernandez said.

Now, the district is planning to enter into a lease/purchase agreement to buy about 2,000 computers for 15 elementary and middle schools.

“Technology is integral to the classroom and instruction,” Supt. John Harper said. “Delaying (replacing the computers) to a seventh or eighth year is not prudent.”

Staffing changes

Finally, the board on Monday approved hiring new assistant principals at Drauden Point Middle School, and the for next school year.

eighth-grade special education teacher Kristie Mate will be the new assistant principal at Drauden Point Middle School.

Ridge Elementary School fourth-grade teacher Robert Battey will be the new assistant principal at Walker’s Grove Elementary School. And special education teacher Erica Schramm will be the first-ever assistant principal at the Bonnie McBeth Learning Center.