Natick Public Schools
Technology Update
January 14, 2008
Dennis Roche, CISA
Director of Technology
Technology Update
January 2008
• Goals Accomplished
• On-going Technology Risks and Concerns
• Plans for 2007 - 2008 School Year
• Plans for 2008 - 2009 School Year
• Recommendations
Goals Accomplished
•
Backend work identified in July 2005 Technology Audit 98% complete.
– Remaining upgrades scheduled for this year:
• Natick High School - February break
• Ben-Hem Elementary - April break
•
All student and faculty data centrally stored and protected.
•
Robust internet access now in place with reliable ISP.
•
New Student Information System Implemented (IPass)
•
New School Notification System in place (ConnectED)
•
New District and School Websites Developed
–
Last site being developed Natick High School
Summary of 2006 - 2007 Results
Objective
Cost
Estimate
Actual
Cost
Website Development
$25,000
$26,861
Student Information System
$200,000
$159,008
Automated Communication
System
$25,000
$17,640
Various Network Upgrades
$150,000
$207,368
Memory for Middle School Computers
N/A
$9,986
Cabling
N/A
$8,039
Refunded to Town
N/A
$10,857
$46,238
$400,000
$446,238
$439,759
Funding Summary
Balance from 2006 - 2007 School Year Plan
Funds from Town Meeting Fall 2006
Total
Balance
$6,479
On-Going Technology
Risks and Concerns
• Main Computer Room (NHS):
– HVAC Systems not on Emergency Backup Generators.
– No Fire Suppression System.
– Lack of adequate Alert System.
• Pending Projects:
– Email Archiving - Compliance Issue
– Library Circulation Systems - Unsupported platform.
• Technology Training of Faculty and Staff.
• Technology Funding.
Plan for 2007 - 2008
School Year
Plan for 2007 - 2008 School Year
• Student Information System - Continue working
with the vendor IMG and faculty & staff on
learning and implementing system:
– Implement new student and faculty ids at NHS
– Implement new standardized report cards at High
School and Middle School levels
– Utilize all attendance functionality including
ConnectED integration.
– Utilize and train faculty on grading module.
Plan for 2007 - 2008 School Year
• ConnectED
– Load with student and faculty data and train
administrators on its use.
– Student contact information now automatically
fed from our Student Information System to
ConnectED daily.
– Training with administrators scheduled in
January.
Plan for 2007 - 2008 School Year
• Website Development
–
–
–
–
Complete Phase II, - School Websites.
Final School website is Natick High.
Conduct review of all school sites
Begin planning for Phase III
• Discuss and plan with faculty and staff after phase II
is complete.
Plan for 2007 - 2008 School Year
• Network Projects
– Natick High School
• Migrate users at Natick High off town network to:
– Alleviate bottlenecks on town hall.
– Improve performance at Natick High School.
– Maintain security of sensitive applications.
• Re-segment building to improve network performance.
– Ben-Hem Elementary
• Re-segment building to improve network performance.
Plan for 2007 - 2008 School Year
• Hire a Technology Trainer
– Reclassify existing open technology position. This role
was identified and presented in original long range
technology staffing plan back in 2005.
• Resource dedicated to training the faculty and staff on how to
use technology and integrate into the curriculum.
• Reduce our dependency on outsourcing the training of faculty
and staff.
• Someone who will learn and teach others how our software
applications work.
• Develop and schedule workshops with teachers and staff
throughout year.
• Re-enforce and remind teachers of technology resources
available to them.
• Assist with Help Desk resolution of issues.
Long Range
Technology Staffing Plan
Plan for 2008 - 2009
School Year
Plan for 2008 - 2009 School Year
• Student Information System
– Pilot parental access
• Web Development
– Phase III of Web Project - Teacher Pages
– Expand electronic payment options
– Intranet development
• Eliminate unnecessary paper oriented processes.
• Stop using email as a filing cabinet
Plan 2008 - 2009 School Year
• Email Project
– Investigate and scope out:
• Upgrade or replace email system
• Archiving solution
• Library Circulation System Project
– Investigate and scope out:
• Alternative web based systems
Plan for 2008 - 2009 School Year
Need for Annual Replacement
of Technology Equipment
• In the past, this may have been funded when
surplus funds were made available at the end of a
school year or when a new school building was
constructed or major renovations done.
• Unfortunately these events don’t happen often
enough to support the needs of Technology as the
average age of computer equipment within the
Natick Public Schools is currently 8 years.
Plan for 2008 - 2009 School Year
Need for Annual Replacement
of Technology Equipment
(Continued)
• 1,500 computers used within the district average 8
years of age and are prone to various hardware
failures.
• 500 of these computers run on an unsupported
platform:
– No support from hardware or software vendors
– No new development or fixes of software bugs
– No support for interactive websites (ones that utilize
Flash, Active X or Java)
Plan for 2008 - 2009 School Year
Need for Annual Replacement of
Technology Equipment
(Continued)
• Our newest school, The Wilson Middle School,
has computers that are 4.5 years of age and has
already started to experience a reduction in
machine count due to hardware failures.
Plan for 2008 - 2009 School Year
Need for Annual Replacement of
Technology Equipment
(Continued)
Three areas of technology to review and address each year:
1. Classroom Technologies
• Computers, printers, scanners, Interactive White Boards, Projectors &
AV Equipment, Administrative & Curriculum Software.
2. Wiring Closet Devices
• Routers, switches and cabling.
3. Computer Room Devices
• Servers, storage, security & backup devices and proactive monitoring
tools.
Technology Funding
•
Current annual funding for technology in FY08 is limited to an operating
budget of $139,432 for the entire school district. This is allocated from the
School Department’s operations budget for FY08 which is $8,927,630.
•
This level of investment in technology pays for internet access for all schools,
hardware and software agreements essential to run the network and minor
repairs for failing equipment.
•
THIS BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE:
– Annual maintenance needs of recently added or expanded systems.
Estimated need of $47,000.
– Annual replacement of technology equipment.
Estimated need of $400,000.
Annual Maintenance Needs of
New or Expanded Systems
• Need $47,000 to cover annual maintenance of:
– New Student Information System IPass $25,000 (Transfer from
town budget)
– New School Messaging System ConnectED $17,000 (Add)
– Expanded use of Eutactics System by Special Education $5,000
(Add)
Annual Replacement of
Technology
• Need $400,000 each year to replace 20% of
our Technology Equipment:
– Classroom Technologies
– Wiring Closets
– Main Computer Room
Budget Recommendation for
FY09
Operating Budget
FY08
FY09
$139,432
$586,432
Recommendations
• Reclassify Open Position for Technology Training
& Support.
• Expand Technology Department’s Operating
Budget by $447,000 to cover additional annual
maintenance costs and implement annual
replacement plan.
Questions or Comments