The 2023 Annual Report for the Town of Franklin's Technology Department highlights a year of significant accomplishments and progress in advancing the technological infrastructure and services within the town and school district. Despite the challenges posed by the rapidly evolving technology landscape, the department has been able to maintain excellent customer support metrics and make progress on some key initiatives
Department Overview
The Technology Department oversees all technology related functions of the Town of Franklin and the Franklin Public School District. The Technology Department remains committed to empowering the town and school district with innovative solutions, efficient processes, and robust infrastructure. The department's dedicated team works collaboratively to support the town's operations, ensure data security, and drive digital transformation to increase productivity and create efficiencies wherever and whenever opportunities may arise.
Key Initiatives and Achievements
The fiscal year 2023 saw the successful implementation of several technology projects for both the school and town technology systems. We have upgraded hardware and software across various departments, leading to improved efficiency and productivity. Some of those initiatives are listed here
• Upgrade to wifi at the police department
• DPW Autocad® computer upgrade.
• Installed new projection systems in all gymnasiums.
• Purchased a new large format scanner for the Health department.
• Replaced all non-functioning video displays at the Franklin High School.
• Upgraded the MediaCAST® video distribution system at the Franklin High School.
• Upgrades to 100 town and school desktop workstations.
Upgrades to the town's network infrastructure have enhanced connectivity, allowing for seamless communication and data sharing.
Infrastructure , Network, and Security
• Upgraded the school's internet access to 10GB fiber from Cogent Communications.
• Extended the town's fiber optic network to the new forge hill water department and transfer station.
The department invested in server upgrades to ensure optimal performance and reliability of critical systems.
• Replaced all Domain Controllers throughout town and school buildings.
• Upgraded all servers throughout town and school to Windows Server 2019.
Additional cybersecurity measures have been implemented to safeguard sensitive information and protect against cyber threats.
• Multi-Factor Authentication has been implemented for all town employee accounts and all non-union school accounts. The remaining accounts are in progress and will be completed first quarter FY 24.
• DUO® Multi-factor authentication for high risk. users' Windows® accounts and VPN users.
• Sophos® Managed Detection and Response service monitoring has been implemented throughout the town and school network and computer systems. This system greatly reduces our risk exposure and the potential for a costly ransomware attack.
• DOS Arrest® service has also been purchased and implemented to guard against Denial of Service attacks against the school district which would be catastrophic if such attacks occurred during MCAS online testing.
Remote Work Solutions
The Technology Department plays a pivotal role in enabling remote work capabilities, ensuring business continuity during challenging times.
Challenges
Despite the achievements listed above the Technology Department continues to work through the following persistent challenges.
• Budget constraints to replace aging hardware and infrastructure within a reasonable technology life-cycle timeframe
• Cybersecurity is a moving target and is a constant concern
• Employee recruitment and retention is always challenging due to limited budgets and competition with the private sector salaries
Mitigation strategies have been employed to attempt to address these challenges and we strive to ensure the smooth functioning of technology initiatives.
Budget Allocation and Expenditure
As can be seen in the town budget documents available online, the lion's share of the technology budget (95%) is licensing fees for the myriad software we utilize throughout the town. Similarly 96% of the non-salary school budget is also licensing and support fees. Very little is left over for discretionary spending such as hardware repair and maintenance.
Future Roadmap
Technology goals for the upcoming year include the following:
• Replacement of 400 Student Chromebooks and consideration of a possible leasing model to create a sustainable funding source for these replacements over the next 4 years.
• Replacement of 300 Teacher Laptops.
• Plan for replacing 130 10-year-old ceiling mounted projectors at the Franklin High School with TouchView® interactive panels (as we have these already throughout all K-8 classrooms)
• Continuous improvements in technology security (wherever that road may lead) including restoration of a Technology Security Specialist full time position.
• Implement an employee tracking system for Human Resources Department.
• Implement an electronic file storage system and onboarding software for the Human Resources Department.
• Work with the Facilities Department to replace the 10-year-old security camera system at the Franklin High School.
Of course this is not a definitive list as the Technology Department is often called on to provide creative solutions to time-sensitive day-to-day challenges that arise within the organization.
Acknowledgments
The Technology Department could never be as successful as we have been without the dedication and commitment to excellence of the amazing team of professional staff that we are so fortunate to employ. Just as I am aware of the lucrative financial draw of the technology private sector, so are the rest of the team, yet, they (and I) choose to work in Franklin. Why?
Because Franklin is a great place to work! The friendly, respectful environment that permeates throughout all departments promotes a sense of purpose and duty that is rare in the workplace today.
I conclude with a gesture of gratitude to all Franklin employees, committee members, partners, vendors and stakeholders that have contributed to the Technology Department's success and Franklin's success!
For more information, please visit the Technology Department website located at:
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Timothy Rapoza
Director of Technology Services
Town of Franklin, Franklin Public Schools
The Technology Dept report can also be found in one PDF ->
The full Town of Franklin FY 2023 Annual Report can be found online
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