The White Hall School District is taking steps to move ahead in digital technology with dark fiber.
The district identified WANRack as its internet provider that would construct a dark fiber ring and provide internet services to each campus. WANRack was chosen through a vetting process, Superintendent Gary Williams said.
Dark or unlit fiber is installed by an internet service provider but does not yet transmit light signals.
“We have internet that’s brought into the district, and it enters the district at the middle school,” Williams said. “From there, we have another line that we pay for that sends the internet to our campuses, so this is going to be a replacement of that intradistrict (system) that’s circulating between the middle school and all the other campuses. What this does, we’ll be the only ones on this particular fiber. The capacity is so much more than what we have now that, as bandwidth speeds increase, we’re already ahead of the game and we’ll be able to handle the increase in speed our providers will provide.”
The current network in the WHSD provides at least 400 megabits per second of download speed and up to 200 megabits per second of upload speed, judging from an internet speed test conducted inside the district boardroom after a monthly board meeting Thursday night. The WHSD will spend $1.015 million to build the network and $2,760 in monthly service fees, with federal E-rate funding to cover 80% of the costs, Williams said. The service agreement with WANRack is for 20 years, with the ability to extend it three to five years, he said.
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The board unanimously approved, with three board members absent.
“It’s amazing that, 20 years ago, we put in a new computer lab here and there at the junior high school,” board President Dr. Raymond Jones said. “Who’d have ever envisioned the requirements that would come to keep a school district at a high level with technology? Who’d have ever thought that anything like this was conceivable? It’s amazing.”
The move allows the WHSD to build capacity for future changes in technology. The question now is: How will that technology change?
“We just don’t know where technology is going to go,” Williams said. “We can only imagine with AI and everything that’s happening with streaming, the schools will rely heavily on what’s brought into the school with internet services. This is going to give us the capacity we need now and the capacity we’ll need in the next 15 to 20 years. We’ll be really equipped and, over time, it will save us money.”
The district will also upgrade its intercom system at the high school for about $183,000, reimbursable through a safety grant, Williams said.
DISTRICT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Gandy Elementary fifth-grader Rhett Smykla won the Jefferson County Spelling Bee and represented the WHSD in the state Spelling Bee on March 7.
High school students Elijah Yates, Sophie Prince and Blessence Beavers passed their paraprofessional certification exams in the pre-educator program.
Senior Kylah Demmings won the long jump (17 feet, 9.5 inches), 400 meters (59.61 seconds) and 200 meters at the Benton Invitational track meet. Demmings also set a personal record in the 100 meters, where she finished fourth, but automatically qualified for the 5A state meet later this season.
The White Hall Middle School choirs, under Clara Studdard, racked up honors at this year’s Choral Performance Assessment. The seventh- and eighth-grade boys and girls choirs received a Division II-R, or upper-level excellent, rating in performance and Division I, or superior, rating in sight reading.
The White Hall High School choirs, directed by Cindy Roberts, also performed at the assessment. The Chamber Choir and Freshman Choralettes each earned Division I ratings in performance and sight reading. The Concert Choir received Division I in performance and Division II, or excellent, rating in sight reading.
At the ACTM regional math contest, Raul Hidalgo earned first place in Algebra 2, Yuki Lin first place in calculus, Hannah Estess second place in calculus and Natalie Spadoni third place in calculus.
Award winners at the White Hall Chamber of Commerce Banquet on Tuesday included Susie Maynard, art teacher at Moody and Hardin elementaries (Clara Burton Education Award), and senior Isabella Moore (Bridges Socia Award).
IN OTHER DISTRICT BUSINESS
The operating balance for the WHSD through February was $9,962,095, more than $1.4 million more than at the same time last year, chief financial officer Tracy Samples said. Williams reported the district enrollment at 2,998.
A 12th step will be added to the classified salary schedule for the 2025-26 school year. Presently with the 11th step, a maintenance supervisor can make up to $63,500 in annual salary, a food service supervisor $60,125 and information technology director $86,000.
“We’re just trying to provide increases where we can. We’re glad to be able to do that,” Williams said.
PERSONNEL MOVES
Certified resignations were approved for Gandy fifth-grade teacher Josie Tomboli, middle school social studies teacher and coach Stormy Swain, middle school keyboarding teacher and coach Robbie Stewart, Taylor Elementary special education teacher Gayle Peters, high school health/PE and assistant girls basketball coach Dina Marlar and high school history teacher and volleyball coach Madison Back. The resignations will take effect at the end of the school year.
A certified contract addendum was approved for LEA supervisor Haleigh Herring for the 2025-26 school year.