Board reviews plan to spend remaining Smart Schools Bond Act funds for Wi‑Fi upgrades

Acting Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chris McInley told the Williamsville Central School District Board on June 9 that the district has surplus funds remaining from a 2016–17 Smart Schools Bond Act award and proposed a supplemental investment plan to continue infrastructure work in the same buildings originally approved.

Dr. McInley said the district is not expanding the original scope or instructional intent but is reinvesting remaining funds to "support the reliability and performance of our previously deployed systems." He outlined budget line items that will be part of the supplemental plan: wireless access, $339,513; network switches, $783,584; support accessories, $33,812. He added that New York State requires districts to allocate a proportionate share of Smart Schools funding to non-public schools; the district's required non-public allocation is $97,171.

The presentation noted the original award was made for the 2016–17 cycle and that the supplemental work will occur in the same 13 buildings at the same locations previously approved. Dr. McInley also described related classroom-display work in progress across the district and said the infrastructure project will increase wireless capacity districtwide; the presentation referenced an eventual district achievement of Wi‑Fi 7 standards and an installation plan that will support nearly 720 touchscreen displays planned for this summer.

The board opened a public hearing on the Smart Schools plan; no community members approached the podium to comment. Dr. McInley said the district plans to complete installations before the next school year where possible but noted supply-chain interruptions could change schedules; he told the board the supplemental reinvestment will have "no impact to our budget at all."