WEST MILFORD The West Milford school district is going wireless.
The school board unanimously accepted a proposal by Johnston Communications Company of Kearny last week, for a plan that includes the design and installation of a district-wide wireless network at a cost of $210,560.00, as well as the required hardware upgrades at a cost of $191,214.00.
Trustee Matt Conlon, Speaking for the Technology Committee, Trustee Matt Conlon said the district received bids from three different vendors for the project, although one of them later withdrew their proposal. The Technology Committee met with the company representatives and agreed to recommend Johnston Communications, a New Jersey State contracted company and lowest bidder, for the job.
Conlon said the network will have 170 access points throughout the district, including all eight schools, the board Central Office, and the Transportation Department.
Board President Dave Richards, who is also the chairman of the Technology Committee, said the entire school district will have wireless access by September 2012. The work is set to begin around June 26, right after graduation. Richards, who was out of town on business when the board voted to accept the proposal, is ecstatic about the project.
The wireless network will be used as a tool to motivate students to learn all subjects across the entire curriculum, he said. Technology is vital in the growth of the school system.
Last year, Richards and Conlon made up the Technology Committee. To get more feedback in committee from the board this year, two more board members were added to the Technology Committee, trustees Donna Richards and Inga Koeppe.
Richards recently mentioned that the Technology Committee is also looking into the possibility of adding advertising opportunities on the districts Web site to raise money. He said other districts he has spoken with have raised as much as $7,000 through Web site advertising.