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Staff finds replacement computer screens
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By CHUCK CLEMENT, Staff Reporter
| 03/10/2009 |
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Added to the misfortunes that have beset the tablet computer program at Madison High School are the number of cracked computer screens that have hit the machines which are used by the students.
But technology staff members working for the Madison Central School District have found one solution for repairing the Gateway tablet computers: a plastic glass cover that replaces the more fragile glass on the computer screen.
The original glass screens can crack after falling victim to conditions such as extreme outdoor temperatures or mishandling by the students. The glass screen fits over the liquid crystal display, the part of the computer that displays words, pictures and other illustrated items.
The school district would typically replace the broken part with a replacement screen provided by the manufacturer. However, MPC Corp., the latest owner of the Gateway personal computer line, went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2008 and the company is not providing spare parts or repair services.
According to Rob Honomichl, district director of technology, the technical support staff for the school district experimented with a replacement screen made from Plexiglas. The new screen, which was made in New Jersey, replaced a broken glass screen and the technicians found that the computer operated normally. They also learned that the styluses for the tablet computers -- a pen-type piece of equipment -- also continued to work properly with the plastic screen.
Honomichl said the Plexiglas screens were more durable than the original glass parts and they are also cheaper. The technical staff learned that Midstates Glass & Mirror in Madison could produce the plastic parts for $15 each compared to $300 to $400 for a replacement glass screen.
However, the Plexiglas screens will not repair or replace the liquid crystal display if that computer part is also damaged.
Honomichl told the school board that the Web site for the Madison Central School Educational Foundation was recently completed. The foundation's Web site is linked to the school district's Internet homepage at www.madison.k12.sd.us.
Honomichl said the staff at Madison Elementary School was testing a new Hewlett-Packard Netbook. HP Netbooks could replace the 50 tablet computers used in the elementary school's mobile computer lab. Honomichl proposed that after replacing Madison Elementary's tablet computers, the district could move those tablet computers to the high school for use by older students.
The HP Mini 2140 Netbooks have a 10-inch display screen and weigh about 2 1/2 pounds. The Netbook keyboards are about 92 percent of the size of an ordinary laptop computer. They do not have a CD-ROM drive, but the computers can store memory on a USB flash drive.
Honomichl said the $400 purchase price for each Netbook was comparable to the cost to replace a tablet computer screen or motherboard.
Craig Peterson, high school guidance counselor, demonstrated how MHS students were using the South Dakota My Life Portfolio, an online computer program. The My Life Portfolio, which is provided through the state Department of Education and Education Assistance Corporation, assists students in determining which work occupations that they are most suited in choosing as a career.
The online program helps MHS students map out the classes that they need to choose to meet their career goals. The students can check out career clusters that interest them. It also helps high school juniors prepare for taking the ACT.
Diana Larson, another MHS guidance counselor, has conducted training sessions on how to use the My Life Portfolio at other high schools.
The board members approved the school calendar for the 2009-10 school year that provides 169 class days for students and 179 contracted days for teachers.
In fall 2009, class days will start on Aug. 26 with the district's parent-teacher conferences starting at Madison Elementary School on Aug. 4-5. New teacher orientation is scheduled on Aug. 20 and two teacher in-service days are held on Aug. 24-25.
The students will have an early release on Dec. 23 for Christmas vacation and will return to classes on Jan. 4.
The last day of school in spring 2010 is scheduled on May 25. In case of lost class days due to bad weather, the district can add May 26-28 to the schedule.
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©Madison Daily Leader 2010
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