A committee charged with studying backpack safety suggests that the Howard County school system find alternatives to traditional textbooks, which add to backpack weight.
The committee suggests that the school system investigate the use of e-textbooks and other electronic resources, such as notebook computers, as alternatives to traditional textbooks; discuss book weight with textbook companies; and provide an additional set of textbooks for students to keep at home.
Extra textbooks in four core high school subjects alone could cost the school system as much as $2.25 million, according to the committee's research. Extra math textbooks for grades two to five would cost an estimated $1.2 million.
Board Vice Chairman Frank Aquino was interested in computer-based alternatives.
Aquino told the board that his children have used computer programs in conjunction with traditional textbooks. He asked Bob Glascock, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, about the school system's ability to offer such alternatives on a larger scale.
"The challenge is the price jump," Glascock said.
Board member Ellen Flynn Giles was quick to remind colleagues that at-home computer access needed to be addressed. In particular, Giles raised the issue of families with multiple children.
"If you have three or four children, how will they all have time to share one computer?" she asked.
Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin said it was too early to come up with a definitive plan.
"This is just the beginning," Cousin said. "We don't have an answer yet."
The 19-member backpack safety committee - a mix of students, administrators, parents and community advocates - has met eight times since it was formed in October.
The committee also suggests that the school system print backpack safety tips on the back of school supply lists that are distributed to families; educate students on backpack safety through morning announcements, in homerooms and through awareness campaigns; and have staff members use the school system's intranet to create an electronic resource so parents can learn more about the issue.
The committee hopes that schools will adopt some of these suggestions when school begins in August, said Mary Jane Barbato-Grauso, president of PTA Council of Howard County, who was a member of the backpack committee.
"We will report to the board what the schools have decided to do to alleviate the weight of the backpacks," said Barbato-Grauso. The committee will tie its report to National Backpack Awareness Day on Sept. 20.
Auditor gets an 'A'
John J. Connors, the school system's first internal auditor, is receiving high marks for his inaugural year of work in Howard County. In Connors' first year working with the school system, he has completed 12 school audits. In addition, he has audited 30 percent, or $1.3 million, of the school activity funds.
"Overall, I think things went pretty good," Connors said. "I was impressed with the timeliness of management to implement changes."
School board members agreed that things have been successful. They also agreed that Connors should audit more schools in the coming school year.
"You are doing a wonderful job," said board member Sandra H. French. "It's been so helpful. It gives me a greater sense of security. It makes our community know that we are watching."
Connors, a longtime resident of Columbia with more than three decades of auditing experience, applied for the job shortly after the board set aside money for the position in 2006. Previously, the system relied on external auditors to review system spending.
"I'm very pleased with the direction that this is going in," said Giles. "People are volunteering for audits. That, to me, is wonderful."
Top earners
Although Cousin leads one of the top-rated school systems in the state, he does not make as much money as his counterparts in other school systems.
Cousin's annual salary of $220,441 ranks him at No. 6 in Maryland, according to Maryland State Department of Education statistics.
With the recent announcement that Baltimore's new schools chief executive officer, Andres Alonzo, will make $230,000 a year, Cousin might slip further on the salary scale.
Baltimore County pays its superintendent the most money in the state, an annual salary of $262,000; Prince George's County is second, at $260,000; Charles County is third, at $249,000; Montgomery County is fourth, at $236,843; and Anne Arundel County is fifth, at $225,000.
That hot Mustang
Who was that school board member driving a hot, maroon V-8 Ford Mustang convertible in the Longfellow and Atholton July Fourth parades?
Giles swears that she really drives a Honda Civic, and the muscle car is strictly her husband's.
And not so fast, Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty, a former school board member, you were spotted in the passenger seat.
john-john.williams@baltsun.com
Sun reporter Larry Carson contributed to this article.