School board approves new textbooks for district

MONTROSE — Montrose and Olathe middle and high schools will be cracking open some brand new textbooks in the fall.

The Montrose County School District RE-1J school board approved the district’s plan at its June 23 meeting to purchase new math and literacy adoption program textbooks for classroom use. Math textbooks will cost the district $190,194.94 and literacy textbooks will cost just under $70,000. Sheryl Solow, Montrose County School District assistant superintendent, said the district has a 5-6 year cycle in place, in which grade levels and classes are rotated for purchasing new books. Solow said the system was set up because the school district couldn’t afford to buy new books for every class each year.

This year, math textbooks are being purchased for all of the middle and high schools in Montrose and Olathe, while literacy textbooks are primarily for Montrose High School. Montrose County School District spokesperson Linda Gann said it was likely Olathe High School would receive new literacy textbooks in the near future as well, but the school’s textbook selection committee had yet to make a final decision.

Solow said the district and the selection committees made sure to carefully look at the material offered in textbooks before making a purchase.

“Teams of math and literacy teachers here pull together and make a recommendation to the school board on what textbooks they request, after reviewing their content,” Solow said.     

Contact Matt Lindberg via e-mail at mattl@montrosepress.com