The following background information is presented to better understand the workings of the Information Services Department as it is presently constituted. This information will be useful in the presentation of the goals for the 2005-06 school year and for planning for a transition in leadership for the department in the coming few years.

Currently, Information Services is responsible for the day to day managing of approximately ten major systems as outlined below.

I. Student System

The student system is by far the largest system in terms of elements, users, and time required for support.

A. Attendance
Web based input at the secondary level for all schools except John Adams. Key entry from paper at the elementary sites. Required periodic state reporting and mandated audit records.

B. Grades
Grade reporting is maintained at the secondary level only at present. This includes six week and semester report cards and transcripts. District grades are interfaced via electronic grade books at each site soon to expand to elementary sites.

C. Scheduling
Master scheduling is a large component of our summer activities. Secondary schools in particular need considerable help in building master schedules and scheduling students each year for classes. The process begins in February, but is most intense during July and August.

D Testing
The past few years has seen a dramatic increase in local district testing and required state testing. Currently, there are over a dozen local tests with custom scan forms for which test scores are tracked. Additionally, there are another half dozen state tests for which we receive data that is loaded and tracked. This continues to be a significant area of growth for the department.

E. Data Reporting
As a direct result of additional testing and state and federal requirements, data reporting continues to be a significant issue. Over the past 10 years methods of looking at data has continually changed and no one method as evolved that is satisfactory in ease of use for access and meaningful information. Currently, the use of Excel filter files is having the most success.

II. Grade Books

Each of the secondary schools listed below uses a common electronic grade book to input grades that are collected on a six week basis for report cards and transcripts. Each of the four sites has two servers deployed running independent software. The grades gathered from these systems are imported to the student system which is the legal repository of all secondary grades. The exception to this is Olympic High School, which as a continuation high school operates very differently in terms of grades and attendance. While the schools have the components listed below, some are not in use and some are just beginning to be used. Except for Malibu, all are using the Parent Viewer which allows parents to access student grades and assignments via the web. While grade books require significant support from Information Services, they also require local site support by a least one teacher with release time.

A. Santa Monica High School
Grade Book - Basic grading Parent Viewer - Allows parents to view grades via the web Principal Viewer - Allows site administration to view grades Letter Writer - Generates paper letter reports for students and parents

B. Malibu High Schools - Grades 6-12
Grade Book - Basic grading Parent Viewer - Allows parents to view grades via the web Principal Viewer - Allows site administration to view grades Email Writer - Allows email reports to parents

C. John Adams Middle School
Grade Book - Basic grading Parent Viewer - Allows parents to view grades via the web Principal Viewer - Allows site administration to view grades

D. Lincoln Middle School
Grade Book - Basic grading Parent Viewer - Allows parents to view grades via the web Principal Viewer - Allows site administration to view grades

III. Financial Systems

The financial system requires daily activity at the operator level to produce purchase orders and to interface files with LACOE. During the spring and year end transition, additional time is required. This has been especially true the last few years when procedures have been constantly changing due to personnel changes resulting in lost knowledge in the district and poor support from LACOE in their transition to SACS and PeopleSoft.

A. General Ledger
Core of financial system that tracks district revenues and expenditures Includes accounts payables exported to LACOE and payroll imported from LACOE. Also tracks working budgets and financial reporting for sites and departments. Primarily managed by the Fiscal Department. Real time access to account balances by sites and departments.

B. Purchasing
Purchasing module allows on-line requisitions at the sites and departments that become purchase orders via an electronic approval system. Primarily managed by the Purchasing Department.

C. Budget
Budget module is used to build and develop budgets. The process has changed each year for the past several years as to how the budget module has been used and how data is transferred between the district and LACOE.

D. ASB - Associated Student Bodies
The original financial system acquired in 1992 was duplicated and modified to manage the ASB funds with each secondary site accessing the system for expenditures and tracking of funds. A laser check writing system is located at the district in fiscal that is linked to the financial system for producing checks for each site.

IV. Email

The district provides email for all employees which may be accessed via client software such as Outlook, Eudora, etc. or via a web interface. This allows users to access their email from anywhere they have Internet access. Currently, we have well over 1200 email accounts. Due to the extensive use by almost all employees, email requires a high level of support. The greatest area of support required within the email system is the constant battle against unwarranted intrusions via spam, virus attacks and spyware.

