Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510270055
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Roanoke Valley school divisions can begin to develop computer networks for students with $1.5 million in state technology grants they will receive in the next year.
The networks will save money for the schools and make the technology funds go further: The schools won't have to buy software for each classroom computer.
School officials said the networks will make educational technology available throughout the individual schools.
Ultimately, all schools will be connected, and all schools will have access to the Internet.
Roanoke will receive $745,000 in state technology funds; Roanoke County, $667,000; and Salem, $156,000.
The school systems have millions of dollars in technology needs. Roanoke has approved a $23 million technology plan, and Roanoke County's five-year capital improvement plan includes $8.8 million for technology.
School officials said the state money will help, but the localities will have to rely heavily on local funds for technology.
Roanoke County has approved a $270,000 contract with Network Integrators Inc. of Salem to install network systems in all 27 county schools.
Network Integrators will design and install all of the cabling and equipment needed to connect computers at each school.
Roland Black, president of the Salem company, said the project will take four to six months to complete.
Technology has lagged in schools, Black said, and school divisions have limited funds for networking. The state funds will help, he said.
"The challenge now is to spend these dollars wisely and not find ourselves behind again in a few years," Black said. "This system will serve Roanoke County schools well for many years."
Salem is developing bidding specifications for computer networking at several schools, said Michael Bryant, assistant superintendent.
Salem High School has some networking, but Bryant said officials want to network computers at the elementary and middle schools as well.
Roanoke has used federal magnet school funds to install networking at William Fleming High, William Ruffner Middle, Highland Park Elementary and Wasena Elementary schools.
But most other schools do not have network systems, said Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations. The school system will use $445,000 of the state grant for networking in elementary schools, Kelley said.
He estimated it will cost about $500,000 for networking at Patrick Henry High because there are six buildings in the campus-style school. The school system has $600,000 available for educational technology that was included in a bond issue several years ago.
Roanoke plans ultimately to connect all schools so that they can exchange information, and have access to the same instructional programs and the Internet, Kelley said.
by CNB