USD 489 board moves forward with network upgrades

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

In a special meeting prior to USD 489’s Board of Education work session Monday, the board approved one of four bids for the purchase of a “long-awaited” technology infrastructure and wireless upgrade.

Board Vice President James Leiker said the $183,600 upgrade already was budgeted with capital outlay funds, money that can’t be used pay salaries or hire teachers.

The bid was awarded to Network Computer Solutions, based in St. George east of Manhattan.

Technology Director Brian Drennon has been with the district for seven months, but said he feels like it has been “forever” as he was the person tasked with finding an affordable solution to an out-of-date infrastructure that no longer had the capacity to handle the district’s networking needs.

At last month’s board retreat, principals and teachers throughout the district reported the frustration of missing valuable teaching time due to being kicked off the system constantly, forcing users to log back on multiple times throughout the day.

Drennon said he is excited to get started and plans to order the products by July 1. He said the new system is expected to be up and running by August.

Leiker said the bid approval is a “great step forward.”

“We are now giving (the students) the tools to learn,” he said.

In another special meeting following the bid approval, the board also voted to take advantage of an option provided by the 2014 legislative school funding resolution. School boards now can modify their use of capital outlay funds to allow expenditures to maintain district property and equipment, acquisition of performance expenditures, and acquisition of software.

Tracy Kaiser, district finance director, said the new legislation and board approval “allows for more flexibility” for the board to shift some expenses to the capital outlay fund instead of the general fund.