BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — A public hearing will be held tonight, Aug. 17, at 7 p.m. in room 314 of the high school as the Massena School District discusses the Smart School Investment Plan.

School officials say the district was allocated $2,415,023 from the Smart Schools Bond Act, a $2 billion general obligation bond aimed at improving education throughout the state.

As part of the initiative, the district’s Technology Committee has recommended the district purchase a number of purchases to upgrade classrooms, including Dell Chromebooks, smart boards and classroom chargers.

Officials say the life expectancy of Chromebooks, though high, is still limited, with some devices requiring replacement in the near future.

As part of the proposal, the district would potentially acquire 81 smart boards, which cost $3,599 each for a total of $291,519. That purchase would cover all schools in the district.

The district would also purchase 2,054 Chromebooks at a cost of $319.77 each, totaling $656,807.58, encompassing all schools.

School officials also plan to purchase 1,410 Chromebook chargers for $30 each, totaling $42,300. Total cost for the purchases will be $990,626.58.

The district previously spent $1,424,396 in three technology upgrade packages that included new security cameras and door, Chromebooks and smart boards.

The new plan would utilize the remaining allocation of funds.