WESTFORD CENTER — The School Committee reviewed a proposed reorganization of the district’s technology department during its meeting last week.
IT Director Nathan Guilmette said the plan is intended to improve efficiency, reduce Chromebook repair delays and provide more consistent technology support across schools while remaining budget neutral.
Guilmette presented the plan during the committee’s June 15 meeting, saying the proposal was developed after reviewing help desk ticket data, Chromebook repair records, technician assignments and staffing structures across the district over the past several months.
“The purpose of this proposal is to improve efficiency, create more consistent service levels across the district, improve the Chromebook repair process, better balance the workload among staff, and establish clear expectations and escalation paths,” Guilmette said.
According to Guilmette, the review found that technology support responsibilities across the schools are currently unevenly distributed. Some technicians perform Chromebook repairs, while others do not. Some technicians perform across multiple locations, while some do not, and certain positions carry administrative duties in addition to technical responsibilities.
The proposal would create a more unified department structure with clearer escalation procedures and greater flexibility in responding to support needs across schools.
A key change would move the lead technician from a building-based assignment to a districtwide role. Instead of supporting one specific school, the lead technician would assist with complex technical issues, staff absences, major projects and workload spikes throughout the district.
Administrative responsibilities currently handled by the lead technician, including invoicing, would be transferred to the IT department’s office manager.
The change would allow technical staff to focus on technical issues while administrative staff handle clerical tasks.
The proposal would also reduce dedicated technology staffing at Westford Academy to one technician, down from the current two. Guilmette said ticket data showed the high school’s workload could be managed by a single technician assigned to WA while maintaining support through the districtwide lead technician if necessary. WA’s technician would also serve as the district’s advanced Chromebook repair specialist.
Another major component of the plan focuses on Chromebook repairs. Guilmette said a review of repair practices revealed inconsistencies among schools, with some technicians regularly performing repairs, while others rarely do so.
As a result, roughly 70 Chromebooks are currently backlogged between the middle schools.
Under the proposed structure, all technicians would be expected to perform basic Chromebook repairs, including replacing screens, keyboards, batteries and hinges. More complex repairs would remain centralized at Westford Academy.
“The objective is to create a more consistent repair process, reduce backlog, improve turnaround times, and make sure students receive repaired devices back more quickly, regardless of which school they attend,” Guilmette said.
The district also plans to install a Chromebook loaner fuel tower at Westford Academy, similar to systems already in use at the middle schools. The self-service kiosks allow students to check out and return loaner devices without direct assistance from technology staff.
Guilmette said the system would reduce interruptions throughout the day and allow technicians to spend more time addressing technical issues.
The IT department reorganization would eliminate the assistant technician position and reallocate the associated salary funds to establish a baseline salary of $60,000 for computer technicians. Guilmette said the recommendation reflects expanded expectations for technicians, including device repairs, classroom technology support, help desk management and districtwide assistance.
Concluding his presentation, Guilmette said the proposed reorganization would create a more efficient and sustainable technology support model for the district. The plan would improve service levels by balancing workloads among technicians, standardizing Chromebook repair expectations and establishing clear escalation procedures.
The proposal also aligns technical responsibilities with technical staff while shifting administrative duties to administrative personnel, allowing the department to provide more consistent support to students and staff without increasing costs, Guilmette said.
