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Board approves internet renewal and UPS purchases, defers large switch upgrade pending funding plan
Summary
Trustees approved a renewal of internet services and replacement of aging uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) after staff warned many UPS units were near end of life; the larger, costlier network-switch upgrade was deferred until a comprehensive funding plan (bond or Measure O allocation) is available.
The Newark Unified School District board on Wednesday approved a multi-year renewal of the district's internet service and authorized purchase of replacement backup power units for network equipment, while deferring a larger network-switch upgrade until a broader funding plan is in place.
What the board approved: Facing an expiring multi-year internet contract and rolling technology failures, staff recommended category-one funding for continued internet access (AT&T/ACE) and category-two spend on battery backup units. Trustees voted to approve the internet contract renewal and to buy new UPS battery systems now, using available E-rate/one-time funds and vendor financing, and to delay a comprehensive switch replacement until a bond or other capital plan is finalized.
Why staff recommended the split approach: IT staff said many existing UPS units are at end-of-life and some network closets lacked sufficient battery backup to allow a graceful shutdown during outages; replacing failed UPS units was framed as an urgent maintenance need while the full switch replacement would be a larger multi-million-dollar capital investment that is better aligned with bond planning.
A technical explanation: "It's really just a quick battery backup... we're only expecting about 10 minutes of run time to allow us to either keep basic services on and then allow us to perform a graceful shutdown so our equipment doesn't get fried in the instance of a power outage," said Jenny Penhapor, an IT lead for the district.
Vote and implementation: The board approved the internet renewal and the UPS purchase by roll call. Staff will return with contract details, installation schedule and a funding plan for a future switch upgrade; the district expects some E-rate reimbursement for eligible components.
Ending: The decision addresses immediate reliability and safety needs for network closets while reserving larger capital spending until the district aligns upgrades with bond funds and a detailed business case.
