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Argo CHSD 217 outlines nearly $645,000 in proposed technology and device purchases and renewals
Summary
The April 15 Finance Committee minutes document proposed technology spending: about $396,049.50 for 450 student devices, a $35,292.70 Dell APEX backup renewal, a recommended Pure Storage SAN replacement quoted at about $158,761.66, and a CTE-funded AutoCAD lab replacement ($54,988.20).
The Finance Committee minutes record several technology and device procurement items presented by the district Technology Department on April 15, 2026.
Student and staff devices: The Technology Department proposed purchasing 450 devices for incoming freshmen at a quoted total of $396,049.50. The minutes compare that figure with last year’s purchase of $356,751.00 (which included styluses), and state the district is seeing an approximate 11–14% increase in base device costs year-over-year. The department also noted it is evaluating alternative lower-cost platforms such as Chromebooks and iPads for future deployments.
Staff device refresh: The district offered staff a choice among three Dell models (Dell Pro 14 Plus 2-in-1 with stylus; Dell Pro 16 Plus laptop; Dell Latitude 7350 detachable). Most staff selected the first two models; existing inventory will be repurposed to meet limited requests for the detachable option. The minutes state all devices will include Absolute Data & Device Security (Computrace) for tracking and protection.
Infrastructure and backup: The district proposed a three-year renewal of Dell APEX Backup Services (PowerProtect Backup Service/formerly Druva) at $35,292.70 to maintain cloud backup, disaster recovery, and ransomware protection. Separately, the EMC Unity 300F SAN reached End of Support and the Technology Department recommended a Pure Storage replacement with a quoted cost of approximately $158,761.66 (vendor quotes ranged as low as $36,637 to as high as $184,287 depending on configuration). The minutes emphasize the operational risk of continuing to run an EOS storage system.
AutoCAD lab: Technology recommended replacing seven-year-old workstations in the AutoCAD lab (Room 159) to meet current AutoCAD requirements. The quoted cost is $54,988.20, funded fully through the CTE grant, with no operating-budget impact.
The minutes present these items as recommendations and cost estimates; they do not record final vendor awards or motions in the Finance Committee record provided. Dr. Joseph Rojek and committee members are recorded on the attendance roll; Ms. Catherine Jozwiak raised governance questions on other items during the meeting.
