TIF Funding and Background

Dripping Springs students have been the grateful recipients of funding from many sources outside the district.  The largest assistance has come from the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board program.  We have received two grants (PS4 and PS8) that have added wonderful opportunitied for our students.

PS4

Our first grant (PS4) was for $100,000 and (with matching local funds and other local funds) was used to add workstations to student areas and helped us make the initial connection to the Internet (Before the grant, a dial-up modem system connected campuses and no access to the Internet was available, other than a few individual dialup accounts through commercial organizations.)    Other improvements allowed us to be in place to later add distance learning classes over our new improved network.  Our network went from 14.4KB networking between campuses to a Gigabit system between campuses and T-1 access to the Internet.  (See a diagram of our district here)

Part of the grant included training each and every staff member in ways to use the new opportunities for the instructional improvement of our students' educational experiences.  Approximately 56 sessions were conducted after school and on weekends and summers to provide 12 hours of training to each classroom staff member and 6 hours of training to all other staff members.  Teachers, aides, clerical staff, cafeteria staff, and administration from Kindergarten through the Superintendent benefitted by learning how the new capabilities could improve the services  and instruction we provide for the students.

PS8

The second grant (ongoing) is for $298,060. Along with matching funds, the grant allowed us to add many workstations, printers, video projectors, video software and hardware, digital cameras, scanners,  and production software to all campuses.  A major improvement was made to the networking structure of the Middle School, replacing old hubs with highly efficient switches.  Still underway are improvements to the networking at the Primary School.

Part of all grants include training for teachers in areas to assist them to provide better, appropriate instruction for our students.  This is the key to using the "stuff" to make new opportunities possible for the students.  With the assistance of other grants and programs such as the TIE grant through Region 13 and the Intel "Teach to the Future" grant, students and adult learners (teachers) are now making web pages, searching for information, creating presentations, and accomplishing things that would not have been possible without the help of TIFB and the other grant programs.  For examples, see our Intermediate School web site, created by 4th and 5th grade students and the web pages and virtual field trips created by our teachers for the students)

Further information on the grants and the implementation may be obtained from Kathy Leopold or Ed Palmer, DSISD Technology Directors or from the TIFB website.

 

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