“We’ve worked on this project for a couple of years,” said Snowflake Unified School District IT Director C.C. LaGrange of the E-Rate funding and fiber request for proposals she asked the governing board to approve April 20. Her request was granted.
LaGrange said that this would complete the fiber from Highland Primary School to the Taylor schools and back to Highland Primary, which would complete a ring between Snowflake and Taylor. The new single mode fiber would provide both schools with increased bandwidth so that all district schools would have a bandwidth of 10GB transmission speeds.
Last year the district applied for an E-Rate grant, but was not approved, explained LaGrange. Since then the state of Arizona approved and plans to match E-Rate fiber projects with state funding, which means that the district would pay only 10 percent of the cost.
Two proposals were received, one installing fiber that would be district owned, and the other leasing fiber for a five-year period.
LaGrange recommended that they approve AMK Solutions to install new fiber that would be district owned so the district can take advantage of the state match.
The total cost to the district would be approximately $198,000.
Business Manager Mark Ollerton noted that the district has the money in capital funds.
Superintendent Hollis Merrell explained that the district would not be obligated to the project.
LaGrange noted that the E-Rate approval is based on availability of district funds, state funds and board approval.
A motion to approve E-Rate funding and fiber request for proposals passed unanimously.
In other business, the governing board unanimously approved the annual intergovernmental agreement between Joint Technical Education and Satellite for provisions of JTED courses.
Merrell explained that there were no changes from the previous agreement.
The governing board held the first reading of policy changes recommended by the Arizona School Board Association.
“The majority are changes required by Proposition 2016,” said Merrell noting that the proposition does not just increase the minimum wage, but affects leave policies as well. Merrell said that because of the specified law most changes cannot be adjusted. No action was required on this item.
