Update, 5:58 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012

Schools within Orland School District 135 will soon be getting a technological boost, thanks to an anonymous private donation of $18,000.

The money will go toward adding 40 new iPad Minis and 40 Apple TV units to be used by teachers in lessons. Apple TVs allow images on iPad screens to be projected for all students and participants to see.

“It is a more accessible and portable system to use than other projection tools,” said Dan Doogan, the district’s technology coordinator and supervisor. “Both the iPads and Apple TVs can all be used in every one of our buildings.”

The district will put four iPads and Apple TVs in each school, with one pairing set aside for special education use, said D135 Asst. Supr. for Business Services John Reiniche.

The iPads will come pre-loaded with education applications, and the teachers can add more applications to the devices as they find what suits their lessons best, Doogan said.

"The addition of iPads will provide students a collaborative multimedia classroom experience using apps such as shared and guided reading, animated science experiments, writing workshops and mathematical skill demonstrations," wrote Tracy Marc, D135 community relations coordinator, in a release.

Reiniche said the technology addition wouldn't work without the projector and bandwidth upgrade done throughout the district during summer.

The donor has chosen to remain anonymous, Reiniche said. The donation was conditional on being used for interactive technology.

The iPads are expected to be in the schools by the end of the first quarter of 2012.

Superintendent Search Continues

D135 School Board President John Carmody said after Monday night's meeting that the superintendent hiring "process is reaching a conclusion."

He declined to say how many candidates are still in the running. Carmody said a vote on the hire is likely at the Jan. 14, 2013 meeting.

Tax Levy Voted In

Board members voted in a 3-percent tax levy increase over last year. Members at the meeting voted in favor of it, except for member Lynne Donegan, who abstained, and Joe LaMargo who voted against the levy.

Original Post, 5:58 a.m., Monday, Dec. 10, 2012

Orland School District 135 will be voting to adopt tax levies discussed over the last two meetings, which include a 3 percent increase in the requested levy over last year.

At the Nov. 12 meeting, board member Mary Bragg requested that board president John Carmody step down. Carmody declined to respond to the request after the meeting.

Look over the attached meeting notice for a list of what is scheduled to be discussed.

Orland Park Patch’s live blog through Cover It Live will provide minute-by-minute updates from the meeting on this page starting at 7:30 p.m. Look in the Cover It Live window, and you’ll see an area where you can join in and offer your comments and questions. The same rules apply as on finished articles on the site.

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