With the help of millions of dollars in bond money, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified school district is in the process of renovating its campuses and upgrading its classrooms with new technological equipment.
So where does all of the old stuff go?
That question was answered in part by the Board of Education during its meeting Wednesday night, when it reviewed a long list of equipment that the district intends to sell, recycle, donate or throw away.
The school board typically approves similar measures a couple times each year, district spokeswoman Gail Pinsker said.
"All items are obsolete, beyond economic repair, unusable or deemed as surplus," according to the district report.
Money from equipment sales must be placed in the fund from which the money originally came, or in the district's general or reserve funds, according to state education code.
The district must also give public notice, according to the education code.
"There shall be no sale until notice has been given by posting in at least three public places in the district for not less than two weeks, or by publication for at least once a week for a period of not less than two weeks in a newspaper published in the district and having a general circulation there," a statute reads.
The district's current equipment list includes a dozen smartboards at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School that the district acquired in 2011, according to the report. The Malibu campus is also getting rid of nine television sets, most of which were acquired in the early 1990s.
John Muir Elementary School is shedding 14 Apple iBook computers and 22 other Apple computers, most of which are about 10 years old. A smartboard and a projector screen have also been deemed outdated.
At Point Dume Elementary School, there are 11 smartboards from 2006 that are no longer in use. There are also 12 television sets and four VCRs slated for removal.
Webster Elementary School is shedding 17 smartboards and 17 televisions, including one from 1992. The site's also list three DVD players, according to the report.
Facility upgrades
On Wednesday the school board approved more than $2.7 million in facility improvements as bond measures continue supporting infrastructural and technological upgrades throughout the district.
The latest consent calendar includes more than $912,000 to Riverside-based California Construction for project management, more than $652,000 to Bakersfield-based IVS Computer Technology for classroom improvements and more than $559,000 to Meridian IT for tech services.
The district is also paying out $288,650 to Ontario-based Sigmanet for wireless installation and more than $118,000 to Long Beach-based NRC Environmental Services for Malibu High School lighting equipment.
Turf's up
The district is replacing black rubber matting with artificial turf in the preschool playground area at Washington West Preschool.
Santa Ana-based KYA Services will receive the $52,000 contract for the surfacing project at the Fourth Street childcare facility.
The turf is cooler in temperature and easier to maintain than the rubber, according to a district report.
jeff@www.smdp.com
