The district Monday approved the purchase of 365 Chromebooks and Chrome education licenses from Dell, as well as carrying cases, for $89,158.

The purchase is part of an ongoing initiative to enhance professional development between teachers and paraprofessionals.

“It just really made sense even in a normal environment to start issuing our paraprofessionals a device, but with the COVID crisis that is happening, I think that further enhanced the need for this group to have access to technology,” said Matt O’Brien, director of technology for Waterloo Schools.

The district also accepted a $25,000 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority for the Waterloo Career Center.

The grant was awarded through the Future Ready Iowa Registered Apprenticeship Development Fund, and will be used to support registered apprenticeships at the Waterloo Career Center.

This adds up to about $205,000 in funding for the center this year, according to Jeff Frost, executive director of professional technical education, with $75,000 in grants and $130,000 in gifts. This year there are about 1,300 students registered in the programs.

In other business:

• A food purchasing contract with Area Education Agency for during the 2020-2021 school year was approved.
• The lease of a parcel at Summit Complex to EMBARC for a community garden was approved.

Can drive for front line workers