Lincoln-Way Board Approves $731,000 Freshman Laptop Purchase
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Meeting | December 18, 2025
Article Summary: The District 210 Board of Education authorized the purchase of 1,750 Lenovo laptops to equip the incoming freshman class for the 2026-27 school year. The $731,290 acquisition aims to standardize the district’s fleet with updated devices featuring improved memory and processing speeds.
Student Laptop Purchase Key Points:
-
Device Selection: Lenovo 500W Gen 5 convertible laptops.
-
Unit Price: $417.88 per unit, which is lower than the price paid for Gen 4 models in previous years.
-
Standardization: The choice allows the district to remain a “Self-Maintainer” site for repairs, utilizing existing technician expertise.
-
Warranty: The purchase includes a 54-month warranty for hardware failures.
On Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, the Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 Board of Education approved the purchase of 1,750 new student laptops from CDW-G.
Director of Technology Cheryl Kay presented the board with an analysis of demo units from Lenovo, Acer, and Dell. The district ultimately chose the Lenovo 500W Gen 5 model, citing its 12.2-inch screen and “garaged” stylus—which charges while stored inside the device—as superior features for student use.
“The Lenovo model is an updated version of our current student laptops. It has additional memory and a faster processor than our current devices,” Kay explained. She noted that while a Dell model was slightly cheaper, it lacked the internal stylus housing, requiring a separate case and battery-powered stylus.
The purchase price of $417.88 per unit represents a decrease from the $425 per unit paid in the two previous years. Kay attributed the savings to economy-of-scale purchasing and current pricing incentives.
Standardization was a key factor in the decision, as the district currently operates as a certified “Self-Maintainer” for Lenovo products. This status allows internal technicians to perform repairs on-site, a process they are already familiar with for the Gen 4 models currently in circulation.
The new laptops will be distributed to students for summer school in 2026 and the start of the 2026-27 academic year.
Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
Latest News Stories
Illinois quick hits: US Steel reopening Granite City furnace; unemployment down slightly
WATCH: Gun ban with SCOTUS; ICE enforcement pushback; End of life options bill with gov
Park Board Advances Tax Levy Plan and Sets Public Hearing for November
U.S. Supreme Court takes up Michigan foreclosure case
Grand jury declines to re-indict Letitia James
U.S. Supreme Court upholds Texas’ new congressional maps
In last four years, five northern states saw most illegal crossings
Report: Hegseth violated multiple protocols and federal law in ‘Signalgate’
Illinois quick hits: Another attack on CTA passenger; plaintiffs move to dismiss their ICE use of force case
Some push for FDA approval of psychedelic treatments for veterans
WATCH: Pritzker: ‘No’ to state taxpayer-funded guaranteed income
WATCH: IL congresswoman willing to withhold highway dollars over CDL issues
