Staff writer
Goessel students might just be cruising down an “eight-lane information super highway” in the near future if all goes according to plan.
Goessel board of education unanimously approved a $38,211 upgrade to computer networking switching hubs throughout the district Monday at district school board meeting.
However, that fee decreases by $24,666 with the Department of Education’s E-Rate Program, which gives discounted telecommunication services to schools.
“It’s a major upgrade and a major refund,” Superintendent John Fast said.
USD 411 recently entered a new contract with Moundridge Telephone Company, that will bump up the districts Internet connectivity. The district shares the contract with Hesston and Moundridge schools.
“We’re essentially going from a two-lane highway to an eight-lane information super highway,” Fast said, “but with the [hub] switches we have right now it will create a bottleneck in the system. In order for us to access the full capability and handle all the traffic we have to upgrade the switches.”
The upgrade will increase connectivity speed, enable faster data retrieval, and allow improved WiFi access throughout the district.
“There should be seamless connection all over the school,” Fast said.
The board also unanimously voted to start a new personal finance course that Fast said would replace an applied math course.
“There is a big push at the state level for more training toward managing personal finances,” he said.
The course will be a life skills course that focuses on multiple aspects of real world budgeting.
In other business:
- Instructor Crysta Guhr and her project management group of Jordan Griffin, Eden Hiebert, and Madeline Meier gave a presentation regarding a proposal for a new state championship sign.
- The resignation of Brittany Hiebert as assistant junior high basketball coach was accepted, and a recommendation to make Hiebert a family and consumer sciences teacher was approved unanimously.
- Chrystiana Miller was approved as a Title 1 teacher. Board member Dan Miller recused himself from the vote.
- The board accepted the resignation of Spanish instructor Diane Leonard.
- The resignation of Patrick Longbill as student council sponsor was approved.