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As a school that delivers instruction, lessons, and support services online, information technology is an important part of what we do here at BOSS. It is not, however, the only thing we do. BOSS is not in the computer business any more than a traditional brick-and-mortar school is in the book business or the food business. Our goal is to make students and parents feel more comfortable with the technology we use so that we can then focus on our true mission: providing a world-class education to Ohio's children. Learning Management: The BOSS Learning Management System is at the core of your student’s overall educational experience. When combined with the experienced BOSS educational staff, it is a very powerful tool that is used for tracking the progress of student achievement, managing the instructional process, as well as providing enhanced communication, so that students, parents and BOSS staff can work together to produce an overall educational experience that meets the highest standards. The BOSS Learning Management System is hosted at our internal secure facility in order to maximize uptime and assure that our students have access to the resources that they need, when they need them. The infrastructure is built upon Microsoft Windows 2000® and SQL 2000® Servers and utilizes the Blackboard Learning System®. On-Line Instruction: The BOSS Virtual Classroom is a cutting edge synchronous learning tool that is used to propel your student into the classroom of tomorrow, today. The BOSS Virtual Classroom enables real-time voice interaction, whiteboard sharing and even breakout sessions to enhance your students learning experience. Personal Computers: BOSS is committed to providing the resources that each student will need in order to reach his or her full potential educationally, creatively, and personally. Currently, BOSS partners with NCS Technologies (www.ncst.com) for all of our personal computer needs. This includes both desktop and laptop models. Laptop computers are provided only with proper authorization and only in rare circumstances, such as for health reasons that require hospital stays. Please see your Instructional Supervisor for the appropriate request form. Our current PC standards include the following: Currently, we observe a 4-year technology refresh period, which is a year longer than our standard warranty period. For example, a student entering ninth grade would use that PC through their senior year. Moreover, BOSS reserves the right to substitute other pc equipment at its sole discretion. The result may be that your student receives a pc that is not new, yet still within the warranty period and able to handle the requirements of the student’s chosen curriculum. In cases such as this, new computers will be offered at the end of the standard technology refresh period. Printing and Imaging: Each family will be given one unit to accommodate printing needs. Each unit includes one black and one tri-color ink cartridge. Internet Access: Due to the vast geographical area that is covered by our services, as well as the various needs of our students, it has been difficult for us to find a “one size fits all” solution when it comes to Internet accessibility. As a result, our service offerings are as follows: If a family or student elects to receive Internet Access Services from BOSS, they must accept service from our pre-selected vendors for billing purposes. Moreover, BOSS reserves the right to offer or change services at its sole discretion. More often than not, the students’ curriculum choice will dictate the Internet service that BOSS will offer. For example, those students who choose to participate in the BOSS Virtual Classroom will be provided some flavor of broadband access, due to the bandwidth requirements of the program, via either Cable or DSL depending upon geographic location. On the other hand, students whose chosen curriculum, such as many Keystone National High School or Missouri courses that do not require broadband access, will be provided dial-up access. If, and only if, our pre-selected vendors do not offer services in your area, we will reimburse the following amounts. One Student (not Virtual Classroom) = $20.00 per month for 56k
dial-up access. *BOSS will not reimburse families for any telecommunications charges or fees resulting from the addition of telecommunications services, such as additional phone lines, cable installation, or similar services. In cases where multiple students reside in a single household, accommodations can be made so that each student can access his or her chosen curriculum and web-based resources simultaneously. In such a case, BOSS will provide some form of broadband access and will initiate the installation of 802.11b wireless networks within the home in order to support the learning process and to enable students to work independently and at their own pace. All products are installed, configured, and supported by the BOSS Help Desk free of charge. Home Networking: In certain cases, we may also elect to provide your family with our in-home wireless 802.11g network free of charge with installation assistance from our Technical Support Team. Currently, we use the Linksys Wireless AP Router w/ 4-Port Switch. Technical Support: Toll Free Technical Support is provided to BOSS students between the hours of 8:00am and 4:00pm, Monday through Friday through the Help Desk. Our in-house support team is dedicated to solving your technology related issues quickly and will employ a wide array of tools, such as remote control via a secure web server, to see that this goal is accomplished.
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