III. TECHNOLOGY – STATE OF THE DISTRICT
At the center of BISD classrooms are the teacher workstation and projector which are combined with a variety of technology resources depending upon the campus. Campuses that receive Title money and new campus buildings have the most technology. The three high schools and the BCTAL have wireless capabilities for student handheld devices.
Interactive whiteboards
Digital Cameras and camcorders
Desktop and Laptop computers
Wireless ipads, ipods and handhelds
Media Retrieval Systems
Digital Signeage and Digital Content
* Technology Support
Supporting BISD’s technology resources along with district-wide projects is Mr. Terry Ambrose and his team of Technology Support Technicians. Each tech supports a cluster of campuses with the shortest distance between schools to allow for faster response time and to save on fuel costs.
* Technology Services Desk
The Technical Services Desk (TSD) is lead by Patrick Johnson. Two support analysts answer incoming calls and act as a front line of support for the TIMS department. Mr. Johnson, as well as the analysts, is professionally certified by HDI on best practices for technical support. One ITS is also employed under the TSD to facilitate trainings and migrations of state-mandated software and testing initiatives. All TSD staff strives to resolve problems over the phone or remotely on first contact. When this is not possible, problems are escalated to higher tiers of support. All technical incidents are input and managed using Grouplink eHelpdesk ticketing system. The TSD has also developed an extensive self-help website which includes documents, audio, and video support options for various support needs. The TSD also hold meetings and training sessions for facility-based technology liaisons every six weeks. The TSD works closely with the hardware technician group to facilitate and communicate district-wide projects involving software and hardware implementations.
* Network Management
Jon Abrams is responsible for designing, building, troubleshooting and maintaining the district’s network, ensuring its optimal performance and providing ongoing support for the district’s internet, wireless solution and digital media solution.
* Server Operations
Mark Gibbs administers systems and servers related to district networks (e.g. email, virtualization, backups, virus protection, etc.) for the purpose of ensuring availability of services to authorized users.
* Telecommunications
District wide telephone service runs over the network and is maintained and monitored by Mr. Darrell Maxey. District employees rely on a variety of communications technologies and devices (i.e. voice messaging on the phone and via Microsoft Exchange along with video telephony). Mr. Maxey also maintains the district’s cable plant.
* Digital Security
District wide digital security is maintained and monitored by Mr. Chris Jenkins. The main entrances to all campuses and the admin building are secured by digital security card readers. Hard keys are no longer used. Digital cameras are used at elementary main entrances. Middle and high schools have video cameras in hallways, entrances and exteriors.
* PEIMS/Records Management
The PEIMS\Records Manager, Michael Barrett and his department have primary responsibility for state reporting and recordkeeping. PEIMS is the Texas data collection system for gathering student, staff, financial, and organization data from school districts and reporting this data to the state for funding, accountability and other purposes. The PEIMS\Records department helps maintain the student data system, which includes processes and procedures that help ensure the accurate collection, recording and reporting of all student data. They train and support attendance clerks in the capture of student demographic and attendance data; support Skyward for advanced users, including counselors, discipline officers, and campus PEIMS coordinators; and support other administrators in data driven decision-making. To facilitate the accuracy and timely delivery of PEIMS data, the Michael Barrett and his staff must stay current with changes to state and federal reporting, explain the overall data collection requirements to school district personnel and train them to adequately meet the state’s data submission requirements.
In addition, this department maintains digitized students records and transcripts stored on servers in the district network operating center and at an offsite backup in Dallas for disaster recovery purposes. The department is working with district departments to digitize all records in the district that require permanent preservation and to properly destroy records at the appropriate time.
* Information Management Systems
Mike DePaola and his two programmers operate and support the district’s information management systems.
BISD employees use Skyward Student Management Suite (SMS) software to maintain and analyze student information such as attendance, grades, discipline, schedules, health and special education. Parents can access their children’s information online through Skyward Family Access and secondary school students can access their information online through Skyward Student Access. SMS Mobile is Skyward’s mobile portal to SMS, Family Access and Student Access.
BISD employees use Oracle PeopleSoft Enterprise applications to maintain and analyze district finance and personnel information (e.g., process purchase orders, payroll, accounting transactions and to track employee data). Employees can access their information online through PeopleSoft eApps. By April 2013 BISD must spend to either replace or update this antiquated system or just upgrade its infrastructure until its lifecycle ends in July 2015.