We would like to share with you the progress we have made over the 2010/2011 school year. Faculty, administration and students have come to rely daily on technology as much as they rely on textbooks. The technology committee has been mandated to maintain and update the computers and networks at the schools. The computer hardware, software, printers and in some areas, the infrastructure of the network, have been replaced thanks to funding provided in the last few years. The following is a list of improvements that have been made:
- New access points were purchased and installed.
- New firewall and filter servers were chosen and will be installed over the summer.
- New computer and Internet use policy was agreed upon and will be sent to families with enrolled High School students.
- The mobile lab now has restricted wireless Internet access and a printer.
- The Elementary School lab was changed over to netbooks.
- Due to lack of interest the old iMac computers will be sent to Comp Renew for recycling.
- The Elementary School teachers were provided new laptops.
- A new Voice Over IP (VOIP) phone system is being investigated since finding spare boards for the existing system is difficult (the board was damaged by lightning). This change would affect both the High School and the Elementary School.
As a Technology Committee, we have always been challenged with locating funds that can be applied to maintaining and upgrading our network and computers. During the 2010/2011 school year, we have been blessed by receiving funds from the PTA, the Auction committee, and the yearbook committee amounting to more than $18,000. We extend our sincere thanks to all of those community members who made the decision to provide our committee with these very important funds. These funds will allow us to update our servers to prevent down time, loss of data, and significant replacement costs. The funds will also allow us to update our firewall and web services so we can improve the learning environment for our students while still keeping protective measures in place. The committee has also received four servers donated from Wolverine Gas and Oil and access points donated from Bucher Hydraulics. Along with these, several PC’s and screens were donated from a government site in Lansing. Each of these donations has been put to use in the best way the committee has deemed possible. Each donation has helped reduce costs incurred by the committee and each is greatly appreciated. Our fund goal for the 2011/2012 school year is $23,000; $5,000 of which will be used to maintain the computers and $5,000 will provide for a server room to prevent system downtime due to heat. Another $7,500 will be used to move the phone system over to VOIP technology as discussed above and $5,500 will be used for new projectors for the Elementary School. Please feel free to contact the members of the Technology Committee with questions or comments regarding any of these topics.