Support Staff

Support Staff play a vital role in the Technology Program at Dover-Sherborn.   The number and skill sets of Support Staff must be adequate to ensure that technology works reliably.

The DoE Local Technology Standards Benchmark for 2003 lays out a rule of thumb that is consistent with the experience of the District.  The DoE states that districts should have one full time technical support position for every 100-200 computers.  The range is appropriate because there are many variables that come into play in determining technical support requirements.

Dover-Sherborn has learned that it can operate at the higher end because we have standardized on a single OS (Windows XP) and a common vendor for hardware (Dell).  This permits the use of imaging technologies and promotes efficiency. 

Presently, the Districts have one technology manager, one data manager, two network administrators, and two technicians to support an inventory of over 900 computers.  The result is an overall ratio of approximately 190 : 1 computers to support staff.  DoE documentation of these ratios will reflect a higher ratio of approximately 275 : 1 because the DoE formulas require the actual time dedicated by a support staff member to technical support be used.  For example, the Technology Manager spends only about 40% of his time on direct technical support of the WAN/LAN.  The majority of his time is spent on planning, information management, personnel management, and other issues.

The skill sets of the Support Staff are also very important.  Presently, the Districts have Windows NT and Windows 2000 Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSE) and A+ Certified Technicians.