GREENFIELD — How Greenfield should look to fund the school district’s constantly growing technology needs provoked a robust conservation at an afternoon school subcommittee meeting this week.
Quickly it was agreed that the current ways to pay for new technology, like computers and software for students and staff, was not a sustainable approach.
In recent years, the school has looked toward private funding and grants, but primarily turned toward capital funds from the town. That meant, however, the district has competed for money with other town departments, like the Department of Public Works at the Pumping Station.
“You don’t want to be competing with the DPW,” Superintendent Jordana Harper said. “We should really address technology through the local budget.”
At a finance and budget subcommittee meeting Tuesday, Harper emphasized the point of creating a special line item, from year-to-year to make sure the school is always looking toward how to keep up to date with its tech needs.
Sitting at a table with others on the School Committee, Harper’s words seemed to sit well, at least while the discussion is in abstract and budget season is still months away from beginning.
What prompted an involved discussion of technology and how to pay for it, was part of a conversation about potential money left over from the building of the high school.
