After an almost two hour discussion, the Los Lunas Board of Education approved the purchase of 113 LCD overhead projectors for five schools at a regular school board meeting.

The schools ― Ann Parish Elementary, Desert View Elementary, Raymond Gabaldon Elementary, Tome Elementary and Valencia Elementary ― are the remaining five out of 17 district schools to receive this technology.

The purchase, which was approved by a 3-1 vote with board president Ed Hernandez voting no, was made after a very lengthy discussion between board members, administration and the audience.

When the approval of purchase came up, Hernandez and vice-president Maria Marez questioned how the purchase of the LCD projectors had assisted students with their education.

This is the third year of a three-phase project in which the technology was to be output to every school in the district. The total amount for 113 units is $194,916, with each unit totalling $1700.

Hernandez questioned how many teachers were utilizing the projectors on a regular basis in their classroom. He asked if the district should even continue to purchase, and install, the projectors, and whether the project had been a wise investment if the district will spend, when complete, about three $180,000 amounts.

"We've already spent close to $600,000, and not improved the environment of the schools. We should get interactive white boards. That thing (the LCD overhead projector) isn't teaching anything. It's not explaining anything. Projectors are old, Powerpoint is old, e-mail is old," Hernandez said.

An LCD overhead projector isn't like the old models frequently used in classrooms in the 1980's and 90's. An old model overhead projector typically consists of a large box containing a very bright lamp and a fan to cool it. Transparencies are placed on top of the lens for display.

A LCD (liquid crystal display) projector, by comparison, is known for much superior sharpness and color saturation. An interactive whiteboard, or also sometimes known as a Smart Board, is a large interactive display that connects to a computer and projector.

A projector projects the computer's desktop onto the board's surface, where users control the computer using a pen, finger or other device. The board is typically mounted to a wall or on a floor stand. Interactive white boards enable teachers to save lessons to present to students later, and allow digital storytelling and interactive lessons.

The purchase of the projectors comes out of the three-mill levy fund that has been used in the past to keep the district stocked with up-to-date technology.

About $20,000 of the third phase of the projector purchase comes from two-mill levy money, which is designed to provide the district with money for maintenance and upkeep of buildings.

"This is one of the projects we discussed that we felt we should move forward with," said assistant superintendent of finance and operations Mario Guggino. "We believe it's worthwhile going forward. I'm Mr. Frugal, I am very tight, but with that being said, $1,700 bucks a machine is really not an excessive cost. That's a pretty reasonable cost."

Hernandez said that he would not vote for the purchase because he thinks the district should look at "more integrative solutions, that at the end of day, are less expensive."

He suggested to the board that they table the issue to do more research on how the projectors have been utilized in the schools, what other technology is available and what students might want in their classrooms. He suggested reducing the amount of projectors from every classroom to just one or two in each school. He suggested that teachers could check out the equipment and use them in their room if they want.

Superintendent Bernard Saiz said he was under the impression that some of the schools were utilizing their projectors, but not all. He questioned if this was a personal choice by individual teachers, or simply because some teachers weren't effectively trained by the district on how to use and incorporate them into their classroom.

Saiz said portable projectors might be difficult for teachers to use if they are being used by a teacher in another classroom. Portable devices, he said, also are a lot more susceptible to be damaged, or not utilized to their full potential because checking out and returning might be seen as a hassle.

Tomé Elementary Principal Felipe Armijo said he purchased two portable projectors for his school, and that they've been excellent tools for teachers and students. He went on to say that dealing with portable devices is not as convenient as having a permanently mounted projector.

Armijo said when used with clickers, the unmounted device isn't high enough for all the children to see, and some of them get in the way of others views because it's too low. He went on to say that the projectors are the catalysts for more interactive technology like clickers.

He suggested to the board that they approved the motion so Tomé could start using the equipment.

Hernandez pointed out that Tomé had been making federally mandated AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) without the help of the projectors.

"My recommendation is that we purchase the equipment, and we utilize them in the schools to their potential. Yeah, there's a cheaper way to do it, but you get what you pay for. I purchased a portable projector (in the past), and it broke after six months.

"If the purchasing department thinks these are good quality, well, then now there's no excuse for you as a teacher to not use them. If we need to train you then that's what we need to do," Saiz said.

Mary McGowen, academic coach at Peralta Elementary, said that buying new technology is like buying a new car ― once you drive it off the lot, it automatically decreases in value. She said that when you purchase anything to do with technology, you're already behind. However, she said, the district needed to have equality and finish installing the projectors in every school to make it fair across the board.

"I take it for granted because I use it every day (with the kids). For me, it's an extension of me turning on my computer and monitor. I've used it for presentations, used video interactively with kids, (used it for) composing sentences or stories. It has been a fabulous resource, and in terms of equity's sake, it wouldn't be a bad thing (to approve it,)" McGowen said.

Board member Chris Martinez said he felt changing the course in the middle of the program created issues with equality that he wasn't comfortable with.

"I think we've started down this path. We've approved most of the district, so I recommend to the board that we finish," he said.

Martinez made a motion with Otero and Marez voting yes, and Hernandez the sole no. Marez said she hesitantly seconded the motion because she felt, in a sense, that the district was throwing a little bit of money away.

"It's not that I'm against technology, but we need to equip teachers with new and better tools. I think there are better ways to do this.

"We've spent a lot of money on these, and have we really utilized them to their potential?" Hernandez said.

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