Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Distance Education To Be Added In Prescott Schools

Students in the Prescott School District could begin distance education learning with the installation of new technology which will link them with Arkansas School for Math and Sciences in Hot Springs.

District board members heard a report on technology at its meeting Tuesday, July 21.

Students in middle school and high school will utilize the extra computer lab at the elementary school to take classes which could be offered.

Classes are arranged with a television style monitor hooked to a camera at the teaching site. A camera also monitors the students.

Students are able to ask questions and respond with equipment as if writing on a board at the front of a regular classroom.

School officials say three students at Prescott High School, who are ready for calculus, could benefit from the system this school year. It is also possible some eighth grade students could take Spanish classes, for credits which would apply when they reach high school.

Students can continue learning after the hour-long class is ended by accessing the lesson through a CD or through the internet.

In addition for students to take classes, it could be possible for teachers to serve as adjunct staff and teach classes from the room.

In other business at the regular meeting, the district approved purchasing milk from Borden and bread from Wonder for the 1998-99 school year.

Board members also heard brief reports on staff insurance rate increases, teacher grants for innovative ideas, minority teacher recruitment, football bleacher repairs and roof leakage at the middle school and elementary school campuses.