The Wethersfield School Board Thursday approved revamping the district’s data system with the use of federal grant money earmarked for technology upgrade projects.
The work, which the district hopes to complete over the summer, will add numerous wireless access points and switches throughout the school, and includes rewiring of the entire system. The school’s network was created around 20 years ago and has seen piecemeal upgrades since.
“Just think about all of the different things that have changed in that time,” Superintendent Shane Kazubowski told board members.
Jason Phelps, the district’s technology director, recommended that the board use federal money to make the repairs all at once rather than in stages.
Total cost of the project, of which bids already have been secured, is more than $100,000. But using money from a federal grant program called E-Rate, set to expire in 2020, would only require about $33,000 in district money.
Phelps said the system would solve data access issues in classrooms and for students and faculty who use a variety of wireless devices.
“You can’t just think of it as one person (using the school network),” he said. “These kids are carrying multiple devices. By putting (access points) in multiple classrooms, it provides more coverage.”
Kazubowski said the current system is limited in that many of the schools computers and devices are are routed through a small number of switches -- creating bottlenecks that can slow data.
Phelps said the upgrades would also help the school better address internet security issues, and allow users to maintain a solid connection throughout the school.
The board voted to proceed on the upgrades despite not having applied for the federal grant yet.
Phelps said the grant is guaranteed based on the district’s need and suggested the district pay for the work upfront until the grant money arrives later in the year. He said he would submit paperwork for the grant immediately.
“It’s almost a use it or lose it situation,” he said of the funding. “We’re going to have to do this eventually. Why not now and have it mostly paid for?”
The new wiring will also allow the school to make upgrades to its phone systems, which it plans to start in the near future.