The latest and the greatest

new and updated technology around the district

by Layne Henn

In efforts to continually supply the type of access to technology that students need to be successful, the technology department is being creative and resourceful. One of the pilot programs that is happening right now at Riverside Elementary is with a product called Ncomputing. http://www.ncomputing.com/ncomputing/index.php

This device allowed for 30 computers to be in a lab at Riverside while only putting in 6 network drops. At $150 a drop, the immediate savings just on network wiring was $3600. The real big savings comes when you find out how the devices work. 1 computer works as 4 computers. In the lab there are only 8 computers. These 8 computers with Ncomputing become 32 computers, now do the math. We are talking over $13,000! This product was thoroughly tested by our department before this pilot. The project will go throughout the rest of the '08 school year and then decisions will be made as to whether this product will continue to save our district money and still provide access to technology for our students.