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Jersey Shore Area SD board approves E‑Rate-funded network replacement
Summary
The board approved a phased, districtwide replacement of aging network switches using E‑Rate funds; the project is estimated at $400,000 with the district share about $138,000 and a projected 10–15 year equipment lifespan.
The Jersey Shore Area School District Board of School Directors on July 28 approved a districtwide replacement of aging network infrastructure using federal E‑Rate discounts.
Superintendent Dr. J. Ulmer presented the project as part of the board's finance agenda and introduced technology staff member Chad Craig, who described the work as “a complete replacement of all of our networking heart our infrastructure.” Craig said the upgrade will replace aging switches, resolve power and port problems and has an expected equipment lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
Craig told the board the district secured a 70% E‑Rate discount for the roughly $400,000 project, leaving the district’s expected share at about $138,000. He said work will be staged as hardware arrives and performed outside school hours: “As the switches come in ... we'll take evenings, we'll take weekends,” and that the project “won't affect school time or class time.”
Dr. Ulmer praised Craig’s work securing the funding, saying, “I was shocked when he walked into my office and said he got a $400,000 project approved. That's all it costing you a 138,000.”
Board members asked about timing and disruption. Craig said some components are backordered; installation will continue as parts arrive and the district expects the full upgrade to span about a year. He said technicians will work in stages so users “never notice that we did it,” and that the district will attempt to avoid service interruptions during instruction.
The board approved the finance motion covering the project by voice vote during the finance consent items. The motion passed; the transcript records the finance block as approved by voice without an individual roll-call tally for that item.
The upgrade is intended to restore reliable network performance and reduce recurring maintenance issues tied to current equipment failures.
