Secondary School Networks
The process of upgrading secondary school networks to Windows NT have now been completed for serveral months. The move to Windows NT has given schools an improved operating platform with greater control of network resources and security. When schools use Pentium based PCs with Windows 95 attached to the network they will be ready to use the 32bit software due to be released by SIMS over the next couple of years
.Many thanks to all the schools for showing such paitence during there installation. Forth comming projects are:
Internal E-Mail (Pilot at MMHS)
Intranets
NGFL
Microsoft Select Scheme
The Authority has recently become a member of the Microsoft Select Scheme which entitles us purchase Microsoft products at specially discounted prices. The fine details of the arrangements for supply of software to schools have yet to be ironed out but as a guide some approximate prices are:
Office Version 4.2 £70
Office 97 Standard £70
Publisher 98 £33
Although you may occasionally come across companies quoting lower prices than these you should be advised that it is unlikely that they can legitimately offer current software, properly licensed, for lower prices .
As soon as full details and procedures are in place the EDIT Team will inform schools.
You will probably be aware of the recent Government paper which lays out plans for the use and funding of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in Education. The deadline for all tenders has now passed. CP are now investigating these tender documents with a little help from the Education Dept (EDIT). When some desissions have been made you will be the first, well second to know. Please be patient with us. This is a large project that requires very detailed planning. One mistake at this stage could set the schools implimentation back months. Although your support in this project will be most welcome to us at EDIT. Any thoughts or ideas please give us a call. (e-mail is so cold)
We have been advised that the SIMS Library software, as used in some Rochdale Schools is being discontinued. The existing software is not millennium compliant and would cease to function at the turn of the Century. Rather than develop a brand new Windows based library package SIMS decided that they could not justify the necessary development resources for the project and would look at existing systems from specialist suppliers. The most appropriate software was a package called Alice and SIMS have entered into an agreement with it's supplier to build in compatibility with SIMS and to offer a special upgrade offer to existing SIMS Library users.
Those schools affected will be contacted directly by the EDIT Team to discuss the details and implications of this decision.
Training Courses at the EDIT Centre
We have organised a substantial number of courses at the EDIT Centre and in general these have been very successful and have been well received.
Unfortunately there have been occasions in the past where we have made errors in booking places on courses and we apologise to those affected. To ensure that such problems are not repeated we have improved our course booking procedures.
All course bookings are now entered directly onto our database which means that we can confirm availability of places while we talk to you and should your preferred session be fully booked we can look at alternatives. This system also gives the EDIT Team the facility to check the attendees at any course or to check which courses a particular person has attended. Although this way of working is far more reliable we realise that it makes the process of booking a place a little slower and would ask for your co-operation.
If you are unable to attend a course please call us as soon as possible as we often have a waiting list of people waiting for any cancellations.
Over recent months many training sessions have started upto fifteen minutes late while we wait for the late arrivals. As more and more courses are being run as half day sessions any delays at the start have a more significant effect and in order to be fair to those who arrive in good time all courses will in future start at the advertised time. In general morning sessions start at 9.30 and afternoon sessions start at 13.00.
The EDIT Team are always happy to hear suggestions for ways in which we can improve our service. Should you have any suggestions, or wish to discuss any of the items in this newsletter, please write to the EDIT Centre for the attention of Seamus Kelly or if you prefer you can telephone on (01706) 365676, fax on (01706) 620813 or email to Skelly@edit.org.uk
