At Tahlequah Public Schools, summer may look quiet in the classrooms, but it is one of the busiest seasons of the year for the Technology Department. While students and teachers are away, our team is hard at work maintaining, upgrading, and preparing the technology systems that support learning, safety, communication, and daily operations across the district.
One major project completed this year was the technology installation at the newly renovated Education Service Center building. All network cabling, wireless access points, security cameras, and access control systems have been completed, and the district offices in that facility have been open for business for several months now. The ESC also provides a modern meeting space for school board meetings, featuring two large display screens and camera equipment to support video streaming and improved public access.
Across the district, we are also continuing our long-term device replacement plan. Tahlequah Public Schools has transitioned from Dell to Lenovo for both staff computers and student Chromebooks. We are currently in the process of replacing all Tahlequah High School employee machines, and our current student device plan provides new Chromebooks to students in 6th grade and again in 9th grade. This schedule allows students to have reliable devices as they move into middle school and then again as they begin high school.
In addition to new device deployments, our summer crews are working through student devices at every site. Each summer, approximately 3,000 Chromebooks and 500 iPads are collected, cleaned, erased, updated, repaired when needed, and prepared for the next school year. This process is a major undertaking, but it is essential to making sure students return in August with devices that are ready for classroom use.
Behind the scenes, we are also working on a major server migration project. The district is moving many of its core server systems from our existing VMware environment to a Hyper-V platform. While this type of work is not always visible to students, staff, or the public, it is critical to maintaining a reliable and sustainable technology infrastructure. These systems support many of the services our schools depend on every day.
Looking ahead, the Technology Department is also involved in the planning stages of upcoming bond projects, including the new Tahlequah Middle School Band building, the new athletic building and stadium. As with any new facility or renovation, technology planning begins early. Network connections, wireless coverage, security cameras, access control, classroom displays, sound systems, and other technology needs must all be considered before construction is complete.
These projects reflect the ongoing commitment of Tahlequah Public Schools to provide reliable, safe, and modern technology for students, staff, and the community. From large infrastructure projects to the yearly cleaning and updating of thousands of student devices, each step helps prepare our district for another successful school year.
As technology continues to grow in importance, our focus remains the same: to support teaching and learning, strengthen safety and communication, and keep Tahlequah Public Schools connected and ready for the future.
Robert Batson
Technology Director
Tahlequah Public Schools