Troy City Schools is taking the first step toward having 21st Century classrooms.

The system was awarded a $160,000 technology grant in late October, which will make six classrooms in the TCS more technologically advanced.

Five of those classrooms will be at Charles Henderson High School and the other at Charles Henderson Middle School.

The board voted in favor of two bids to get the classrooms under way.

The first bid was to ITS for $49,826 and the second went to Technology America for $6,960 for items needed for the upgrades.

“We still have to buy three carts with 30 net books,” said Superintendent Linda Felton-Smith.

Felton-Smith said professional development would also have to be factored in.

Felton-Smith said she expects the classrooms to be ready in Fall 2010, but installation will begin in February in the evenings.

Teachers will have training in April and May and a session during the summer, Felton-Smith said.

TCS will use these classrooms to focus on the math area of study.

In other business, Karla Johnson, creative writing teacher at CHHS gave the academic report.

Two of her students read some of their writing to the board.

Casey Garrett read her poem titled, “Homeless Struggle,” and Joe Nasca read his poem titled, “I Once Knew About Love.”

“This is a new class and it has gone very well,” Johnson said.

“As our kids take risks in writing, I hope it will enhance test scores.”