Improved Configuration to Upgrade School Technology

The reconfiguration carries an estimated price tag of $1,034,030 for the 2012-13 school year, of which nearly $800,000 would be directed to Peekskill High School, brothers Micah and Matthew Orifici of Mamaroneck-based Edu Tek Ltd. told the board Tuesday night.

Shortcomings of the current configuration, Micah Orifici said, include lack of a cycle to replace workstation devices on a regular basis (800 are older than five years), lack of server redundancy, local network closets that are a tangle of wires and gear, failing fiber optic connections and a spotty record on new initiatives. Recommendations include implementing a five-year replacement cycle, server redundancy and consolidation of all servers in one place, which would reduce costs while facilitating service and climate control and easing the transition of students from one building’s technology to another.

The consultants also recommended replacing fiber optic cables with copper cables, which Matthew Orifici said were less expensive to replace and maintain than fiber while still able to keep pace with it in terms of data delivery. Micah Orifici noted that the new Peekskill Middle School, which he described as “a jewel,” is all copper, with a noticeable technological dropoff from the middle school to the high school, including wireless capability.

First-year work at the high school would include new desktop and laptop computers, whiteboards, projectors, wireless and cabling and could be completed during the summer before school reopens in September 2012, Micah Orifici said. 

In response to questions from board President Joseph Urbanowicz, Micah Orifici said some of the work, including cabling and other wiring, could be treated as a capital project eligible for state aid. 

Once a replacement cycle has been established, Micah Orifici suggested allocating $250,000-$300,000 annually for workstations and $50,000-$75,000 annually for servers.