Seekonk Schools Asking for $73,000 at Fall Town Meeting

The Seekonk school district will be requesting $73,442 at the Nov. 28 Town Hall meeting. The funds will be used to upgrade a variety of technology in the schools.

Of that, $24,000 would be used to purchase 16 wall-mounted FM radio systems to benefit hearing-impaired students. The system uses a microphone on a lanyard used by the teacher to transmit voices through wall-mounted speakers in the classroom. Superintendent Madeline Meyer said the new system would not only help hearing-impaired students, but all students.

Currently, hearing-impaired students in the district use a personal hearing device in one ear while keeping their regular hearing aid in the other. However, Meyer said the students do not like this system and end up taking out one of the devices.

“It’s just too much noise and information coming in,” said Meyer.

Additionally, Meyer said, the new system would be more discreet and eliminate students feeling singled out for being impaired.

“Unfortunately, sometimes these kids abandon the technology that they need because they are embarrassed,” said Arlene Bosco, the director of Student Personnel Services.

The new system would also represent a savings in the long run, according to Meyer, as the current individual devices in use are expensive at $2,200 each and somewhat fragile, as two have already been broken and replaced recently.

School committee member David Quinn was not in favor of this use of funds and was the only member to vote against the approval of the warrant article.

 “I just think that we have other pressing needs, that if we were going to allocate $24,000 it could be used better elsewhere,” said Quinn.

The remainder of the $73,442 would be spent on upgrading wireless access in the schools, purchasing LCD projectors for the elementary schools, and additional network server space.

Money for Martin

In other news, the school committee voted to accept a donation of $2,500 to Martin Elementary School from Big Lots.