A. Lists
The email system supports a variety of lists from small personal lists to large system level lists. These lists are used extensively and require constant upkeep by those who manage them.

B. Anti-Virus
The email system includes anti-virus software. However, virus attacks often are not known quickly enough on the part of the anti-virus software vendors and damage is done before protection arrives. These events are time consuming in a frustrating process that merely returns us to square one.

C. Anti-Spam
Likewise, the email system includes anti-spam software. Again, it is not sufficient to block all unwanted material and it is a fine line in blocking unwanted material versus desirable material. This aspect of our email system requires the most time to be successful, but it is an area where we have not had the resources to be properly diligent.

V. Library System

All the school libraries access a central library system for checking books in and out of circulation. Additionally, web access is available for searching books and titles. The secondary schools use the system for assigning and tracking textbooks with some schools being more successful at this than others.

A. Online
The online portion of the library system is used by the library personnel to check books in and out and to track lost and overdue books. All books are bar coded.

B. Web
There is web based access to the library system so books and information can be located from any site as well as outside the district regarding materials, where they are located, and their availability.

VI. Web Services

The district website and a number of the school websites are hosted and managed within the Information Services Department. Web based information requires constant vigilance to keep information timely and current. The district website is both publicly accessible via the Internet and privately accessible via our Intranet.

A. General Information
General information is posted to the web for a variety topics that is constantly changing. Most frequent are From the Superintendent and Press Releases as well as board meeting agendas and topics.

B. Web Sites
A number of schools and departments host their web sites via the district web server. Some are supported by the Information Services Department and many are created and supported by outside contractors or parents.

C. On-line Databases
A number of interactive databases are hosted via the web from local servers. The majority of these databases are managed and supported by Information Services and are listed below:
District Calendar
PC/Mac/Telephone Repair Requests
Email User Request
Certificated Application
District Policies
Personnel Position Requisitioning
Chart of Accounts
Subfinder

VII. Network Systems

The district's network is managed and maintained by Information Services and is one of the essential services that requires regular monitoring and support. There is low tolerance for lack of network connectivity within the district as well as to the Internet. Each year more primary functions become network based and network reliability has become critical. There are many components involved each of which is critical. These include our shared fiber with the city and college, primary switches, routers, T1 lines, and CSU/DSUs for voice.

A. DNS
We maintain two domain name servers at the district. These resolve URL names (www.smmusd.org) to IPs (156.3.83.3) as needed for negotiating the Internet.

B. DHCP
We run DHCP servers at the district and each site for automatic delivery of IPs to general use machines.

C. Internet Filters
Each site has a server that filters Internet traffic to screen out objectionable material such as pornography, hate, weapons, etc. The filter system is based on a rule set and as such does not do a very good job. It was a very affordable system some years ago, but is no longer adequate for our current needs. It does not filter viruses or spyware.

D. Infrastructure
The network infrastructure consists of fiber and cat5 wire connected via switches and routers. The wide area Santa Monica network is shared fiber with the city and college and runs at one gigabit. This is primarily supported through the city. The school buildings are mostly connected at each site by fiber with 100 megabit switches. Rooms are connected within building with cat5 wire. We have minimal diagnostic tools for when events impact the network negatively and it takes some time to resolve matters with the personnel, methods and tools we currently employ.

VIII. Backup Systems

We currently backup most administrative machines on a regular basis. This is mostly automated to a variety of machines throughout the district which are managed and supported by Information Services.

IX. Anti-Virus Systems

We have anti-virus software running on servers at each site and the district. Servers are automatically updated and provide protection to all properly installed machines within the district. We also have anti-virus software that scans all email traffic. We also have begun installing anti-spyware software. Virus impact has been minimized with the ant-virus software although we are still subject to attacks that get through from time to time. Spyware is becoming a bigger issue as it can totally debilitate a machine and require considerable time to recover. It has become one of our biggest challenges.

X. Phones & Voicemail

A. Phones
Information Services maintains the phone system which is used throughout the district. One person is primarily dedicated to managing the day to day issues and we have a support contract as backup for major failures. The phone system works reasonably well considering its age, but will need to be replaced in the next few years. The district has phones in all classrooms at all sites.

