TEEN gets videoconferencing grant
TEEN has received a grant for $25,000 from Kan Ed to pay for the Polycom equipment purchased and installed last August.
The main purpose of the grant was to convert older video conferencing equipment to H.323 equipment. This grant was labeled Priority 1 and was received by 99 Kan Ed members (K-12, higher education schools, hospitals, and libraries).
The maximum amount received was $25,000. Twenty-eight other entities besides TEEN also received $25,000. The actual cost of the TEEN upgrade was $30,505.00.
Each of the districts has received a Kan Ed Priority 2 grant for $5,120 for one portable Polycom unit to be placed in their district. This unit will be used primarily for special projects: science projects, interactive virtual learning trips, and connections to other Kan Ed sites such as the State Board of Education. It can be used with any computer in the district that is on ethernet for a point-to-point connection. It can also serve as a third classroom connection for TEEN classes within the consortium.
At the present time, TEEN has one of these units, six are available within the network. All five of the TEEN member schools have also received a broadband Internet subsidy from Kan Ed in the amount of $4,000 to pay portal and line fees during the upcoming school year. This money will supplement the 3 meg of bandwidth added to the network this summer.
Network Tool and Die and Kan Ed are working to have the TEEN connection up and running by Aug. 20, the first day of TEEN classes. A Conway Springs senior is enrolled in the zero hour German class.
The total amount received from Kan Ed was $70,600.
The next meeting for the TEEN board of directors will be a conference call at 5 p.m. Aug. 18.
