LANETT — Due to a recent grant being dispersed to the Lanett City School District, Technology Coordinator Katrina Goss has to spend about $230,000 before Aug. 15.

Lanett Superintendent Phillip Johnson said an Advancement in Technology grant has been approved at the state, and the school district has received $236,000 to spend on technological advances within the district.

Goss said the district will focus its attention to purchase Chromebooks and laptops for the students. Because standardized testing is conducted online now, Goss said securing more computers will make it so the district doesn’t have to stretch testing out for several weeks. Students will spend less time testing and more time in the classroom.

Along with those new computers, Goss said the district will also purchase new desktop computers for some teachers and printers for the classrooms.

She said the district will also purchase new projectors to phase out older ones that aren’t working well anymore.

“Because every classroom has a Promethean Board, some of the projectors have gotten a little old,” Goss said.

Promethean Boards, also referred to as smart boards, look similar to dry-erase boards but have electronic components which students can interact with and are connected to the internet. Goss said the district was able to secure a few more of the boards to supply each classroom with a board.

Johnson also announced this past Monday that Goss would be retiring from the district after 24 years. He said she has spent her entire career with the Lanett City School District.

“She coordinates multiple areas within the district,” he said. “Including professional development, technology and assessment — there is just more than we can ever describe.”

W.O. Lance Elementary School Principal Jamie Heard, who worked with Goss most of her career, said she was always willing to help.

“She is one of the best teachers you could ask for,” Heard said at the board meeting. “She is willing to do anything you ask her to do.”

Goss said it’s been a good 24 years at Lanett.

“Some people complain about going to work, and for 24 years, it has been hard to complain especially, when I was at the elementary school,” she said.

Johnson described Goss as a perfectionist.

“It took a lot of hours to get her job as perfect as she wanted it,” he said about Goss. “There is not a harder worker in the district. She has been my right arm.”

The Lanett Board of Education presented Goss with a commemorative watch as a token of appreciation for her time with the district.