The members of The Technology Committee have come a long way since our first meeting on February 15th. Although NetDay 96, March 9th, passed without achieving our desired level of connectivity, we got the library hooked up and presented our plan to parents.

Because of the presence of asbestos in the attic above the administrative offices (a natural central point for the school), we had to rethink and redesign. (Steve and Mike came up with a handy map of the school with measurements.) Our plan now calls for conduit at ceiling level, so we avoid the asbestos entirely.

Our first phase will cover all of Bulding A and has been fully funded. Total costs for the whole school (every classroom plus additional lines) should not exceed seven thousand dollars before we're done, but the conduit solution has still not been fully priced out yet. The big expense at the tail-end of this project will be buying two routers (over a thousand dollars each) so we can connect through the District's BRI lines.

The good news is that we will gain tremendous value from having a Local Area Network (LAN) set up before we get our routers. The library Internet connection is already up-and-running, and we can save important web-resources in the local network so that any classroom can access them.

It could take a year, or we could be ready to go by fall. Money is the primary issue, but so is parents' time. We can use all the help we can get fundraising outside the parent community.

There has been real concern that connectivity has diverted PTA funds which could have gone for the purchase of an additional computer and some software. The Technology Committee is committed to establishing Don Benito as a model school for using these new tools - and we will find a way to get the tools we need. The wiring infrastructure is only the first step and we are pledged to go all the way on computers in the classrooms (we don't even have ten in the whole school !).

Another source of concern is the feelings of other schools in the Pasadena District whose parent base has been less able to jump on the proverbial bandwagon. We will do our best to make ourselves available to help, as good cyber-citizens. E-mail us. Call us. Participate with us.