The agenda was nearly as sparse as the audience Tuesday night, but the San Marino School Board addressed two notable topics at its July 12 meeting.
The board heard a report from SMUSD Chief Technology Officer Stephen Choi, who introduced a new mobile app that will soon be available to parents, students and staff. The app will replace the five individual apps that are currently in use throughout the district.
“This new app can be much more personalized,” said Choi. “It provides relevant and timely information directly to the user.”
Choi told the audience that the app offers an auto-translating service in Mandarin and a calendar module that allows users to see all events in one location and filter out events from other sites they don’t want to follow.
“This app allows for a customized experience,” said Choi. “You can pull in much more information and add events to your own personal device. The user can also choose a language and all content will be delivered in that language.”
Class attendance, cafeteria balances and other notifications can be monitored through the new app.
During his presentation, Choi showed data that 97 percent of the district’s parents currently use a smart phone or other device that delivers an internet connection.
“It’s going to work out very well for us,” said Choi.
He did not specify when the new app will be available, but said information will be distributed allowing users to log in.
The board also unanimously approved an agreement with San Marino residents Avery and Andy Barth clarifying naming rights for the proposed new athletic complex at Huntington Middle School. The district is scheduled to break ground on the athletic complex in June, 2017 with an anticipated completion date of August, 2019. It is a $15 million project that will include a new gymnasium, multi-purpose/wrestling room, fitness room, locker rooms and two classrooms and will be named the ‘Avery and Andy Barth Athletic Complex.’ The Barths have committed $3.5 million for the project. Andy Barth is a former two-term school board member.
