The school board is scheduled to vote Thursday on two agenda items to help get the work underway and completed by early 2026.
District administrators recommend the board allocate an additional $100,000 in capital reserve funds this fiscal year to jumpstart the process.
The board could also act on a proposed $2.22 million capital reserve fund budget for 2025-26 that includes $695,000 for technology projects.
"Our network is outdated and struggling to support the demands of today's educational technology," said Michael Statler, director of business operations. "With more reliance on tools like cloud-based apps, digital learning platforms, online testing and live collaboration tools, the current system is causing slower speeds and disruptions in performance."
In a memo to the board, Statler said the fiber networks at school buildings lack the bandwidth capacity to handle video conferencing, virtual classrooms and large data transfers. The wireless setup is too slow and cannot support the number of devices and speed needed for modern learning, he said.
"As more devices and tools are added, our outdated system will become an even bigger roadblock," Statler said. The extra $100,000 could help network bandwidth and align the internal school networks with the district's high-performing fiber infrastructure, he said.
"We've got to catch up," said Nathan Burgess, director of technology. "We need to go forward. The state is mandating online testing in spring 2026. We're going to be testing nearly 4,500 students all at once."
Board member Joseph Shane asked whether additional funding comes with the state mandate to help the district manage the transition. "I wish there was, but I have not heard anything," Burgess said.
The district plans to complete network and Wi-Fi upgrades at Lamberton and Wilson middle schools by spring 2025. The goal is to have internal fiber infrastructure upgraded at its seven elementary schools by spring 2026.
The $695,000 in technology projects includes $325,000 set aside for this work. Other line-items under that category include $50,000 for whiteboard upgrades, $175,000 to install smart board projectors and speakers in classrooms and $145,000 to replace computers and devices in the district's art rooms and Center for Careers and Technology.
FACILITY UPKEEP
In a separate motion, the board could vote Thursday on a resolution to officially close the LeTort and Mount Holly Springs elementary schools at the start of the 2028-29 school year. The vote would be a step toward committing the district to a broader plan to restructure grades K-8.
With more than three years to go before closure, the district plans to continue to invest capital reserve fund dollars into the upkeep of the LeTort and Mount Holly Springs schools. The $325,000 proposed for 2025-26 includes technology upgrades at both buildings.
Aside from technology, the capital reserve fund budget for 2025-26 includes $1,525,000 in projects to maintain and improve district facilities. The largest single line-item under that portion of the budget is $210,000 that would go to LeTort to upgrade the old building automation system that manages the HVAC systems.
"We're trying to get three more years out of that," said Bruce Clash, chairman of the board's finance committee. "It's not going to last that long and make it livable."
"What we have now is a system that will not be supported if something does go wrong," said Karisa Lehman, director of facilities. "I'm looking for solutions to maintain that over the next several years in the most cost-effective way."
The facilities portion of the budget also includes a $50,000 project to replace the filing system in the counseling department of Carlisle High School. Currently, all student records are kept in large filing cabinets that are nearing the limits of storage capacity, Lehman said. "We need to come up with a new solution."
Two other proposed projects involve the Swartz building of the high school. One calls for $150,000 to repair and improve the visibility and flow of the main office and clock tower entrance, Lehman said. A second project calls for $25,000 to install a dividing wall to section off part of the faculty workroom for instructional space.
Other proposed projects involving facilities are:
- $200,000 to maintain the grass football field at the Ken Millen Stadium.
- $120,000 to install baseball and softball batting cages on the main district campus.
- $100,000 for parking lot line painting.
- $80,000 for new art room casework and cabinets at the high school.
- $50,000 each to repaint the main hallway and common areas of the middle schools.
- $45,000 each to replace water softeners at the Bellaire and Crestview elementary schools with brine tanks.
"The projects listed in future years for the capital reserve are not finalized," Lehman said. "As priorities change and other needs arise, we will adjust that list as needed. The capital reserve budget does not include all the larger scale renovations that are needed related to the K-8 project. That will be addressed later."
The initiative to restructure grades K-8 includes constructing a 7-8 middle school on the district main campus and work to renovate the current Lamberton and Wilson buildings into 4-6 intermediate elementary schools.
©2024 The Sentinel (Carlisle, Pa.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
