Other items weighing heavy in next year's budget are fuel costs for heating and buses, health insurance increases, and the recent increase in electricity. At this point, King is projecting $60,000 for fuel and $20,000 for electricity.

Said King, "I don't feel comfortable not projecting these as they will be."

Other areas of increase expected for programs in the Boothbay Region Elementary School (BRES) and Boothbay Region High School (BRHS) include text books (math and science at BRES and foreign languages at BRHS), testing materials (Special Education), BRHS basketball uniforms and football jerseys, and bus maintenance. Technology Integration Status Report

Technology Integration Director Eric Chamberlin delivered a report to the committee on the progress he has made in this new position. Chamberlin oversees and facilitates technological inclusion and advancement in the classrooms of BRES, BRHS, Southport Central School and Edgecomb. Eddy School.

"I believe our access to technology for grades 7-12 is quite solid in our schools," said Chamberlin.

Chamberlin has been assisting teachers -- particularly at BRHS -- with utilizing laptops and their technology within their classrooms; many for the first time. All teachers in the high school were directed to include technology in one project -- at a minimum. Said Chamberlin, "I feel we have become more accomplished; in some cases we are talking baby steps, but, you have to meet people where they are at -- but there has been real progress, big steps forward." Chamberlin confirmed that he has worked with most of the high school teachers on one project.

Chamberlin cited a Webquest (a free service out of San Diego State University) project with Becky Roberts' Latin III class, begun and completed for the benefit of Latin II students. Roberts and the Latin III students created the online, template-based project, "Is Latin Really Dead?" which is now part of the pool of content on the internet. This project features photos taken by one of the Latin III students on a school trip to Italy.

To view the project, which took six weeks from start to finish, and others, visit Chamberlin's Web site, http://www.mrchamberlin.com/ and look to the right for the link.

Other examples of technology use can be the Southport School's new Web site was created by the software program known as, "Manilla." Chamberlin noted that BRHS science teacher Sean Carlson's classes are being conducted via this software; student work is posted and handed in via his Web page.

Chamberlin reminded the committee that this June marks the fourth and final year of the Apple Laptop Initiative. "This has been an incredible gift that we have benefited from even more than some other schools. If there is a version two, it is doubtful that the state will give us another 150 laptops. The latest buzz I am aware of through the state and Apple is that another program, MLTI, will be created. Apple is waiting to hear from the state; what are the needs. This time around, the wireless infrastructure will not be necessary, we do need a different version of teacher development, because a majority of teachers have begun or are utilizing the technology."

Chamberlin will be meeting with Apple reps to relate what worked and did not work with the first four years.

Chamberlin and King planned to meet with Apple reps this week to discuss where we can go from here. Said Chamberlin, "I do not think I can emphasize this enough. We, collectively at this school, for our kids, have to find some way, maybe a shared cost; i.e., we pay half and the state pays half. We must renew the laptop program. Our Kindergarten students are at the computers every single day for 30 minutes. That can happen because we have 150 students with laptops that do not have to use that room. I know it is not going to be easy, I know it is not going to be inexpensive."

An organization called Net Day conducts national surveys with students and teachers consisting of 35 questions and over the last few years over 300,000 have participated. Chamberlin shared some of the results of some of surveys that BRES seventh and eighth grade students participated in with the committee to further reinforce awareness that technology is not a necessity not for the future, but for today.

One question: "Which of the following devices to you think are essential to have in the 21st century classroom?" The top two responses were desktop computer - BRES: 54 students or 47 percent, compared with the national average of 69 percent and the laptop computer: 104 of BRES students or 90 percent compared with 62 percent of students nationally citing laptops as classroom essentials.

Another question on the survey: "What are the main obstacles you face in using technology at your school?" Nationally, 31 percent of students said "not enough computers" compared with only 8 percent of our students. Other "high scoring" obstacles were: computers do not work regularly, outdated software, slow internet access, not enough time in the school day, assignments do not encourage technology use, limited teacher knowledge and skill, and not having computers and/or the internet at home.

"I cannot stress enough how important this is," said Chamberlin. "Where we need to be, where our kids need to be within the context of the world. How can we collectively convince parents and teachers that we need to move forward?"

King said, "I have asked Jack to mandate that every teacher in the high school integrate technology into one unit of their curriculum this year. We can increase that to two units next year. There are also other ways we can address teacher familiarity and usage of technology. We can also look at re-certification; we could say that every teacher being re-certified in the next five years must take three technology courses. We can start to plan what action we will take to ensure we can move forward; effect change." Early Dismissal Wednesdays

It is unanimously agreed by faculty and administration alike that the early dismissal on Wednesdays has made a huge difference in addressing the time needed for teachers to complete the work and education required by state and federal mandates. The faculty is planning a presentation on the accomplishments and the work currently in progress at an April school committee meeting. BRES Vice Principal Jane Stevens reported that everything has gone very smoothly with the YMCA and after school programs. The Drug Free Zone

Chairman Alex Logan received acknowledgment of the committee's letter of concern regarding the recent licensing of Rite Aid to sell alcohol. The liquor board related that the issue is before the District Court and that the school committee would be notified of the outcome.

Superintendent King shared the result of her independent research revealing that the state is prohibited to sell alcohol within a school zone or within 300 feet of a school or church. The 300 feet is measured by the entrance to the property -- not a front door.

Committee member Sandy Paxson said, "We could submit an advocate's brief; a statement containing information that we feel is important for the court to look at." The committee agreed to consider drawing up such a statement.

The committee's next meeting is Wednesday, February 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the BRES Home Sciences room.