NEWINGTON - Newington Public Schools has gone in-house to fill a newly-created digital content management position.

       Superintendent of Schools Bill Collins has announced the hiring of Kate Norton, who was already employed within the district.

       â€�"She was working with us already, so she could understand where we were going,” Collins said.

       The Newington school district is looking to create and manage a digital content library of curriculum material, and they wanted to hire a specialist to do it.

       The addition of a digital content specialist is expected to be the start of a new way to create and update curriculum material in what Superintendent Bill Collins has described as a shift away from relying on textbook companies.

       The fact that the district is well on its way to implementing a one-to-one laptop technology program--or, a device per student--certainly helps, Collins said.

       In the absence of that initiative, set to launch this coming year, there would have been concerns regarding equity when it comes to access to technology, he said. The Council is currently in the process of establishing a technology insurance fund for the program-an item that was up for public hearing at the Sept. 8 meeting.

       By Newington’s Town Charter, the creation of the insurance fund needs Council approval, although the town is not putting any funding into it, Collins said. The town manages the fund, but does not contribute to it, he said.

       Collins said that other districts pursuing similar initiatives did not take this measure, and had problems.

       â€�"We heard from parents who were concerned about that,” he said. â€�"If one breaks, we have money to replace it.”

       A non-certified position, the digital content specialist required Town Council approval for the job description. The item was first brought up at the Council’s June 23 meeting and approved when it reconvened July 14.

       The Council’s approval did not make any budgetary or hiring decisions for the Board of Education.