Superintendent outlines summer capital work, staggered air‑conditioning plans and Chromebook usage data

Superintendent Matt Landal delivered a summer update highlighting upcoming capital work, a multi‑year plan for school air conditioning, and the results of a Chromebook usage review.

Landal said bids for softball and baseball turf infields, drainage and tennis court resurfacing will open later this week and that the board will be asked to award contracts after bids are opened; if necessary, the board may call a special meeting the week of June 15 to expedite awards. He also said theater lighting work has a contractor selected and will include LED fixtures and new control systems.

Materials and schedule changes: Landal said planned entryway renovations for five school buildings have been delayed to summer 2027 because suppliers could not guarantee storefront materials would arrive by Labor Day; the district will rebid those projects with longer lead times.

Air conditioning timeline: Landal described phased AC upgrades. Work at South Avenue and Sergeant will be rebid in fall 2026 with installations expected to take about a year (completion by fall 2027), and a broader plan aims to have the bulk of district AC work completed by fall 2028. He cautioned the projects are complex, may require electrical switch upgrades, and will be done in stages to minimize disruption.

Chromebook usage and AI policy: Using LightSpeed monitoring, district averages for Chromebook use during the school day were reported as roughly 15 minutes/day for K–2, 30–35 minutes/day for grades 3–5, and 50–70 minutes/day for grades 6–12. Landal said K–2 students will not be assigned daily take‑home Chromebooks next year and that the district will communicate details to families later in the week. He also announced plans to form an educational technology committee of teachers, parents and students to review AI policy and tools; Saggy and Vanessa Defants will co‑chair the committee with superintendent participation.

Board process notes and next steps: Landal said work that requires board approval will be brought to the June 22 meeting; the district will post updates on the website and send community notifications after bid openings and contract awards are scheduled.

No formal board action on the capital timeline or Chromebook policy changes was recorded at this meeting; several items requiring board approval were placed on the consent agenda for later vote.