The Wiscasset School Department will swap iPads for Macbook Airs as the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) equipment for students in grades nine through 12, Superintendent of Schools Heather Wilmot said.

Based in part on students’ input, the upcoming switch will better meet students’ work needs, Wilmot told the School Committee June 15. The state is projecting the laptops will cost the town about $34 more per device than the iPads, or about $1,000 per grade, she said.

In an email, Wilmot explained that she, Wiscasset Middle High School Principal Peg Armstrong and WMHS teacher Tricia Bursey analyzed the pros and cons of making the move. They took feedback from students, staff and parents into consideration.

“Though there is great technological value to using iPads at the high school level, the feedback noted the role and purpose of a laptop device better supported student learning needs,” Willmot writes. “The school department wanted to make sure that we were responsive to (those) needs ...”

In other business, departing Chairman Steve Smith announced that member Eugene Stover would act as chairman to start the panel’s July meeting, when the next chairman and vice chairman will be picked. The June 15 meeting was expected to be Smith’s last one on the committee. One of the original members elected after Wiscasset voted to leave Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12, Smith did not seek re-election. Wilmot thanked Smith for his service.

The committee agreed to transfer Wiscasset Elementary School teacher Lauri Burgess from kindergarten to a grades one and two multi-age classroom; hire Elizabeth Hemdel as a health educator at WMHS; and hire Charles Stambach as a grades nine through 12 resource room special education teacher at WMHS.

Reflecting on residents’ 448-222 vote June 14 on the department’s $8.9 million budget offer, Smith said: “I think that pretty much shows the community really supports the schools.”

“I was very pleased,” Stover said.

Since the town has gone back to having its own school system, voters have supported every proposal the committee has put before them on the first try, Smith observed.

The committee and administrators gave out kudos at several points in the meeting. Smith praised Finance Manager Shelley Schmal, saying she did an amazing job compiling reports. And Armstrong and Special Education Director Jess Yates praised their staff for caring about students.

Armstrong said that at recent year-end events, teachers have shown they value students’ character as well as their accomplishments.

Yates said her staff, along with long-term substitutes, have followed her practice to fix a need when they see one. “They’re there for kids,” she said. In addition, Yates, near tears as she read from a prepared statement, thanked Wiscasset for supporting students with disabilities.

“Please know that we continue to devote ourselves to bettering outcomes for our students so they might ultimately give back to the community that has been the source of so much faith and support,” she said.