Highlands county parent Jesse Sapp came before the Highlands county school board last night to discuss the use of Chromebooks in the classrooms. He maintained that the computers are causing students to lose skills such as writing and spelling.
He noted that Highlands County school accountability numbers appear to have suffered since the introduction of the devices.
By Sapp’s calculations, the Chromebooks come out to $700 per student. He advocated for the return to hardback books.
Sebring city council members met last night in regular session. They held a public hearing and final reading on their fire assessment for the city. The levy will jump from $115 to $130 per year for residential properties with corresponding hikes to commercial, industrial and institutional zones as well as nursing homes and vacant lots.
The assessment is used to offset property taxes.
In other action, the council got an update from Boys & Girls Club Interim Executive Director Janice Rearick about activities at the local club.