B. Voicemail
The phone system includes a voicemail system that meets most employees needs. It is available to all employees who have phones.

XI. Automated Dialer System

Information Services has operated an automated calling system since 1985. The current system is relatively new and not only places phone calls, it also sends emails. The primary use is for student absence notifications each night for our high schools and general information messages for all our schools as requested. Emailing has tremendous benefits, however, maintaining accurate and current email addresses for parents is difficult.

XII. Support

Support is provided for all computers and printers in the district by Information Services. Support includes simple repairs, warranty replacements, upgrades, connectivity, software installations and/or configurations, operating system issues, etc. Our first priority is for administrative systems and then teacher/student use machines. Tech support personnel are assigned to sites. We currently have 7 site level techs. Two are assigned to Santa Monica High and the remaining five cover the Santa Monica elementary schools plus Olympic Continuation and Adult Ed. The Santa Monica middle schools, Adams and Lincoln, have teachers with release time who support their schools. These teachers as well as release time teachers at Samohi and Malibu also provide teacher support in the use of the grade books which is essential. We also have three higher level support positions who also work with our phone and voicemail systems. One of these is assigned to Malibu and does all the support for the Malibu schools. New in the 2005-06 school year is the addition of the Coordinator of Instructional Technology to the Information Services Department. This position was transferred from Ed Services and is not a new position to the district. It remains to be seen how this position will integrate into the department.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES for 2005-06

I. Maintain Current Systems

The primary goal of the department is to maintain current levels of services in the areas above. Over the last 20 years as director of the department many advancements and expansions have taken place with the technology and services the department provides. Growth of support personnel has lagged behind yet we still manage to provide better than adequate service and in many areas exceptional service.

In general, all existing systems require periodic upgrades to hardware, software or both. As an example, we are currently in the midst of replacing the district web server hardware and software. State and federal mandates also drive many of our changes. We are currently implementing CSIS (California School Information Services) which requires assigning every student in the state a unique identifier number. These identifier numbers will be required this fall for all state reporting and while we will be prepared for this, it has been a time consuming project. We are also bringing up a new school this year with the creation of the Community Day School. It requires system support for student and attendance accounting that is entirely different from any other school as well as infrastructure support for data and telecommunications.

II. Hardware Support

Support of machines throughout the district continues to be the biggest challenge. In the transition from contracted support personnel on a site by site basis to district employees managed by the Information Services Department we are short by three positions as to what was originally recommended. As this first year under the new plan unfolds it will become apparent as to how this will effect general operations as related to technology. As more and more services become technology based and move onto our network, support becomes critical. While it is easier to commit funds to a short term purchase of hardware, it is important to understand the need for long term permanent personnel costs to support technology. There is no turning back and in the event of system failures the impacts will be felt on a greater scale.

III. Stabilize Network

With the implementation of the high speed fiber network connecting our schools to the district it is important to now be sure local site networks are operating successfully. Many are very good, but each site needs a thorough review to identify bottlenecks and possible upgrades. One major area of difficulty relates to isolating network problems out at the sites that effect the entire network. These problems occur periodically without warning and require immediate attention from myself and one or more of the techs. With the addition of an in-house person with networking skills these potential interruptions can be prevented or minimized. While we have contract support from an outside vendor, this solution has been neither cost effective nor timely. Network down time is now becoming a greater negative than down time on our phone systems. We also need to move toward more restrictive use of systems to prevent virus and spyware intrusions. Similarly, we are finding greater use of wireless systems that create significant unwarranted outside access.

IV. Stabilize Email

Our email system is the most used system and is relied upon as a mission critical communication tool. While it performs well and is adequate to most of our needs, it has had some issues over the past year, mostly relating to reliable connectivity. It is still unclear if these issues are within the email system or are network based. While the day to day management of the email system is under control, negative events that effect email are addressed on a catch as catch can basis. Of course, when large numbers of users are effected, then resources are reallocated to the cause at hand. If we are able to have an in-house person for our networking needs, this same person would also take on the email issues as email is a major network use tool. We also have the on-going issues with spam filtering and anti-virus protection that effect email and need regular monitoring.

