By installing new equipment in its computer lab, Berkeley High School has changed the way its students get connected.
After more than seven years of working with outdated equipment, the high school’s computer lab — located inside the library — completed the installation of 32 new Mac computers. The new systems, installed with up-to-date software programs that will allow students better access to the Internet, reopened last week.
“The other computers were big boxes like an old television set,” said Ellie Goldstein-Erickson, a librarian at the high school. “We kept them going for seven years because we monitored them constantly.”
The new computers cost approximately $50,000 and were purchased with funds from two special local tax bonds, according to librarian Alexandra Provence.
Funds from a special local tax Measure A, also known as the Berkeley Schools Excellence Program, are used to enhance student learning, including school site programs, school libraries, music, visual and performing arts, and parent outreach programs, according to Mark Coplan, Berkeley Unified School District spokesperson.
Measure I, approved by the voters last year, authorizes the Berkeley Unified School District to issue bonds not to exceed $210 million to be used to improve school safety and facilities for learning and teaching including, the construction of new classrooms and science labs, completion of seismic upgrades and upgrades to computers and education technology.
Each site receives approximately $240 per student from the $23 million that goes to the school district, according to BSEP manager Nancy Hoeffer.
“We are fortunate in Berkeley to have so much taxpayer support,” Hoeffer said. We get beautiful libraries and music facilities.”
According to Provence, students previously worked mostly with traditional research materials but with the new computers, students will now have the ability to access sources like World Book and ProQuest.
Junior Ikram Yohannes was in the computer lab last week learning how to operate the new system along with her classmates.
“The others were slow,” she said. “Having a computer you can actually use and see what you are trying to search for is a good thing.”
Hannah Evans, a student at the high school, said she thought the old computers were OK at the beginning of last semester but as time went on, the computers were sometimes slow, keyboards didn’t work and there was no speaker system. After a while “they were trashed,” she said.
“We were concerned that the students would get to college and not know what to do,” Provence said. “For some this is the only computer they have access to because there is no computer in the home. There are four to six classes per day in the lab so it is very important to have the programs and that we are able to teach the students. We see ourselves as the great equalizer.”
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