District technology director outlines cybersecurity, device refresh and teacher AI pilot

Sean Whiteland, identified in the meeting as the district's director of technology, presented an overview of Garfield Heights City Schools' technology operations and plans.

Whiteland said the district supports roughly 500 staff computers, about 4,500 Chromebooks and approximately 775 iPads for preschool, kindergarten and special education. "We really are a true 1 to 1 program," he said, adding that loaner devices and in‑house repairs after warranty are part of keeping classrooms functional. He also listed key tech staff by name: network manager Jim Kasuda and lead network technician Tim Subaczynski, along with technicians Azaz Peer and Larry Cameron.

Why it matters: Whiteland framed the presentation as both instructional support and risk management. He described recent legal and regulatory changes that affect procurement and vendor use, said the district is aligning with cybersecurity standards, and noted reliance on federal E‑rate funding to cover the majority of student‑serving network and equipment costs.

On student data privacy and cybersecurity, Whiteland summarized Senate Bill 29 (student data privacy) and House Bill 96 (a cybersecurity law). He said the district now requires third‑party platforms that collect student data to sign data privacy agreements before they are implemented. The district is evaluating itself against NIST standards in partnership with the Ohio Cyber Reserve and has a local security operations partner (Agile Blue) that monitors systems and can isolate compromised devices.

Whiteland singled out tools and processes the district uses to reduce risk: a paid Google for Education service for email and platform security, Action1 for patch management, Nova4 for periodic phishing tests, Cisco Duo for VPN multi‑factor authentication, Cisco Umbrella and LineWise for filtering, and a district firewall layered over provider protections.

Funding and refresh plans: Whiteland explained federal E‑rate funding typically covers about 90% of eligible category 1 and 2 costs for student‑serving locations; he said the district averages roughly $350,000 in category 2 funds and expects to use that allocation for the upcoming 5‑year refresh cycle. Citing past costs, he gave examples: a 2021 physical switch refresh cost about $53,000 with the district share near $8,000 and Aruba wireless licensing around $45,300 with the district share near $6,700.

Staff training, repair and student programs: The district is pursuing a Lenovo/CDWG technical certification so its staff can act as a Lenovo repair site. Whiteland said the district is also exploring a student tech club that would train students to perform warranty repairs, potentially with reimbursement for the district. He described an eSports program in early stages, with hardware and a statewide organization (esportsohio.org) as a reference.

AI pilot and teacher rollout: Whiteland said the district is forming an AI committee and is rolling out teacher tools first. "It's free through 2027," he said about ChatGPT for Education, adding the access is voluntary and that the district wants teacher capacity built before any student deployment. He also referenced Gemini for Education as an available staff tool.

Questions from board members focused on costs and coverage of E‑rate for the upcoming refresh and on the voluntary nature of AI access for staff. Whiteland confirmed Cyber Guardian participation is volunteer, said the district expects to use its available E‑rate funding to cover most student‑serving refresh needs, and reiterated the teacher‑first approach to AI tools.

Next steps: Whiteland said the district will continue planning a staggered 5‑year refresh of devices and infrastructure, pursue repair certification for staff, develop the AI committee and keep the board informed as projects (including an expected phone system migration around 2027) progress.