Technology staff working to recover from ‘catastrophe’

Technology Coordinator Katrina Allen told the Madison Board of Education at its June 12 meeting that the school system’s computer network suffered a “catastrophic event” on May 26.

During a lengthy, detailed presentation, Allen said that updates were installed for firmware (read-only memory, code and data) and virtual connections during Memorial Day weekend. In the last step, the staff shut down system servers and rebooted. “The system could not recognize storage,” Allen said. “There was no connection to stored data.”

Several days of calls followed with support analysts at Veeam and Hewlett Packard (HP) … one telephone call lasting 41 hours, she said. The corrupted drives were shipped to a California company, which has verified the data exists and is working to recover the material.

“HP accepts responsibility for the drives,” Allen said. However, HP determined that additional equipment and configuration are necessary. School officials and HP are negotiating on HP’s liability in recovery costs.

Cafeteria meal prices will increase for the 2012-2013 school year:

* Breakfast — From $1.50 to $1.75

* Lunch — Grades K-6, from $2 to $2.25

* Lunch — Grades 9-12, from $2.25 to $2.50

* Lunch — Faculty, staff and volunteers, from $2.75 to $3

* Lunch — Visitors, from $3.50 to $4

(Meal prices for grades 7-8 did not change.)

Price changes relate to requirements in the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act enacted in December 2010. “Everyone agrees that we want to give the highest quality food that we can afford” to students, child nutrition program supervisor Marty Tatara said.

The board approved ProMaxima Manufacturing’s bid for $72,572.60 for weight room equipment at James Clemens High School.

In personnel actions, the board renewed contracts for principals Norman Brown, Columbia Elementary School; Dr. Brian Clayton, James Clemens; Dr. Timothy Scott, Madison Elementary School; and Dorinda White, Rainbow Elementary School.

The finance committee did not meet due to the data retrieval problem with the schools’ computer system.

Board member Ranae Bartlett’s proposal was approved for a Back-to-School Chess Camp on Aug. 8-10 at Rainbow Elementary School for students entering grades K-8. Board member Connie Spears said to expect updates to policy guidelines and the student code of conduct later this summer.