[K12OSN] Scalability (long email)

[Richard K. Ingalls]

Shawn Powers wrote:
> My fellow geeks,
> 
> I need some help.  Possibly some of this can go offlist, as we've grown in 
> size significantly recently -- but this is really the only place I know to 
> get the answers I need.  WARNING: This email will probably be long.
> 
> I just left a meeting with the other school supervisors in our district, and 
> after the monetary projections -- our district is more interested in my 
> fanatical ravings about OpenSource than ever before.  I never thought I'd get 
> to say, "I'll have to hear a darn good reason that we need to purchase 
> licenses from Microsoft rather than keeping Suzy Mathteacher on staff..."  
> anyway, on to my questions:
> 

You're right it was long... so I cut some of it out here.

> Some final actual questions:
> 

I got an article published by the Missouri State Teachers Association 
magazine.  Its a pretty short read.  You can read more about what I've 
done with OSS at my school from our website.  I have plans similar to 
yours for my school district (we are a one building school district 
preschool - 8th grade = ~300 students, 30 teachers).  I've put in two 
"minilabs" with plans to add 3 or 4 more next year.  Then a few more 
each year until all the classes have them.

(article) http://glenwood.k12.mo.us/images/MSTA%20article.jpg
(website) http://glenwood.k12.mo.us

> 
> Are there any cases of "great press" that you folks have gotten because of the 
> savings OSS has provided?  I pictures us being a shining example of using tax 
> dollars wisely in tough times, and I plan to market the snot out of that.  
> You Oregon folks that have been doing this for a while -- have you gotten a 
> lot of "atta-boys" from the communities?  How has the adoption of OSS as an 
> alternative been taken as a whole?  Have you had any organized opposition?  
> 
> Sorry to take so many bytes in your mailbox -- but this is a crucial time for 
> us, and I need some advice/guidance/brainstorming from, well, from you. :)
> 
> Thank you much,
> -Shawn
> 
> --
> Shawn Powers
> Technology Director
> Inland Lakes Schools
> PHN: 231-238-6868 x9174
> FAX: 509-356-7024
> spowers at inlandlakes.org
> http://techcorner.inlandlakes.org
> 
> 
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-- 
===========================================================
"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep
  for that which he cannot lose."
  -- Jim Elliott

RICHARD K. INGALLS
Director of Information Technology
Glenwood R-8 School District
West Plains, MO

email..ringalls (at) glenwood.k12.mo.us
web....http://glenwood.k12.mo.us
ph.....417.256.4849
fax....417.257.2567

"Miracles are a retelling in small letters
  of the very same story which is written across
  the whole world in letters too large
  for some of us to see."
  -- C. S. Lewis
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