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On Thursday, the Troup County School Board approved over $2.9 million for a series of supply purchases and maintenance projects, including new uniforms for the Callaway High School marching band, funding for Advanced Placement (AP) exams for underprivileged students and bathroom renovations at West Georgia Technical College.

The funds for the purchases and projects will be allocated from the school system’s FY22 General Budget funds, specified grant funds and from the third round of CARES Act funds previously awarded to the school system, as noted in the school board’s meeting documents.

• The board approved the purchase and installation of 259 Promethean interactive flat panels in the amount of $896,917.00 to Virtucom. This purchase will allow TCSS to replace 259 outdated projectors and Promethean boards throughout the district that are seven to ten years old.
• The board approved a purchase order in the amount of $999,957.45 to Sterling Computers for the purchase of 2,535 Chromebooks. These Chromebooks will be used to replace older devices that are no longer under warranty and are being used by students in third through twelfth grade.
• The board approved a request to fund Advanced Placement (AP) exams at all three base high schools.  The total cost will not exceed $40,301 and is broken out by school. Callaway High School will be funded $6,494; LaGrange High School will be funded $22,704 and Troup High School will be funded $11,103. The district provided $25,000 to schools to use as scholarships for AP exams. The remaining $15,301 will be collected at the schools from students to pay for their exams, which are $87 each. The State Department of Education will fund one AP exam for students identified as eligible for free/reduced meals and 1 STEM AP exam for any student, regardless of socioeconomic status. The final cost may be reduced depending on student eligibility.
• The board approved a purchase order in the amount of $52,039.75 to VLCM for the purchase of a cybersecurity audit from Webcheck Security. This purchase will contract Webcheck Security to perform a full cybersecurity audit of the Troup County School System. This audit will identify any vulnerabilities throughout the network and ensure that the staff and student data are protected according to industry standards. A report with all findings and recommendations will be supplied to the technology department and a follow-up audit will ensure any vulnerabilities have been remedied. This report will also be used to update the TCSS Cybersecurity Plan.
• The board approved a purchase order in the amount of $216,304.32 to AdaptToSolve for the purchase of Avigilon Surveillance software. This purchase will incorporate the Kloud12 cameras into the district surveillance system.  This will allow for historical storage and retrieval of recorded video footage from the Kloud12 cameras. This purchase is utilizing the Georgia State purchasing contract.
• The board approved RAM Enterprises, Inc. to replace the Troup High School auxiliary gymnasium floor at a cost of $229,800 plus an additional 10% contingency ($22,980) for a total cost of $252,780. Due to the failure of the existing moisture barrier, the floor has been damaged beyond repair. The new floor system will include a new moisture barrier and fan system. 
• The board approved renovating the Troup County Career Center restrooms at the West Georgia Technical College Campus at a cost of $172,163.05 plus 5% contingency ($8,608.15) for a total cost of $180,771.20. These renovations will add two restrooms adjacent to the Troup County Career Center classrooms on the West Georgia Technical College campus.
• The board approved the purchase of classroom book sets in the amount of $38,486.27 from Flyleaf after area schools requested additional decodable books for teachers and students. The funds for this purchase came from L4GA Grant Funds.
• The board approved the purchase of professional learning and necessary participant materials for Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) from Lexia Learning Systems LLC in the amount of $163,245. Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) training is needed for Exceptional Education, Early Intervention Program (EIP), Remedial, and English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers as part of the Struggling Readers and L4GA grants. The funds for this purchase will be split from the Struggling Readers Grant Funds in the amount of $110,000 and the L4GA Grant Funds in the amount of $53,245.
• The board approved the purchase of band uniforms for Callaway High School from Fruhauf Uniforms, Inc. in the amount of $34,311.94. The Callaway High School Band Boosters raised funds and applied for a grant from the Callaway Foundation to purchase new uniforms for the Callaway High School Band. The Callaway Foundation has awarded a grant of $20,000 toward the purchase of uniforms and the CHS Band Boosters have supplied the remaining $14,311.94.  By prepaying for the uniforms, the CHS Band Boosters received a 4% discount ($1,4429.66).
• The board approved T-N-T Steel Structures, Inc. to install the concrete slab for the Callaway High School Hitting Facility at a cost of $74,400. This is the concrete slab for the new hitting facility for the baseball and softball teams. The supplier will provide all labor, materials and equipment necessary to form, pour and finish a concrete slab for the 6,000 square feet pre-engineered structure.
• The school board agreed to adopt an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of LaGrange, and the Troup County Board of Commissioners to terminate the Commercial Gateway Tax Allocation District (TAD Number 1). This intergovernmental agreement was originally entered into in December 2010 and a redevelopment plan was approved in conjunction with the creation of the tax allocation district (TAD).  However, no such redevelopment has occurred within the district since its creation, and there exists no unpaid redevelopment costs.