SYRACUSE — Dave VanLue, technology director for the Wawasee Community School Corp., said he will probably relax a little when all of the computers for the 1:1 initiative arrive, have been inventoried and then distributed.

During the regular monthly meeting of the Wawasee school board Tuesday evening, April 19, in Syracuse, VanLue gave a brief update on how things are progressing with the 1:1 initiative that will put mobile electronic devices in the hands of every student and teacher in the school district beginning with the 2016-17 school year.

He noted the loan has been released for the infrastructure upgrades and bids will go out April 25. Wawasee High School has been scheduled for Internet bandwidth upgrades May 30 and Milford School June 9.

VanLue also referenced the website, warriorwarehouse.org, which provides information and resources for teachers and staff about the 1:1 initiative and the technology focus group, as well as other information. And he noted he is in the process of getting updated quotes from vendors for the electronic devices for students.

Also during the meeting the board heard a brief update on the status of the construction of the new Syracuse Elementary School. Dr. Tom Edington, superintendent, gave the update in the place of Bob Lahrman, who was not able to attend the meeting. All of the gym walls are nearly completed except for the opening to pour the floors.

Joists for the gym are set and all of the roof decking should have been in place as of Tuesday. Mezzanine walls, joists and decking were to have been completed by Tuesday. Masons are working on the locker room walls.

Office and media center walls are up 4 feet and the C wing is to be prepared for poured floors. Domestic water and fire suppression sprinkler pipes are into the building. Kosciusko REMC has set the transformer and pulled the primary power cables into the building. Masons have started concrete block courses in the A wing.

It is hoped the gym roof will be started within the next two weeks and the C wing floors will be poured.

Also for the new school, the board approved awarding a bid to Premier Communications in the amount of $133,275 for the cabling and wiring work in the building.

In other business, the board approved a resolution to authorize refinancing of bonds used to pay for construction projects. Jim Elizondo of City Securities Corporation said because of lower interest rates, the school district could save approximately $2.5 million.

Elizondo noted if it is decided by the school corporation there are no pressing construction needs, there would be a decrease in the tax levy. If there are construction needs, the amount saved could be used to add projects but still keep the tax rate the same as it is now.

Edington said North Webster Elementary is 15 years old and the warranty on the roof is about to expire. “The carpeting is original to the building and there are other needs,” he said. Only the refinancing of the bonds was authorized at Tuesday’s meeting, though, and any construction projects would be voted on later.

In other business, Joy Goshert, director of instruction and curriculum, said Wawasee will participate again this year in Kindergarten Countdown with the United Way. It will take place from 8 a.m. to noon June 2-24 at the same time as the elementary school summer classes.