Great Bend, Kan., Schools Tap E-Rate for Wi-Fi on Buses

(TNS) — Implementing cybersecurity has been an ongoing task for the Information Technology Department at Great Bend USD 428. IT Director Ryan Axman described it as his department's biggest challenge, although the rise of artificial intelligence may be next.

"AI is something we'll have to figure out," Axman told the Board of Education at Monday's meeting.

Starting with this school year, monthly reports from department heads have been added to the school board meeting agendas. Axman was the November presenter.

On the topic of security, Axman said key points have included the implementation of multi-factor authentication for the email system and logging onto computers, the installation of new cameras and door systems, and the relocation of the data center from the old District Education Center to the new building.

The seven-person IT department includes seven hardware specialists, two software specialists and Axman. USD 428 employs 5,000 devices, such as laptops, desktop computers and tablets.

Upcoming projects include replacing the filtering software program that handles Windows-based computers by December.

"We have three projects coming up with E-rate, the federal program that pays for 80 percent of our Internet usage throughout the district," he said. These are:

• Upgrade the district's Internet bandwidth from 2 Gbps to 4 Gbps.
• Implement Wi-Fi on school buses by the summer of 2025 so kids can do their homework while traveling.
• Implement a new cybersecurity program. E-rate has a three-year pilot program but it will only be for select schools. Axman hopes Great Bend will be one of them.

Other things his department has done:

• Implement a new ticketing system for staff and teachers to submit IT, maintenance, and transportation requests.
• Implement a new program called PaperCut to allow teachers to install their own printers.
• Microsoft is dropping support for Windows 10 by October 2025, USD 428 needs to upgrade approximately 350 PCs (of about 750 in the district) from Windows 10 to Windows 11 before then.
• Upgrade the camera system at the middle school if the funding is approved.

The school district is on a five-year computer rotation, with 20 percent of its computers replaced each year. There is a three-year Chromebook replacement cycle because those devices don't last as long.

At Monday's meeting, the board approved computer purchases totaling $153,691.72:

• 92 high school teacher laptops at $827.53 each for a total of $76,132.76
• 24 high school staff desktops at $653.88 each for a total of $15,693.12
• 53 units for three high school computer labs at $1,167.28 each for a total of $61,865.84

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