Board approves $5.10 million technology capital plan and three-year Granite telecom contract
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Summary
The board approved a $5,098,549 technology capital budget for 2026–27 to replace devices, expand digital signage and refresh network infrastructure, and also approved a three-year Granite Telecommunications agreement (monthly cost ~$2,500, not to exceed $25,180/year).
The West Chester Area School District board approved the administration’s recommended 2026–27 technology capital budget and a separate three-year service agreement with Granite Telecommunications on Dec. 15.
Mister McGowan, the district’s director of technologies, presented the capital request—about $5,098,549—covering recurring replacement cycles (student and teacher iPads, staff laptops), projectors, network access points and switches, and expansion of a digital-signage pilot to more schools. McGowan told the committee the district follows multi-year replacement cycles (four years for high-school student laptops, three for middle school) and flagged the digital-signage pilot at Fugate East as a model to expand.
On telephony, McGowan said aging plain-old-telephone-service (POTS) copper lines are being phased out and vendors are increasing costs. The proposed Granite solution would provide a device to connect fire and elevator lines to newer technology that can use wireless or the district’s network backbone and includes battery backup; the administration said the district will pay only for functioning services. The board approved a three-year contract with Granite with a monthly estimated cost of about $2,500 and a three-year cap reported as not to exceed $25,180 per year.
The technology capital budget and the Granite agreement were forwarded from the Property & Finance Committee and passed by the full board on voice and roll-call votes as required for budgetary items.