This is a printer friendly version of an article from www.thedailytimes.com
To print this article open the file menu and choose Print.
Article published Oct 4, 2008 State education commissioner surprise school board visitor Webb apologizes for computer system problems
By Matthew Stewart of The Daily Times Staff
The Tennessee Department of Education commissioner made a surprise appearance at Blount County's school board meeting Thursday and apologized about problems with the Star Student Information System.
The Star system is a Web-based student data management system that allows educators and administrators to access grade, attendance and discipline records. Another aspect of the Star system is a Web portal by which teachers and parents may access a student's records.
Blount County Director of Schools Alvin Hord and board chairman Chris Cantrell had written Education Commissioner Dr. Tim Webb a letter after last month's board meeting.
"I wish I could give you a timeline (for repairing the system)," Webb said Thursday night. "I can't give you a specific timeline, though.
"Every time we fix something, something completely unrelated seems to break. We're continuing to throw manpower and people into it. It's a shame that something that accounts for less than 1 percent of the budget is occupying about 98 percent of my time."
The state's Education Department has made recommendations to several school systems that the Star system be hosted locally, which seems to have solved many problems, said Webb.'Chasing hope'
Board member Mike Treadway questioned why the Education Department recently renewed its Star system contract for another five years if officials were aware of technical problems.
"We'd been chasing the hope that we'd got it right," said Webb. "We thought we had (fixed the problems) in October of this year. We thought it was the only option we had at the time."
The state's Education Department will also be upgrading to a new 10g database. "Folks tell me this is supposed to be a major event," said Webb. "However, I'd be lying to you if I told you it would be fixed by Jan. 1."
Webb also told school board members that state officials are looking at other ways to solve the problem. When asked by Vice Chairman Dr. Don McNelly if the state would consider installing a third server for the East Tennessee region, Webb said he would. "If we need to add more servers, we'll do that -- that's not an issue," said Webb.
Hord does not want board members to become discouraged by the system's problems. "My fear is the board will spend money on (something) they don't need to," he said.
Webb told board members they should be cautious about changing student data management systems.HVAC problem discussed
Dr. Brian Bell, director of facilities, informed board members about problems with Carpenters Middle School's heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system. "I feel we're in an almost critical situation," said Bell.
Carpenters Middle School was not originally designed to have a geothermal system, said Bell. The school's HVAC system now has three problems, including high noise levels in geothermal classroom units, leaking in geothermal wells and classroom units that are failing after only eight years. The units are out of warranty, he noted.
School board members were not happy with this news. "We need to go after the people who do shoddy work and hold them responsible," said board member Rob Webb.
"There's a point where this has to stop," added board member Brad Long.
"We're going to have to pay up front for this," noted Treadway. "After we get this fixed, then we can go after somebody if anybody is responsible." Geothermal systems are also at Mary Blount Elementary School and Eagleton Middle School.
The school board later approved a motion to seek bids from engineers on how to correct the problems at Carpenters, evaluate the two other geothermal systems and add these expenses to an upcoming bond issue request.
The board also approved a $115,000 school improvement grant for Union Grove Middle School. The school qualified for this state grant because it was designated a Title I school this year, said Elementary Supervisor David Murrell.