After six months of planning and preparation, Catasauqua High School's one-to-one laptop roll out program is complete.

Catasauqua Area School Board members learned at the Sept. 8 meeting the roll out of 470 MacBook Air laptops was a success.

"Everything for the most part has gone smoothly," CHS Principal David Ascani told board members.

According to Ascani, 22 students opted to keep the MacBook at the high school. The devices are secured and locked up in the high school library overnight. Students wishing to take their laptop home are required to pay an insurance fee.

He also said there are six to eight students who have not been issued a laptop because they are either new students or did not submit the required paperwork.

"We're trying to get those kids taken care of," Ascani said.

New CHS student school board representatives Evan Deitrich and Michael Gilmartin offered positive comments regarding the use of the laptops.

"Everything is going well with the Macs," Deitrich said. "I think everyone is enjoying it."

"It makes it much easier to keep organized now," Gilmartin added.

District Superintendent Robert Spengler praised the administration and high school staff for their work with the rollout program.

"It's a very nice, smooth start," he said. "This team has done a tremendous job."

The laptop program was approved earlier this year. The four-year lease of the devices will cost the district roughly $600,000.

The laptops will be used in every class and integrated into the learning and educational curriculum.

In other business during the meeting, Andrew Gruver was unanimously approved to serve as English teacher at CHS at a salary of $46,019.

He told board members he is looking forward to teaching in the district.

"I'm hoping to make CHS a permanent home for years to come," he said.