At the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District, we want students to use technology to think in ways that go beyond the pen-and-paper. We want students to use technology to construct and demonstrate their learning of curriculum content and to interact with their world. With these ideals in mind, the Technology & Digital Learning Department oversaw some very exciting advancements over this past year.

Over the summer, in conjunction with the central office move from Prescott School to the Middle School South building, a complete revamp of telephones occurred. This new system replaced the former outdated and obsolete landline system with a cloud-based solution. This new Voice Over-IP (VoIP) telephone system offers brand new telephone headsets that connect on a reliable communications server housed at each school. All schools and the Peter Twomey Youth Center have received this upgrade.

An important component for this phone system was the overhaul of the wired and wireless networking at each school. Not only does the new phone system rely on our network, but the over 2,500 computers, tablets and Internet connected devices do as well.

In addition to completing the Groton-Dunstable Regional High School upgrades this past year (which began in 2017), the remaining school buildings were upgraded this summer with similar upgrades. In general terms, the infrastructure upgrades included replacement of aging Internet switches, wireless access points updated to the 802.11ac standard and the fiber optic cables that run between data closets. Below is a summary of some of the highlights that took place at each school.

At Boutwell Early Childhood Center, wireless access points were replaced along with the installation of new Cat 6e Ethernet cables across the building. The upgrades to wiring allows printers, desktop computers and the new telephone system to connect optimally to the available Internet.

At Florence Roche Elementary School, which was funded in part by the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, known as the Federal E-Rate program, two data closets were connected with 10GB fiber cables, replacing the existing 1GB fiber cables. The fiber cabling now connects to HP/Aruba chassis switches, which further connects to the wireless access points, printers, desktop computers and the new telephone system. With the Internet connection coming in from Verizon at the Middle School South building, we also ran a 10GB fiber cable from the data closet in Middle School South to a Florence Roche Elementary data closet.

At the Swallow Union Elementary School, which was funded in part by a substantial grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, specifically the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security, the data closet received new HP/Aruba chassis switches, which connects to the wireless access points, printers, desktop computers and the new telephone system.

At both school buildings which make up the Groton-Dunstable Regional Middle School, a major overhaul took place, funded in large part by a substantial grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, specifically the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security.

In the Middle School South building, two data closets were connected with 10GB fiber cables, replacing the existing 1GB fiber cables. The fiber cabling now connects to HP/Aruba chassis switches, which further connects to the wireless access points, printers, desktop computers and the new telephone system. Not an issue at the Middle School North, but aging Cat 5 cabling in educational and office spaces in the South was replaced by new Cat 6e Ethernet cables.

In the Middle School North building, two data closets were connected with 10GB fiber cables, replacing the existing 1GB fiber cables. The fiber cabling now connects to HP/Aruba chassis switches, which further connects to the wireless access points, printers, desktop computers and the new telephone system. With the Internet connection coming in from Verizon at the Middle School South building, we also ran a 10GB fiber cable from the data closet in Middle School South to the Middle School North data closet.

In addition to networking and infrastructure upgrades, the continued placement of classroom Epson projectors took place across the district. There are roughly 25 locations in need of an update that remain, mostly at the high school, which will be completed in the summer of 2019.

Two remaining computer labs, one at the high school and the other at Middle School North were replaced as well as the continued replacement of teacher laptops on an as needed basis took place.

Last, but not least, we unveiled a new K-5 Technology Innovation class. Students at both elementary schools and during a fifth grade quarter class will be engaged in lessons aligning to the new Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) standards.

—

Core Takeaways:

  • District completely revamped phone system – replaced the former outdated and obsolete landline system with a cloud-based solution
  • Completed infrastructure upgrades in all school buildings including replacement of aging Internet switches, wireless access points updated to the 802.11ac standard. The total infrastructure project, connected to the Internet and networking (non-telephone) was performed as a discount of around 65%, when factoring in various grants I had written.
  • We unveiled a new K-5 Technology Innovation class. Students at both elementary schools and during a fifth grade quarter class will be engaged in lessons aligning to the new Massachusetts Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) standards.