Mukilteo School Board approves districtwide Wi-Fi refresh and core switch upgrade

The Mukilteo School Board on March 11 approved two contracts to replace aging network equipment across the district, a move district leaders said is necessary before existing systems reach end-of-life.

Superintendent Reynolds introduced the projects, saying, "it's my pleasure to provide a little context for the following 2 contracts which are, on the board agenda." The work covers a districtwide wireless access point refresh and a replacement of the district's core network switch.

Why it matters: The wireless upgrade covers more than 1,300 indoor access points and about 30 external units; the district's current system, installed in 2014'15, reaches end-of-life and will lose vendor support next year. The core switch directs traffic between the district data center and schools; staff described it as overdue for replacement. Superintendent Reynolds and district technology staff told the board they will apply for E‑Rate discounts to reimburse roughly 80% of eligible network hardware costs after project completion.

What the board approved: The board moved and approved awards after a competitive RFP process. Board members unanimously approved awarding the wireless network refresh to Ednetics and the core switch contract to Cerium (company name in the meeting transcript appeared as "Siriam" in one instance; the board motion and subsequent vote used the pronunciation that matched "Cerium"). The wireless project is scheduled to begin in April with substantial completion by May 2026; the core switch project is scheduled to begin in April with substantial completion by August 2025.

Contract selection and funding: District staff said the RFPs were evaluated by a review team led by Keith Welton, the district's director of technology operations, who compiled vendor scores and recommended the most cost‑effective bidders that met the specifications. Reynolds reminded the board the district intends to file E‑Rate paperwork after project completion to receive the stated reimbursements; the superintendent said the district historically receives E‑Rate discounts and noted the program's Category 2 funding applies to network hardware.

Votes at a glance: - Wireless network refresh: Motion to award contract to Ednetics (mover: board member, name not specified; second: not specified). Outcome: approved by voice vote; "Aye"s recorded and motion carries (vote count not specified in the transcript). Project start: April; substantial completion: May 2026. Scope: ~1,300 indoor access points and ~30 external units. Funding note: district will apply for E‑Rate Category 2 reimbursement (staff said the current eligible reimbursement rate is 80%). - Network core switch refresh: Motion to award contract to Cerium (mover: board member, name not specified; second: not specified). Outcome: approved by voice vote; "Aye"s recorded and motion carries (vote count not specified in the transcript). Project start: April; substantial completion: August 2025. Scope: replacement of core switching equipment serving the district data center and school network links.

Discussion and context: District staff emphasized timing: the wireless gear installed in 2014'15 is approaching end-of-life support in the coming year, and the core switch has been maintained with mitigation strategies but is also nearing end-of-life. Staff also noted the projects were budgeted as bond and levy projects and are planned to be reimbursed in part through federal E‑Rate funds; staff said final reimbursements will follow submission of project documentation after completion.

Next steps: With the awards approved, staff will finalize contracts with the selected vendors, schedule procurement and installations starting in April, and submit E‑Rate paperwork after project closeout to seek the district's expected reimbursements. The board did not set additional conditions in the meeting transcript.