MARYSVILLE – The Marysville School District has 9,572 Chromebooks in its schools.

But that’s apparently not enough.

“They are begging for more carts at the elementary level,” Superintendent Becky Berg said the school board work session Nov. 7.

Berg was giving a wrap-up of the last school year. While students in middle and high school are provided their own Chromebook laptops, grade schoolers are allotted a certain number placed on carts that are shared across each school.

“It’s grown the hunger” for computer knowledge, Berg said.

The board talked about the need to continue funding for mental health needs of students. After the shooting two years ago, grants have paid for trauma, suicide and bereavement counseling. But there is no long-term sustainable funding.

“I don’t think it will get better,” board president Pete Lundberg said.

Berg also said security cameras have been installed at most schools, free wi-fi also is installed, Scholastic Aptitude Tests were paid for by the district last year, and first-year students have a mentor thanks for a grant.

Also at the meeting, Principal Shawn Stevenson gave a report on Marysville Getchell High School.

He said even though he is the only principal, compared with four last year, each of the academies are still separate.

“The look and support is the same at all four schools,” he said. “The staff doesn’t look any different.”

School Board Member Chris Nation asked why there is not diversity in gender at the International School of Communications.

Stevenson said students have a perception of what each schools is like. But many pick an academy based on if a friend is going there or not.

For example, if a student doesn’t plan to go to college, many think the Academy of Construction and Engineering is the place to go.

“That hurts me,” Stevenson said. “All have the opportunity (to go to college), but some may not choose to.”

The principal said it also “makes my gut hurt a little bit” that while scores are improving, they are not anywhere near the 100 percent he wants.

By the numbers

•School buses drove 1.4 million miles.

•The grant for the new playground at Liberty Elementary was for almost $48,000.

•The number of lunches served was over 852,000, up 25,000.

•4,799 middle and high school students took Career Technical Education classes.

•There was a 27 percent reduction in high needs rooms for special education students because of the effort to put them in their least restrictive environment.

•47 percent of students get free or reduced lunches.

•86 percent of the district budget pays for labor.

•Over 200 teachers are train in Advancement Via Individual Determination, many going to training without asking for pay.