Mea culpa

Three letters to the editor today attest — and we readily admit — our error in not understanding what the school system was proposing in its bid to replace some computers in the classroom with laptop computers.

First, we were under the mistaken impression, as Joseph Poletti, director of media and technology for the county school system notes, that students would use these computers as their own “personal” computers, and secondly, that the computers could be taken home.

As he, along with Michael McKay, assistant principal at West Carteret High School, and Millie Temple, instructional technology facilitator at Croatan High School explain, the laptops would be on carts in the schools, as they have been for three years in Croatan High School, and would be available for students to use in “technology-rich lessons in their classrooms” at the behest of teachers.

And as Mr. Poletti says the laptops would “… remain in schools under the same security and accountability measures as any other school system computer.”

In addition to Croatan, West Carteret High School, Morehead Middle, White Oak Elementary and Bogue Sound Elementary are requesting the computer carts. (Read http://jpoletti.wordpress.com.)

Having had our minds opened to what school officials propose, we thank the individuals mentioned above for pointing out our blunder. We also second the schools’ request for “technology” needs, voicing a preference to lease rather than to purchase.

Letters to the editor

Morehead City, N.C.

Feb. 5, 2007

TO THE EDITOR:

I’m encouraged that in the Sunday paper the editor supports laptops for teachers (A Wise Decision?). Laptops are the wise choice to enhance productivity, collaboration, presentation and professionalism. As for student laptops, there is a misunderstanding in the editorial. The school system is not proposing to purchase laptop computers for students to have as their own “personal” computers. 

The student laptops requested in the capital budget would be on mobile carts that remain in schools under the same security and accountability measures as any other school system computer. We are not brand new to this. For three years now, we’ve effectively managed a laptop cart at Croatan High School.

As for the cost effectiveness, the laptop carts for students are requested by five schools to increase student access without wiring more rooms for labs or displacing teachers from their classrooms. The laptops can be distributed to classrooms as needed. This results in more flexible learning options than having a couple of student desktop computers in every classroom. This cost-saving model is called “one-to-one as needed.”

For further insight as to the value of student laptops in our schools, I invite you to view a mini-video posted on my blog, Haulin’ ‘Net.

http://jpoletti.wordpress.com

The direct link to the entry is
http://jpoletti.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/why-laptops-the-rebuttal/.

JOSEPH R. POLETTI
Director of Media and Technology

Carteret County Public School  System

Beaufort, N.C.

Feb. 6, 2007

TO THE EDITOR:

A few comments on the article concerning the Maritime Museum by Lisbeth Evans, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. News-Times, Feb. 4.

My main concern is her mischaracterization of the Junior Sailing Program. Her statement, “The Maritime Museum has always provided the guidelines for certification and curriculum for the program,” is simply wrong. I know because I was one of the founders of the program in 1992, was president of the Friends when the program was adopted, and served as the first chairman of the Junior Sailing Committee. The program has always been affiliated with the U.S. Sailing Association, which provided guidelines, curriculum and certification for instructors.

It may be of interest to the secretary to know that for the first several years the program was not even conducted on museum property. It was based at the public ramp at the north end of Turner Street, storing the boats in a shipping container and holding classes in a rented building. 

Even so, the use of facilities and cooperation of staff of the Maritime Museum and support of the Friends have been essential to the program’s success. The Maritime Museum kindly allowed the fleet of Optimist dinghies to be built by volunteers in the Water Craft Center. The Friends provided start-up money and, later on, a mobile classroom on the newly purchased Gallant's Channel property. Other than that, the program supported itself from fees and donations. 

The Junior Sailing Program obviously owes a great debt of gratitude to the Friends and Maritime Museum for their support over the years. The partnership has worked well, as acknowledged by the secretary in her article. Why risk messing up a good thing by taking the Friends out of the loop?

BILL HUBBARD