Two changes to who provides the Warren County School District with communications technology infrastructure stand to save the district tens of thousands of dollars.
The Finance Committee of the Warren County School District's board of directors has approved moving forward for approval of the full board a software licensing agreement with Citrix Systems, Inc., which would save the district approximately $25,000 each year.
Citrix provides campus-wide software through the Citrix Education Program modeled after the Microsoft Campus Level agreement system at a lower price than the Microsoft system currently in use by the district.
"This is an opportunity to save a little bit of money," Brian Collopy, the district's coordinator of technology/information management, told the committee.
The software provides a platform for the district to offer applications and desktop images to district equipment and internet connected devices.
The agreement with Citrix would provide 3,000 licenses for the software at a rate of $29 per license. Total cost to the district would be $87,000, approximately $25,000 less than the district pays for licensing of its current software platform.
As the district already has a similar agreement for licensing, the expense was included in the district technology budget.
"This is the same functionality that we've had," Collopy said, "but at a lower price."
Committee members moved another provider change forward for approval of the full board concerning telephone infrastructure and service.
A quote from Zito Media of Coudersport for services and infrastructure related to the transfer of phone service at the district's Learning Enrichment Center and Central Office facilities from a traditional model to a voice over internet protocol system.
Zito Media's quote includes a one-time fee of $295 for installation of physical infrastructure related to the change and a monthly service fee of $417 for 25 phone numbers to be put on a voice over IP system and be E-911 enabled.
The rate quote is valid through June 30, 2013.
The district's current contract for phone service at the facilities, through Verizon, costs approximately $2,500 per month.
The move represents a saving of approximately $1,100 per month.