Anderson PTSAAnderson High School, Austin Texas

Highlights of the technology portion of Prop 1 include: 

1.  Gradebook Software - The district’s current grade book program is known as Integrade Pro, which is end-of-life, meaning its proprietary company will not be supporting it for much longer.  The new program will have increased capability and will provide parents with near real time access to daily grades.  $1.5 m

2.  Student Storage – This item will upgrade student and campus storage systems to increase storage quotas needed for homework, project, and other classroom file storage needs.  $.45 m 

3.  Special Education Software and Hardware - This item will bring specialized, assistive technologies to special ed students, improving overall literacy, eliminating achievement gaps, and increasing independent communication skills.  It will also prepare students to take grade-level accountability tests.  $1.5 m 

4.  Upgrade Emergency Power Supply System – This is needed to ensure enough power to support 911 emergency services during power failures.  $.3 m  

5.  Upgrade Telephone Outage Monitoring Equipment – This will replace end-of-life telecom monitoring equipment.  $.3 m

6.  Document Management System  - This item would manage hard copy archives and electronic active files to comply with retention rules and increase efficiency.  $4 m  

7.  Student Information System – This is needed to replace the district’s current student information system known as SASI, because the company who owns it will no longer be renewing it.  It will contain grades, attendance, discipline, and schedules.  This information gathered by this software is used to report to state and federal agencies.  $7 m

8.  IFAS and Enterprise Servers/Storage/Archive – End-of-life servers and the archive system will be replaced, along with upgrading financial and enterprise servers.  $.6 m 

9.  Wireless Upgrade – Davis, Doss, Hill, Summitt, and Murchison, along with 21 other campuses, will receive the wireless capability that all other AISD schools have.  $1.1 m

10. PA Upgrade – Upgrade campus PA/Clock/Bell systems.  $.4 m

11.  Presentation Systems – Large-screen computer video presentation systems, document cameras, and audio systems will be introduced to 2/3 of the classrooms in the district, bringing old campuses up to the technology standards of newer campuses.  $9.2 m 

12.  Student Response/Slates – Interactive classroom devices, including student polling devices (aka handheld clickers) and interactive slates and boards will be placed in classrooms.  $1.5 m

13.  Data Warehouse – This will bring together data that is currently stored in 22 different application stores, providing for easier reporting at the local, state, and federal levels.  $2 m 

14.  Mobile Cart Chassis  - Also known as COWS, this item will make available classroom sets of laptops that can be moved throughout a school and shared as needed.  $.8 m

15.  Campus Technology Refresh – Over a four-year period, all obsolete desktop and laptop compters and printers will be replaced.  Peripheral items such as cameras, digital microscopes, probes, hand-held devices and software are also included.  $39.2 m

Please remember that early voting starts April 28 and runs through May 6.  We have worked so hard in our neighborhoods to bring needed classrooms and critical renovations to our Anderson HS vertical team schools.  Do not think that someone else will pass these bonds for us.  We must get out to vote.  If not early, then on May 10. 

Pro school bond yard signs have been printed and are available.  If you’d like one, contact Julie Cowan at Jscowan@aol.com. 

Update on the 2004 bond work:  the Board of Trustees recently approved a contract for $364,900 with M.B. Home Construction Services to renovate restrooms, expand the cafeteria and kitchen, and replace air conditioning units at Doss Elementary.  This is part of the 2004 bond package.