This Team Makes IT Happen

Last week we honored the school lunch heroes that provide meals to students in-person and now from a distance.

Today we want to recognize another group that is doing so much behind the scenes to keep things functioning smoothly. During the school year, and in fact year-round, the IT staff provides support for everyone in all buildings - students, faculty, staff, administrators, foodservice, facilities - well, everyone! They set up all devices, organize them in an organized, logical manner, track and assess damage, offer repair services, and troubleshoot better than any. They support us not only with computers, but also iPads, our networks, phone systems, document cameras, interactive boards, and much, much more!

Many in this group are mentors to students, forging strong personal relationships. Others support faculty and staff through wellness programs and lead by example. They are more than members of one team, they are truly valuable and contributing members of our community. They welcome everyone with a smile, a positive mindset, and a can-do attitude. They are connected to all of us.

As we transitioned to remote learning, they helped us. They spent countless hours dismantling meticulously-wired carts that housed and charged Chromebooks to ensure that the devices would be available for students to take home. They are on call supporting everyone who works in our buildings, but now they are doing that from afar. They're supporting families with devices that are at home.

Here's one piece of what they've been doing to assist families, from Mike Kanfer, the CVSD Director of Network Services:

Since March 18, we have processed over 450 Helpdesk tickets along with email requests and phone calls. When we receive a family request, we either ask them to try a couple of things (and these often work) or we arrange to swap out devices. This communication is done either by phone or email through the Helpdesk. The turnaround time- from when the ticket is submitted until the problem is resolved is almost always less than 24 hours, most commonly less than 12 hours and often the same day within just a few hours. We disinfect and repair all devices, getting them ready to go back out.

This is no small feat. Our IT team is an underlying backbone of the district, making things possible all of the time,  and especially in this time of crisis. They function quietly and don't ask for or get a lot of recognition. We want to be sure to acknowledge the work they're doing and all that they offer to support our schools and the district.

Thank you, thank you! 

Mike Kanfer              Nancy Colbourn     Matt Vile       Matt Kihm
Nancy Myrick           Nick Clark                  Stephanie Bliss     
Annette Hebert      Joanne Conroy       Jeannie Yocum