As part of the $86 million dollar Capital Project approved in 2021, all of the buildings are in the process of getting rewired so that the networking infrastructure is out of the tech boxes in each classroom. This will allow less interruption during instruction should I.S. have to troubleshoot an issue. Doing this will also help decrease the replacement cost over time. The new wiring also allows for battery backups in the event of a power outage. So far this has occurred at Persell, Fletcher, and the Tech Academy and is still slated to be completed at Jefferson and Washington by the summer with the remaining elementary buildings to be completed over the next calendar year. JHS will be completed in conjunction with the other capital project work.
As part of a previously approved $125 million dollar Capital Project, generators will be added to buildings currently without them in part to power technology closets so that they can stay up for as long as the building needs during an outage. Also, clock and PA system upgrades are planned for buildings that are not being upgraded in the current $86m project. Along with emergency communication system upgrades in all buildings. Finally, for buildings without one, electronic message boards will be added to building roadside signs. All of this work is currently scheduled to happen between 2026 and 2029.
Additionally, the phones installed earlier this school year were a part of the previous $68 million dollar capital project approved over a decade ago, as were new door access card readers.
We are also very excited to be continuing to install 86-inch interactive boards in every classroom and space where there currently is a projector made possible from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. These interactive boards will allow you and your students to engage during class in so many creative ways. In addition, the audio systems will also be improved using a light-speed system with four ceiling-mounted speakers that use the same technology as RedCat. The pendant mics and the new interactive boards will then go directly through these speakers.