The Albert Lea school board approved a $218,000 purchase of iPads and accompanying equipment at its meeting Monday night.

Jim Quiram, director of human resources and technology for the district, said he’s presented to the board previously about the new technology. He said there was a price increase from the previous amount he had told the board because it was decided to purchase covers for the iPads, which increased the original amount he had reported.

Board members then inquired what would happen to the iPads after the school year, about whether they’d stay with the second grade or travel with the students to third grade. Quiram said that is something administration will be looking at throughout the school year, and that currently there isn’t money to purchase another grade level of iPads.

“Ultimately we’d love to be able to add a grade each year but we’ll have to look at budgets,” Quiram said.

Mary Williams, director of teaching and learning for the district, answered questions about what types of applications would be available on the iPads. Williams said the focus would be literary and math applications. The iPads will also have Internet, and Quiram said the same filters that apply to desktop computers would apply. That way students wouldn’t be able to get to websites the district doesn’t approve of.

In other action the board:

• Discussed what to do with the vacancy on the board. After a discussion the board decided to have members Linda Laurie and Jeshua Erickson draft a document of possible questions, which would then be available on the school’s website and at the district office for anyone who wanted to apply. The deadline for applications would be Sept. 9.

• Heard from Superintendent Mike Funk about some of the changes that are about to begin with the new school year. He gave an update on the school’s new food management company, Chartwells. He said they’ll be rolling out changes throughout the fall including having more choices available at the elementaries and Southwest Middle School.

• Heard from Quiram about changes to Funk’s employment contract for the year 2011-12. He said the cell phone stipend has changed to a technology stipend from $35 to $100 per month, a $3,000 bonus was eliminated and no severance package was included in the contract. It set Funk’s salary at $143,853 for the year 2011-12. The next discussion was for Funk’s contract in the future which set his salary at $149,607 for the year 2012-13, $155,591 for the year 2013-14, and $161,815 for the year 2014-15. Board chairman Bill Leland then thanked Funk for his service to the board and outlined a number of things he considers Funk’s successes including introducing new technology, working well with administrators and introducing district aims, among other things.

• Approved a trip for orchestra and band students to Chicago in March of 2012, and approved a trip for Spanish class students to Costa Rica in June of 2012.

• Approved the hiring of Steve Enderson for the position of facilities and transportation director, which was vacated by Eric Hudspith who will be the new principal at Lakeview Elementary School.