What do you do at WSD?
I’m the Network Administrator for the Winooski School District. My role here is more of a traditional IT Director most days rather than a Network Administrator. As such I serve as the point person for the IT Department while supervising some of the team members. I’m responsible for the entire district network infrastructure, development, planning, maintenance, data and security of it. Including the annual software & support contracts with vendors.
Throughout the year I meet with department heads to discuss and plan for technology needs in the district. In addition, I meet and collaborate with other school district IT professionals within our region to maintain a working knowledge base of cyber threats, new technologies forthcoming and the challenges we face.
All members of the IT Team perform helpdesk tasks to support our users, myself included. However, although I generally receive the escalated tickets that other team members are not able to complete for various reasons or that often require more in-depth time-consuming work.
How long have you worked for the district?
Winooski welcomed me on board July 1st 2017.
What do parents and students need to know about you?
I’m a parent too! My wife and I have 2 wonderful teenagers, a boy 13 and a girl 15. And as I remind them both routinely. “Remember Dad works in IT; we can see what you’re doing on your school computers! So use them responsibly! Access to technology is a privilege, not a right!”
What’s something people in the district might not know about you?
Once upon a time I was a licensed Property & Casualty insurance adjuster in Vermont. I was employed by the largest independent adjustment firm in the world. I finally let my licenses lapse a couple years ago. At that time, I held licenses in VT, NH, ME, RI and CT.
The experience was interesting, although I don’t miss driving 500 plus miles a day, and as someone who spent most of their life working in professions helping others. It was very disheartening to be an adjuster at times – to see hard working people who had lost everything and have to deny their insurance claim when they needed it the most!
Why do you heart WSD?
The Winooski School District is such a close community of people. It’s like being in a small rural town where everyone knows you. We’re fortunate to have such great people who truly care so much about each other and the students & families here. I’m proud to be a part of that and this district.