Students still cannot use two main computer labs because of installation delays, causing problems for all students, especially those with computer accommodations.

Labs A234 and A236 received 120 new computers over the summer, but they are not fully set up due to a staffing shortage, IT systems specialist Greg Thomas said.

Thomas and IT systems technician Sharon Vaughn are working on setting up the labs in addition to their usual responsibilities, Thomas said.

“Putting that many computers together normally takes a week or so for six people, but in this case, they didn’t send any staff because of budget cutbacks,” he said. “We will set them up eventually, but that’s a lot of time. There’s only two of us.” 

Lab C130 also received new computers this summer but opened before the school year started, Thomas said. The media center is also closed until Sept. 19 for new carpet installation, making computer access at school even more limited.

Thomas initially thought it could be weeks before students could use labs A234 and A236, but composition assistants and special education teacher Shawn Mumma are also installing computers to speed up the process. Thomas is unsure exactly when A234 and A236 will be usable, but said it will likely be within the next few days.

Assistant principal Kathy McHale acknowledged that the lab closures were inconvenient, but said they were inevitable because old computers must be updated.

“We have such a high volume of computer use in this school,” McHale said. “Anytime a computer is down it generates some problems.”

Some English teachers, especially English inclusion teachers, had difficulties assigning summer reading essays during the first few days of school because of the shortage of computers.

“Fourth period, it was terrible,” English 10 inclusion teacher Danielle Fus said. “I have 14 students who have an accommodation to use a computer. I wasn’t able to get them all in one place, so I had them in two different places.”

The school’s inability to provide computers to students with accommodations is unacceptable, Fus said.

“I had students who let other people use their accommodations,” she said. “They said, ‘Never mind, I don’t need it.’ It wasn’t fair to them, and it’s actually not legal.”

English teacher Matt Bruneel fortunately found a lab for his inclusion English 11 students Sept. 2, but not having enough computers will continue to affect his class, he said.

“I’m purposely not going to make any timed writing assignments until the other labs are open,” Bruneel said.

McHale recognized the inconvenience to teacher and students, but she was hopeful that the computer labs would open up soon.

“It’s more trying to keep teachers patient,” she said. “With the media center recarpeting, there’s been quite a bit of inconvenience this year with computers. If staff know ahead of time, they’re appreciative of it.”