A server room’s demise changes a district’s view of the digital era

Wisconsin’s Hudson School District is getting a major makeover, thanks to a referendum the district passed that covers the remodeling of a high school and a 150,000 square-foot expansion.

That referendum also means tearing out the district’s server room, Jennifer Lotze, the assistant director of teaching and learning at Hudson, tells EdScoop.

“That’s really exciting for us, not only because we can increase our internet capacity … but it also allows us to have creative conversations and collaborative learning spaces, innovation instruction, changing kind of how we’ve always done things,” Lotze says.

“It’s also allowed us to engage in things like cybersecurity and the fidelity of our network and what teaching looks like in a digital era,” she adds.

The cybersecurity component is one Lotze says she is thinking about and working with colleagues to address.

“Every day we see it on the internet, someone else has had their information borrowed or stolen or whatnot,” she says. “We really want to make sure that we protect our students and our staff to the fullest of our ability. So that’ll be definitely at the forefront to watch.”

Learn more about Lotze’s approach to cybersecurity and her excitement about augmented reality in the classroom:

What kind of impact are you seeing from that project so far?

What advice would you offer to others considering this type of project?

What edtech issues do you feel are most important for educators or technology directors to pay attention to this year?