School wants to become wireless

PHILADELPHIA — The Indian River Central School District is trying to become wireless.

James R. Koch, district business manager, presented his 2012-13 information technology budget proposal during Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting at the district offices.

At the beginning of the presentation, he emphasized the district needs to control its costs as the number of students rises over the next several years. Enrollment is expected to increase as military families settle around the Fort Drum area next year.

About 80 percent of students at Calcium Primary are military dependents, according to Mary Anne Dobmeier, assistant superintendent for curricular instruction.

Controlling the costs means more than just hoarding money, however. It means replacing inefficient and outdated equipment, Mr. Koch said.

About 25, five-year-old computers and 14, four-year-old computers will be replaced for a little more than $132,000.

Smartboards will continue to be a major purchase. Mr. Koch said 14 smartboards will be bought for the high school for a total of $32,000. Boards will be purchased for Antwerp, Philadelphia and Theresa primary schools as well. Calcium and Evans Mills Primary will receive smartboards, but they will be covered under the Department of Defense Education Activity grant and therefore be excluded from the budget.

Over the next three years, the district will receive $1.3 million through the grant to make smartboard purchases.

“They’re not just a glorified white board,” Mr. Koch said.

He predicted the smartboards will be able to go on a 10-year replacement cycle.

“We’re finding that the new equipment have more life in them,” he said.

Another line item on which he focused was to replace the district’s outdated broadcast equipment for nearly $5,000.

The total technology hardware expenditure is expected to be $311,000.

Mr. Koch estimated the software budget will be about $305,000. Some of the items will have updated prices after Mr. Koch’s Feb. 6 meeting with the Madison-Oneida Regional Information Center.

Revenues, Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services recommendations and athletics department budgets will be discussed at the Board of Education meeting Feb. 2.