Champagne Dreams - $24,000 Wall-to-Wall Video Game for LPS

While our district athletes have to beg for money to keep their sports alive, teachers fear for the jobs being slashed in budget cuts, and surrounding districts considering massive budget increases above and beyond the standard 2% tax increase cap, South Hunterdon continues to incur extravagant expenses. This up in the Champagne Dreams category: $24K wall-sized video game and the LPS Bluum A/V Quote.

As part of the 2021 Referendum renovation of LPS, Superintendent Suozzo decided "21st century learning" means TVs and interactive technology everywhere. An extraordinary example is the quote the district recieved from Bluum.

Bluum was contracted to provide "technology" items for LPS. The full contract and set of proposals is available below.

Bluum Proposal - 44542 v2 R4 (FINAL).pdf

Download PDF • 1.85MB

The total contract is for just over $300,000, and includes the following:

1. Classroom TVs. All 12 classrooms are each getting their own 75" touch screen interactive monitor, along with microphones and speakers and cable installation

2. Cafetorium A/V. Apparently, in the 21st century schools don't have separate cafeterias and gymnasiums, but instead have a "cafetorium" that performs both functions, poorly. Bluum is installing a massive $12,000 projector along with 164" motorized projector screen along with extensive networking and A/V equipment.

3. Cafetorium Video Game. The cafetorium will also receive a Lu videogame system including Lu Uno Lighting which projects life-sized interactive games on the gym wall. Neat. And expensive. This video game system cost the district $24,000. There is anh associated yearly subscription fee of $1,500/year in addition. Combined with the other A/V work the Cafetorium alone is receiving a staggering $70,000 in electronics.

4. More TVs. A number of additional TVs are being placed in other classrooms and areas of the building. In total, including the regular classroom RVs, nearly 30 total very large monitors are involved.

The cost breakdown per classroom and area within the school is shown below from the proposal.

Bluum A/V costs per room at LPS

We are receiving a similar (but slightly larger) bill from Bluum for similar technnology at the new Middle School.

Keep in mind, this is a PreK-4 school, with children ranging from approximately age 3-10 years old.

Meanwhile, our High School students continue to be left out in the cold.

In an age where parents and educators are concerned about too much screentime and over-reliance on electronics, Superintendent Suozzo has largely wasted $300,000 of tax payer money on expensive monitors, A/V equipment, and a giant life size video game for $23,000.

In this context perhaps it makes sense that South has tried to add e-Sports as an officially supported "athletic" program at South. Our kids may not be able to read, do math or know any science, but they will likely be highly skilled video game players.