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ST. LOUIS, MO (KTVI-FOX2now.com) -
St. Louis Public Schools paid for more than $200,000 worth of supplies it can't find. Musical instruments such as tubas, a baritone, and keyboard are all gone. Two ice machines are reported missing along with three vending machines and more than a dozen laptop computers (most of them just purchased in the last two years). Also on the list is a 77 inch smartboard computer that cost nearly $5,000 in 2007.
Assistant Superintendent Deanna Anderson watches over school property. She said, "We've made mistakes, we know we've made mistakes."
Chris Hayes asked, "How do you lose tubas." Anderson responded, "Good question. I think those tubas are probably out there some where and we just haven't found them yet because that's something very hard to lose."
Part of the problem, she says -- the District hasn't even done an inventory in at least three years.
Anderson added, "When you go through 7 superintendents in 5 years, inventory does not become as critical as it needs to be."
Not only does she say they're going to start taking inventory every year, but they also need a better system.
Right now, Anderson says it's so out of wack that the bar codes on the doors don't even match bar codes on class room items. It's a mess and not a good way to make sure things stay put.
Anderson said, "I'm very disappointed that we lost them. I'm very disappointed that we even have the list that we have with an asset value that we have, but it's happened and we're not going to backtrack, we're going to move forward."
We checked about a half dozen other Districts, but didn't find anyone else with as many missing items.
Mehlville reported 100 items it can't find, but mostly things like tables and chairs.
Lindbergh reported 3 missing laptops and the St. Charles City School District says it's not missing anything. The St. Charles District recently bought a software program called "School Dude," which can alert the District wirelessly if a computer's unplugged from the network.
Technology Coordinator Craig Schneider says it helps them with more than just inventory, because it reads everything about a computer.
"How many computers are due to be at the end of their life by March of next year? So we do budget planning, instead of saying how many systems do we count? What software licenses are due on each of those systems? This is a way to do a quick at a glance."
St. Louis Schools says it will look at some of the newer programs to help it keep better track of property. The District faces a new challenge as it closes schools the next few years. Assistant Superintendent Anderson says she will insist that she signs off on every item moved.
Anderson said, "The importance of that is immense."
Assistant Superintendent Deanna Anderson watches over school property. She said, "We've made mistakes, we know we've made mistakes."
Chris Hayes asked, "How do you lose tubas." Anderson responded, "Good question. I think those tubas are probably out there some where and we just haven't found them yet because that's something very hard to lose."
Part of the problem, she says -- the District hasn't even done an inventory in at least three years.
Anderson added, "When you go through 7 superintendents in 5 years, inventory does not become as critical as it needs to be."
Not only does she say they're going to start taking inventory every year, but they also need a better system.
Right now, Anderson says it's so out of wack that the bar codes on the doors don't even match bar codes on class room items. It's a mess and not a good way to make sure things stay put.
Anderson said, "I'm very disappointed that we lost them. I'm very disappointed that we even have the list that we have with an asset value that we have, but it's happened and we're not going to backtrack, we're going to move forward."
We checked about a half dozen other Districts, but didn't find anyone else with as many missing items.
Mehlville reported 100 items it can't find, but mostly things like tables and chairs.
Lindbergh reported 3 missing laptops and the St. Charles City School District says it's not missing anything. The St. Charles District recently bought a software program called "School Dude," which can alert the District wirelessly if a computer's unplugged from the network.
Technology Coordinator Craig Schneider says it helps them with more than just inventory, because it reads everything about a computer.
"How many computers are due to be at the end of their life by March of next year? So we do budget planning, instead of saying how many systems do we count? What software licenses are due on each of those systems? This is a way to do a quick at a glance."
St. Louis Schools says it will look at some of the newer programs to help it keep better track of property. The District faces a new challenge as it closes schools the next few years. Assistant Superintendent Anderson says she will insist that she signs off on every item moved.
Anderson said, "The importance of that is immense."
