Waterford district moving to obtain new computers

The Waterford Schools Board of Education voted at its Thursday, May 19 meeting to approve a number of contract awards for technology improvements and upgrades in accordance with the district’s technology plan.

The board approved the purchase and installation of Aruba wireless network infrastructure for the North and South campuses of Mason Middle School, as well as Pierce Middle School and the Durant High School Crary Campus through a contract with Dell ($45,598) for Aruba Access Points Management Controllers and Licensing, and a $38,892 contract with CDWG for POE network switches.

The board also approved the beginning of Phase 1 of a four-year computer replacement plan with Dell, with an annual payment of $182,566 each year.

During this initial phase, 600 desktop stations will replace all hard-wired main student computers in the district’s K-12 buildings, while 200 laptops will replace 60 of the oldest laptops at both Mott and Kettering high schools, 20 laptops at both Pierce and Mason, and 20 laptops at Durant.

The first phase will also involve installing 100 high-end workstations, including 31 computer aided architecture design (CAAD) workstations and 19 workstations for video/digital arts at both Waterford Mott and Kettering high schools.

The district states that if it chooses not to refresh its new computers on a four-year cycle, it will own the equipment at the end of a four-year term, but if it chooses to refresh, then Dell will purchase back the new computers on an agreed upon residual value and deduct that from the district’s next cycle payment.

The board also approved the purchase and installation of SMART boards in every kindergarten classroom in the district through a $75,009 contract with SMART Ed Services for 33 wide profile dual touch SMART Boards, and a $65,277 contract with Dell for SMART Boards with a S500 short throw projector, boom mount and bulb.

The district states that these purchases are made possible through an additional $500,000 in funding allocated to the technology budget for the 2012-13 school year.

According to the district, the technology plan has resulted in fiber links added to all of the district’s secondary computers for the 2011-12 school year. In addition, 600 computers were replaced through the government dispersal of Census computers, SMART Boards were installed in the district’s special education classrooms and Children’s Village, and a wireless infrastructure was added to both Kettering and Mott high schools.