BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Playback58@gmail.com

ISLE OF WIGHT—The Isle of Wight School Board on Thursday was updated on a plan to provide iPads to Smithfield and Windsor high school teachers and students.

One goal behind leasing the computer tablets for $446,000 annually for three years is to replace the majority of textbooks with electronic books.

Joshua Spaugh, director of information technology services and network administration, said the 2,000 devices are in hand and his department is “getting the first batch ready for teachers.”

Students will get theirs from November through January.

Rashad Wright, director of secondary schools, said there will be 18 training sessions for instructors this year, with 10 in the fall.

Students and parents will also get lessons in what Wright called “digital citizenship” during community meetings. A kiosk is planned for the county fair this September to also teach responsibility for the iPads.

Wright said the iPads can be both instructional and learning tools for teachers and their pupils.

In other news, the board learned that the construction bids for building the Georgie D. Tyler Middle School will be turned in on Aug. 28. The board will review bids during a Thursday, Aug. 30, meeting.