The Liberty County School System Board of Education is considering new technology for students in the district, possibly replacing iMacs with Chromeboxes.
At their April 26 work session, LCSS Executive Director of Media and Technology John Ryan said as part of their normal five-year technology refresh plan, the LCSS will refresh desktop computers in their media centers and computer labs. With the exception of the STEM lab at Liberty Elementary, the original iMacs will be replaced with Chromeboxes. The two labs for the high schools will feature enhanced Chromeboxes in order to better accommodate Elevate or similar programs if the need arrives. The estimated cost is $294,351 and funded by the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST).
The board is considering new network drops to provide better connectivity and decrease the strain on their current wireless access points. Two hundred new network drops will be installed as part of the interactive display panel refresh. The expected cost is almost $40,000.
As part of the five-year refresh plan, the board is also considering replacing 26 desktop computers for student information systems operators, registrars, and enrollment specialists. These devices were purchased in 2017. The new computers will have a five-year warranty and will be purchased through Entree on state contract. The anticipated cost is $26,500.
LCSS Chief Operations Officer Arnold Jackson reported on the anticipated upgrades to the Bradwell Institute and Liberty County High School cafeterias. The renovations will upgrade furniture and the dining environment that will deliver a more retail and college-like experience than most typical high school cafeterias. The design included student input from each high school, and students were involved in the decision process. The renovations will:
• Replace/upgrade tables, chairs and disposable containers.
• Highlight each school’s colors and mascot.
• Increase seating capacity.
• Create powering stations for electronic devices.
• Provide outdoor dining space.
• Create a climate for social interaction.
The district is planning to utilize School and Office Supply to renovate both cafeterias. The expected combined cost for both schools is $838,106.58.
Under the action items, the board approved outof- state travel for Frank Long Elementary teacher Becky Busby to attend the NASA and Wisconsin Space Consortium STEM workshop. Busby will participate in a microgravity flight program in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, from May 7–14. The purpose of the workshop is to highlight STEM opportunities and to perform science experiments designed to study life-saving medical techniques in space. Busby will learn about space science education at all levels, K–12, and conduct experiments on water contamination measurements aboard a spacecraft. These educational concepts will be shared with all of LCSS. The $8,700 fee is covered by a grant from the NASA and Wisconsin Space Consortium.
Deputy Superintendent Dr. Zheadric Barbra recommended the board approve the revision of Rule 160-5-1-.15. “Awarding Units of Credit and Acceptance of Transfer Credit and/or Grades” was revised to update the definition of “accredited school” so that it now refers to all the accrediting agencies identified in the specified statues rather than naming the agencies in the rule. Other addendums include the definitions for “home study program” as well as “non-traditional education center.” These new definitions do not alter the JCB(4) Policy. The board approved the state-recommended revisions.
Jackson reported the existing air-cooled chiller at Liberty County High School provides air conditioning for the entire building, but the unit has been problematic. He said typically, a chiller’s life expectancy is 15 years; however, this chiller has failed in less than seven years and is now out of warranty. He said it is time to replace the unit to provide redundant air conditioning for the building.
The project will upgrade the existing chiller and install a new high-efficiency, 140-ton variable speed screw air-cooled chiller. This chiller will have freeze protection, a one-year parts and labor warranty and a five-year compressor warranty. This project is being advertised, and the bid opening will be held on May 2. The anticipated $140,000 cost would be covered by ESPLOST.
Another bid going out May 2 is for security camera upgrades. The district has completed two of five phases for the security camera upgrade project and has installed new digital cameras in three schools. Their plan is to upgrade all existing analog security cameras at five schools. The digital cameras have the ability to provide 360-degree fields of view, facial recognition, night vision, motion detection, alarms, automatic lens adjustment and very sharp images. Funded by ESPLOST, it could cost half a million dollars.
Jackson also reported the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded Food Nutrition a $29,984 grant to replace kitchen equipment. This grant will be used to replace the existing reach-in cooler and heater on the serving line at Lewis Frasier Middle School. The existing reach-in cooler and heater is over 20 years old and has been problematic.