Paul Miller director of technology for the Springdale School District talks, Friday, Feb. 7, 2020, to board members Michelle Cook and Debbie Creek about the districts new data center. The Springdale School District hosted a grand opening of its new Technology Center, along with an official launch of its new logo. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Spencer Tirey)SPRINGDALE — What was once a machine shop has taken on a new life as home of the School District’s Technology Department.
The district on Friday welcomed local government and business leaders into the Technology Center, where 14 staff members oversee about 42,000 electronic devices deployed across 31 schools.
Enrollment
Springdale is the largest school district in Arkansas. The district reported an enrollment of 22,164 as of Oct. 1.
Source: NWA Democrat-Gazette
The district bought the property at 1612 E. Emma Ave. in March for $400,000. The property included three metal buildings. The district worked with Flintco construction workers to convert those buildings into the Technology Center, a technology warehouse and a laundry facility.
Superintendent Jim Rollins spoke about innovation and praised the teamwork among district employees. The district runs on a budget of more than $250 million and strives to make the most of that money every day, he said.
“We are growing, we’re stretching, we’re working to improve every day,” Rollins said, addressing about 100 visitors. “And again, you’re standing in an example of a facility that does just that.”
Technology staff moved into the new building in December. They used to work out of a smaller space in the former Archer Learning Center building on East Meadow Avenue.
“This gives us a greater opportunity to serve the students of Springdale,” said Paul Miller, district technology director. “It allows us to be much more organized and efficient in how we roll technology out, how we just take care of all the ongoing processes and projects we’ve got going on districtwide.”
Miller showed visitors around the data center, a room serving as hub of the district’s information-technology operations and equipment. The room is kept to about 65 degrees and 50% humidity, he said.
Evan Smith, 18, is a School of Innovation senior. He does his classes online and works full-time in the Technology Department. He said he loves the new facility, comparing the open, casual environment to the kind used by tech giants such as Google.
Smith began as an intern in the department last summer, but was hired full-time only a few weeks into his internship, making about $15 an hour, he said. The experience has encouraged him to pursue a college degree, which he’ll do at the University of Arkansas. He wants to study cybersecurity and computer science.
He’s also embraced the chance to learn from his older coworkers.
“It’s really cool that I have the opportunity to surround myself with people who have been through life experiences I haven’t been through, so they can warn me or tell me what to do and what not to do,” Smith said.
Rollins called out Smith during his public remarks, praising him as a “wonderful young man” and urging business leaders in the room to get to know Springdale students.
“Consider bringing them into your workplace,” he said.
Friday’s event also served as a chance for administrators to officially introduce the district’s new logo, which resembles a tree. The trunk is a student in the form of a Y with 31 leaves surrounding it, representing the district’s 31 schools.
NW News on 02/08/2020