V. New Internet Filtering System

We currently have an older system that filters Internet traffic for objectionable material such as pornography, hate, weapons, etc. These run independently on a server at each site using a rule set as opposed to a maintained list. As such, they tend to filter out a great deal of legitimate material. This current method creates one of our largest areas of complaints. Since this system requires a server at each site it also creates additional support overhead. What we are currently recommending is a single district server based system that operates with daily updated lists. While being a single server, it will still allow for filtering to be customized by sites or grade levels (elementary, middle, high). Since it operates on updated lists it is priced on a yearly subscription basis. If purchased for a three year period the annual cost is approximately $12,000-$13,000 per year. In addition to providing Internet filtering this system will also block spam and spyware. We are scheduling a demo sometime during August of this year to see how it will meet our needs.

VI. New Library System

The current library software is Dynix and its scheduled end of life is rapidly approaching. I believe at most we can continue 2 more years maximum and that will be under less than desirable conditions. The upgrade path the library group has identified will cost approximately $90,000. The hardware that is presently in use will be more than adequate for this upgrade. All of our library collections and most secondary textbooks are tracked by Dynix at this time. The new system will do this with profoundly improved methods including satisfying the Williams lawsuit requirements. While all this is highly desirable, it is also necessary given the situation with the current system.

VII. Elementary Gradebooks

We have been using Excelsior Pinnacle gradebooks in our secondary schools with considerable success for the last 2-3 years. Educational Services has identified the standards based report card from Excelsior as a product that will satisfy their requirements for elementary grade reporting. It is the goal to purchase and install this product for the January 2006 elementary grade reporting. I believe the cost of this will be $92,000 and can be purchased with two payments over two fiscal years. While we are using this product at the secondary level already, it will still take considerable time and effort to implement this project. It is anticipated that the Coordinator of Instructional Technology will help support this effort bringing teachers on board. Also, we still have not resolved some access issues relating to security on the current installation and I believe the Coordinator of Instructional Technology can be very helpful in the area as well.

VIII. New Calendar System

Calendaring of events and spaces has be a continual difficulty in the district. While we have a web based calendar, it is not really adequate to our needs. A new product has been purchased by the Personnel Department and we hope to implement it for this 2005-06 year. If we are able to proceed with the network consultant, this would be a project that individual could manage in terms of setting it up for deployment on our network. The training portion could fall under Personnel or with the Coordinator of Instructional Technology. In any case, it is a project that will take some time and effort, but in the long term be very worthwhile.

IX. New District Computer Center/Lab

The new space next to Information Services is nearing completion and will be an excellent facility with many uses. We now have the 18 Mac computer lab moved from the Olympic site and have an additional 18 PC computers set up. Servers from the Olympic site have also been moved and once the Coordinator of Instructional Technology completes the final pieces it should be relatively complete. Part of each day will be used for the Community Day School students from 2:00 to 3:00. When the lab is fully utilized there may be parking issues although we are hoping part of the old lumber company across the street can become public parking.

X. New Phone/Voicemail System

The current phone system is nearing the end of its life and will need to be replaced. The Director of Purchasing and myself have begun looking at new systems that will be IP based and state of the art. We anticipate a possible small scale implementation in the coming 2005-06 year and full implementation following the passage of a new bond in November 2006. While a new phone system implementation will be a daunting task, we are fortunate in having a an excellent network in place on which it can operate.

XI. Data Warehouse

The term data warehouse implies a data storage system and while it is that it is also much more than that. The primary concept of data warehousing is to move meaningful data to a location where it is available for analysis and reporting. The district over time has invested considerable time and money in various systems for data delivery to administrators and others with minimal success. The simplest system of using Excel filter files has found the most success, but at this point the district is ready to move beyond that. With the advent of data warehouse systems, there may be a workable solution. To date the commercial data warehouse systems have not looked promising. We are scheduling a demo of a data warehouse system from Excelsior, the grade book company. We are also scheduling a demo of a custom system that may be very appealing. Based on what we see of this custom system we can review possibilities for proceeding on a limited contract basis and then possibly moving to a permanent full time position. I think the idea of an in-house person who can build and manage a custom data warehouse system has tremendous potential.

Submitted 8/8/2005

Will Carey
Director of Information Services