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Boback announces intent to run for re-election

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Luzerne County promotes voter registration in high schools

<p>UNION TWP. &#8212; The Northwest Area School Board approved over $292,000 in projects this week, the largest of which is for the purchase of 1,050 Dell Chromebook computers.</p><p>The purchase is intended to make a computer available to every student in the district starting in the 2018-19 term.</p><p>Besides the Chromebooks, the board also agreed to secure 13 &#8220;charging carts&#8221; from Dell at a cost of $9,100.</p><p>Gary Boberick, school board chairman, said the plan is to make the computer purchase a regular expenditure in the 2018-19 budget. When asked, Boberick said no grant money or special contribution funds are involved.</p><p>When the vote on the motion, 8-0, was completed, Superintendent Jim McGovern called the purchase &#8220;awesome&#8221; for the students of Northwest.</p><p>Meanwhile, three other purchases will be from the district&#8217;s capital projects fund:</p><p>&#8226; $4,390 to Mesko Glass &amp; Mirror for the replacement of doors at the delivery entrance to the high school;</p><p>&#8226; $11,800 to Neighbor Fence for the installation of a 6-foot-high chain-link fence at the northeast corner of the high school property;</p><p>&#8226; $9,896 to Green Tree Pole Buildings to replace dugouts at the softball field.</p><p>Those three projects were all recommended by the building and grounds committee, and this same panel proposed to the board that:</p><p>&#8226; Bids be solicited for ceiling replacement work at the high school;</p><p>&#8226; COSTARS pricing be sought for new lockers in the boys locker room.</p><p><strong>Security talk</strong></p><p>There was also some discussion from the public and school officials about security at all the district&#8217;s buildings. The comments were inspired by the recent school shooting in Parkland, Fla., where 17 were killed.</p><p>Most of the responses came from Ryan Miner, high school principal, and McGovern, who said that procedures and policies are in place.</p><p>Miner added that a drill has been scheduled in the near future which includes a plan to have a law enforcement officer present to observe and offer recommendations.</p><p>McGovern said he has been in communication with a New Jersey firm, StoneGate Associates, which specializes in security and protection services. In conjunction with this inquiry, McGovern outlined a series of proposals made by StoneGate that can be implemented at the district&#8217;s schools.</p><p>In other matters:</p><p>&#8226; Director of District Operations Betsy Ellis praised the pre-kindergarten program introduced this term. Through a $72,000 grant, Ellis said, the program will be expanded in 2018-19.</p><p>&#8226; Scott Quinn, band director, reported the Northwest High School Band has been scheduled to appear in the Magic Kingdom Parade at Disney World, Orlando, Fla., during a five-day period from Nov. 26 to Dec. 1, 2018. Quinn said fundraising projects will be implemented by students and their parents to offset costs.</p><p>&#8226; Lucy Baloga was appointed as a part-time consultant at a rate of $80 per hour.</p><p>&#8226; The board voted to advertise for a full-time paraprofessional to replace the retiring Julie Kessler.</p><p>&#8226; Lon Hazlet was reconfirmed as head football coach and Brian Brachik as cross-country coach. The post of field hockey coach was opened to applicants.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Huntington</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Northwest votes to purchase more than 1,000 computers