New program to benefit teacher assistants
A new cell tower approved by the school board near Taylor High School should help clear up spotty communications, officials said Monday.
After months of discussion, Taylor Independent School District trustees OK’d the agreement with Diamond Communications for the tower to be placed on land near the campus, 355 FM 973.
Also during the session April 20, directors learned about a new program for the district’s instructional assistants that could help the aides earn a college degree and a teaching certificate.
Meanwhile, board members voted to approve the cell-tower placement without comments or questions.
Ron Verano, executive director of maintenance and operations, said the agreement with Diamond Communications will “address campus connectivity gaps.”
In previous meetings, Verano noted potential safety issues caused by spotty communication at the district’s only high school, which the cell tower should alleviate.
Trustees also learned from Jennifer Patschke, assistant superintendent of human resources and federal programs, about the Teacher Registered Apprentice Program at the meeting this week.
“This is an opportunity for our instructional assistants to earn a college degree and a teacher certification,” Patschke said.
Patschke highlighted the benefits of the program, which essentially creates “a pipeline of teachers from within our own staff,” Patschke said.
The district already has 27 employees interested in the program, which has state support,
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“This is an opportunity for our instructional assistants to earn a college degree and a teacher certification.”
— Jennifer Patschke
Patschke added The state will provide educational funding of $4,000 per participant paid to the school district in September.
In other business, trustees approved the purchase of new computers.
Technology Director Jamie Sellers said the price tag for almost 4,000 MacBook Neos for teachers and students would tally over $2 million. However, the district could see some financial breaks on that figure.
“With four-year Apple financing, that brings (the annual cost) to $595,024 a year,” Sellers said.
A company will also buy back Taylor ISD’s older devices, bringing in about $300,000 to $500,000.
“We’ll land somewhere in the middle of that number at $390,000 to $400,000,” Sellers said.
The next school board meeting is 7 p.m. May 18 in the Taylor ISD boardroom at 3101 N. Main St.
